This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah's urban fishing ponds might have been built with the idea that they would be great places for kids to get outdoors and fish.

And, to a certain extent, that is the case. But there is another large demographic that make Salt Lake County's urban fisheries important recreational amenities.

Those would be senior citizens.

"It's not just for kids," said Division of Wildlife Resources central region fisheries manager Mike Slater. "We anticipated these fisheries being a place for youth. But adults use them. We get calls on a weekly basis asking when they have been stocked."

Some anglers say gathering at these ponds is better than spending time in a senior citizens center.

"This should be called grandpa's pond," said Roger Olsen, senior who regularly fishes Salt Lake County's urban fisheries such as the Sandy urban pond, who said seniors regularly gather, adding, "This has extended my fishing life. It's not for the kids. It's for us old guys."

Monte Rouska of Kearns said Kidney Pond is his favorite, but he doesn't think it has been stocked regularly.

"This beats driving to Strawberry," he said while fishing Sandy Pond where he caught and released a couple of nice trout.

That echoed a common theme among senior anglers who are on fixed incomes and may not have the money it takes to regularly fish out of the urban areas.

Rouska said he and other regular anglers love it when the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources plants big brood stock from hatcheries.

"Someone caught a 20-inch lake trout last year," said Rouska.

Kelly Johnson of West Jordan calls Willow Pond in Murray "on golden pond."

He hadn't fished in about a year but, after having surgery, he bought a license. Johnson fishes at Willow Pond almost daily.

"It gets people out of the house," said Johnson. "They are close. You don't have to drive a long ways. It's the best thing that ever happened to us old guys."

These urban waters also draw in a surprising amount of wildlife. At Sandy Pond, dozens of birds used the water, some of which is off-limits to anglers.

"You need to look around for birds, especially in the spring," said Olsen. "There are all kinds of birds. There is an osprey next nearby. People should get a bird book and get kids interested in birds."

Salt Lake County's urban ponds have many similarities.

Laws are pretty standard. The limit is two fish and adults must have a license.

Slater said the ponds receive such heavy pressure that having a two fish limits spreads the opportunity longer. Many anglers practice catch and release.

Seniors fishing Willow and Sandy Ponds say conservation officers regularly check the areas. Catchable rainbow trout are stocked early in the spring and later in the year regularly. Many have largemouth bass (anglers are asked to voluntarily release these fish) as well as channel catfish, bluegill and crappie.

Slater said stocking usually ends about the middle of October. The idea is to have most of the rainbow trout harvested before winter and when the ponds ice over. Ice is usually unsafe and ice fishing is either discouraged or outright prohibited.

The fisheries biologist said brood stock, which are large hatchery fish used to produce eggs, are sometimes ordered and stocked in these ponds, but their availability is unpredictable. They usually go to bigger ponds such as Willow, Sandy or Salem in Sandy that have longer seasons.

"We anticipate people are still fishing during the winter," said Slater. "We determine which places will get the most use out of these fish."

Channel cats, bass and bluegill are also stocked. Some reproduce naturally.

Facilities at many of the urban ponds are first class. Most offer fishing piers. All but a few are handicapped accessible. Many have fish cleaning stations, benches, playgrounds, picnic areas and rest rooms located nearby.

The Jordan River also provides some fishing opportunity in Salt Lake and Utah Counties. The primary catch is catfish, though a few wild brown can be found in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley where colder water comes into the river. White bass fishing is good near Utah County.

The idea of urban fisheries is to provide close to home spots for kids, their parents and seniors to catch fish, enjoy each other's company and perhaps create lifelong memories.

Twitter: @tribtomwharton —

Salt Lake County Fish Ponds

Cove Pond • 7200 W. 14200 South, Herriman. 1.2 acres. Channel catfish, rainbow trout, bluegill, smallmouth bass. Rest rooms, gazebo, picnic area, trail system, fish cleaning station, playground, handicap access. No ice fishing.

Kidney Pond • 920 W. 11200 South, southwest side of River Front Park, South Jordan. 1.2 acres. Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, black bullhead, channel catfish. Covered picnic areas, trail system, rest rooms, handicap access.

Midas Pond • 920 W. 11200 South, southwest side of river Front Park, South Jordan. 1 acre. Rainbow trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, black bullhead. Rest rooms, hiking trail, pavilions.

Millrace Park Pond • 1200 W. 5400 South, Taylorsville. 3 acres. Rainbow trout and channel catfish. Picnic area, rest rooms, fishing pier. Handicap access.

Oquirrh Lake • 4500 W. between 10400 South and 11400 South in South Jordan. 67 acres, 3.4 miles long. Bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout. Beaches, trails, grassy picnic areas, wetlands. Handicap access.

Riverton City Pond • 3200 W. 13680 South. 7.6 acres. Rainbow trout, channel catfish, bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, white bass. Check with city for hours and open dates.

Sandy Pond • 1000 W. 9800 South, Sandy. 3 acres. Bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish and rainbow trout. Rest rooms, playground, pavilion, fish-cleaning station, fishing pier. Handicap access.

Sunset Pond • 898 E. Riparian Drive (11815 S.) inside Mehraban Wetlands Park, Draper. 1 acre. Rainbow trout, bluegill, green sunfish, channel catfish, pumpkinseed, black bullhead. Park benches, fishing pier.

Willow Pond • 6059 S. Murray Parkway Ave. (1080 W). 4 acres. Trout, channel catfish, bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed. Rest rooms, picnic areas, fishing pier, trail system, fish cleaning station, playground. Handicap access.

Source: Division of Wildlife Resources —

Urban fishing pond rules

• Pack out all litter

• Two fish daily limit

• Valid Utah fishing license required

• Floating, boats and swimming usually not allowed

• Release of all largemouth bass encouraged —

For information …

… On urban fishing ponds throughout Utah, log on to http://www.utahfishinginfo.com/urbanponds./