Conditions Right Now
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Tackle + Bait Slots
Cat kit: 2/0 circle hooks + liver after dark.
Why Fish Here
Benson is the practical way into Cutler, a shallow marsh reservoir that fishes nothing like the trout water people expect out of Cache Valley. There is a concrete ramp, restrooms, a small pavilion and parking for fifteen to twenty vehicles, so a canoe or a car-top boat gets you into channels you cannot reach on foot. Cutler carries its own limits, four channel catfish and fifteen black crappie a day. Come on a warm night.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Crawler on bottom; bobber rigs off the dock
Bait and lures: Crawlers, liver, cut bait
Best time: Evening into night. Season: May-September
Local tip: Cache Valley's warm-water sleeper on Cutler Marsh - canoe the channels.
Species Playbook
Channel Catfish
Rig: Carolina/sliding-sinker rig on bottom, circle hook
Bait: Nightcrawlers, chicken liver, hot dogs, stink bait, carp meat
When: Evening into night; hot summer nights are best
Utah Lake is a catfish factory - 30-fish nights happen.
Bluegill & Sunfish
Rig: Worm under a small bobber, size 10 hook - that's it
Bait: Worms, mealworms, tiny jigs
When: All day long, all summer
THE kid fish. Pelican Lake grows bluegill the size of dinner plates.
Largemouth Bass
Rig: Texas-rigged worm near weeds; wacky rig Senko
Bait: Senkos, jigs, frogs over pads, topwater at dawn
When: Dawn topwater, evenings; pre-spawn (April-May) is prime
Look for submerged brush, tules, and shade lines.
Northern Pike
Rig: Steel leader + spoon or big swimbait along weedlines
Bait: 5 of Diamonds spoon, jerkbaits, dead smelt under bobber
When: Morning & evening, ice-off is hot
Razor teeth - bring pliers and a long leader.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Newton Reservoir (Fishing, 8 mi) · Logan River (Fishing, 8 mi) · Logan River 1st-3rd Dams (Fishing, 9 mi) · Wellsville Reservoir & Hyrum-area ponds (Fishing, 11 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Benson Marina (Cutler)?
- Channel Catfish, Bluegill & Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike.
- What is the best bait at Benson Marina (Cutler)?
- Crawlers, liver, cut bait
- When is the best time to fish Benson Marina (Cutler)?
- Evening into night. Season: May-September.
- Why fish Benson Marina (Cutler)?
- Because Cache Valley's best warm water fishing sits in a marsh most anglers drive straight past on their way to the canyon. The ramp and lot at Benson are small, so get there early on summer weekends. Note Cutler's specific limits of four channel catfish and fifteen black crappie per day.