Community fishing should get even better next year due to a new limit approved by the Utah Wildlife Board. The new limit cuts the four fish limit in half allowing anglers to harvest only 2 fish at Utah's community ponds. As long as the amount of fish being stocked isn't reduced, the changes should improve your chances of catching more fish, more consistently.

As of now the community fisheries receive heavy fishing pressure, so stocked fish are usually caught and harvested within the first few days of being released. So you will have a few good days of fishing, and then a slow period until the water is stocked again. With the limit cut in half, fishing will be more consistent, leaving more fish in the water to be caught. Another good side effect is that small fish that normally would have been kept under the 4 fish limit, will be let go in order to save room for bigger fish. This greater potential for catch and release also provides a form of education to the hatchery fish, making them more reluctant to take the bait, and growing to be a bigger size. So all around the new limit will hopefully improve your fishing experience at any of the 42 community fisheries.

Another aspect of the new limit is the STRONG RECOMMENDATION TO RELEASE ALL LARGEMOUTH BASS. Yes this is only a recommendation, not law, but the reasons are justified. Most bass in utah community ponds are harvested before they reach the size to spawn(around 8 inches). They play an important role in keeping bluegill and other feeder fish populations in check. So remember to catch and release all largemouth bass when fishing at any of the community fisheries.