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Davis Journal

Free Fishing Day in Utah is June 11

Jun 06, 2022 12:03PM ● By Tom Haraldsen

It’s a great tradition celebrated in nearly every state, and certainly an annual event Utahns love. It’s Free Fishing Day that will be held on Saturday, June 11 this year.

It allows anyone to fish at any public waterbody in Utah without a license. It makes for a great family activity and is the perfect time to introduce your kids (or your neighbors and friends) to fishing and get them outdoors. It’s a great day not only for beginning anglers to give fishing a try, but also fun for experienced anglers too.

“Because you don’t need a license to fish that day, it’s the perfect time to take someone with you and introduce them to the sport,” said Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Aquatics Section Assistant Chief Craig Walker. “Early June is one of the best times to fish in Utah. All of the fish in the state, both warm-water and cold-water species, are active and willing to bite this time of the year. And with this year’s drought, it will be better to go fishing earlier in the summer as well. While some waterbodies may be impacted by low water levels this year, the majority of the fishing in Utah will be great.”

If you are taking someone fishing for their first time, you can commemorate their first catch with a fun DWR certificate. You can print out the certificate at home and fill in the details to document the occasion. And while fishing itself is free, entrance fees to state parks and other areas will still apply.


Besides our Davis County fishing holes, such as Bountiful Lake, Farmington Pond, Kaysville Pond and Willard Bay, here are some other areas that aren’t too far from home where you can enjoy Free Fishing Day: 

East Canyon State Park (Morgan County): Offers rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, wiper, brown trout and kokanee salmon. Anglers should have success using a worm to fish for the trout, wiper or smallmouth bass.

Mantua Reservoir (Box Elder County): Offers bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch and green sunfish. The bluegill are typically near shore in June, so it’s good fishing for beginners.

Hyrum Lake State Park (Cache County): Offers rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch, largemouth bass and bluegill.

Echo State Park (Summit County): Offers rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass.

Rockport State Park (Summit County): Offers rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass.

Willow Pond (community pond in Salt Lake County): Offers bluegill, channel catfish, green sunfish and rainbow trout.

You don’t need a license to fish on June 12, but the other fishing rules in Utah will still be in effect. Make sure you know the catch limits and rules for the waterbody you are fishing. The rules are available in the 2021 Utah Fishing Guidebook on the state’s DWR website. And wherever you go fishing on Free Fishing Day, remember to recreate responsibly by packing out what you pack in and keeping the area free of trash. l