SALT LAKE CITY — If it's been years since you've been fishing, or you've never fished before, circle June 10 — Free Fishing Day — on your calendar.
To celebrate, personnel with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will be on hand at several special events across the state to help beginning anglers land a fish.
Don’t have any gear? That won’t be a problem either. Randy Oplinger, DWR sport fisheries coordinator, said in a statement that loaner equipment will be available at most of the organized events, including:
• “Cops and Bobbers,” where DWR conservation officers and officers from local police departments will be on hand at three community ponds. They’ll help beginning anglers land a fish at Skylars Pond in Logan between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; at Syracuse Pond in Syracuse between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and at Bountiful Pond in Bountiful between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
In addition, the annual Bear River Celebration at Skylars Pond will take place until 2 p.m. It will feature interactive booths designed to help youngsters discover the joys of fishing and learn the importance of good water quality and responsible recreation in the Bear River watershed.
• DWR personnel and volunteers will be available between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to help young anglers keep their hooks baited at Little Reservoir east of Beaver and at Bristlecone Pond at Brian Head Resort east of Parowan.
In addition to the community fishing ponds, other waters across Utah should be good places to fish that day. Oplinger divides the best fisheries into two categories: best family fishing waters and places to fish and get away from it all.
His recommendations for best family fishing waters include Mantua Reservoir, Currant Creek Reservoir and Strawberry Reservoirs. Places he recommends to fish and get away from it all include Lost Creek Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Navajo Lake.
Although anglers won’t need a license to fish on June 10, remaining fishing rules in will be in effect. They are available in the free 2017 Utah Fishing Guidebook, which can be downloaded at wildlife.utah.gov. The site also offers more details on Free Fishing Day events.