Daily limit increased to 8 fish at Spring Lake prior to pond repairs

Salt Lake City — The daily fishing limit increased to eight fish at Spring Lake on Jan. 13, which will allow anglers to catch and keep more fish before Payson city officials drain the lake this winter to make necessary repairs.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Director J. Shirley issued the emergency change to the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook to give anglers the opportunity to catch and keep more fish in Spring Lake — a community fishing pond in Payson — before the lake is drained soon for repairs. Anglers can catch rainbow trout, wiper, brook trout, tiger trout, largemouth bass, bluegill and carp at Spring Lake.

The increased daily limit includes catching and keeping eight of any of the fish. There is no limit on carp, so they do not count toward the new eight-fish limit. The previous daily limit was two fish.

"We'd like anglers to be able to harvest these fish, so they aren't wasted," DWR Sportfish Coordinator Randy Oplinger said. "We hope people can get out and catch a lot of these fish before the pond is drained."

Anglers must obey all area closures that may be put in place by the city or construction crews. Also be aware that dropping water levels will leave ice (if present) hazardous and unsafe.

The pond will be restocked with rainbow trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill and wiper after city employees complete the repairs and refill the pond with water.

The increased fish limit at Spring Lake became effective Jan. 13, 2022 and will remain in place until March 18, 2022. All other rules established in the 2022 Utah Fishing Guidebook remain in effect.