Conditions Right Now
Your Loadout 🎣 Stock Up on Gear
Tackle + Bait Slots
Winter loadout: auger, ice cleats, short jig rod, insulated bibs.
Why Fish Here
Mantua is a weedy, warm-water reservoir, which is why the bluegill and largemouth do so well and also why it grows algae. Utah DEQ tracks it as a water where cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins have been detected periodically, so before a late-summer trip check the advisory page, keep pets away from any scum lines, and clean fish well and discard the guts. None of that stops the fishing. It just changes how you handle the water and the dog on a hot August afternoon.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Bobber + worm for gills; weedless frog over the pads for bass
Bait and lures: Worms, frogs, Senkos
Best time: Summer evenings. Season: May-September; ice fishing for gills
Local tip: Lily-pad largemouth 15 minutes from Brigham City. Bluegill here are thick - perfect first-fish water.
Species Playbook
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.
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.
Rainbow Trout
Rig: Slip-bobber or sliding sinker rig, 4 lb mono line, size 8-10 baitholder
Bait: PowerBait (rainbow/garlic), nightcrawler, small spinners (Panther Martin, Jake's)
When: Early morning & last 2 hours before dark
Utah's #1 fish. If a pond got stocked this week, cast anything shiny. Perfect first fish for kids.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Botts Campground (Mantua) (Camping, 0 mi) · Ben Lomond via North Skyline (Hike, 9 mi) · Hyrum State Park (State Park, 9 mi) · Hyrum Reservoir (Fishing, 9 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Mantua Reservoir?
- Largemouth Bass, Bluegill & Sunfish, Rainbow Trout.
- What is the best bait at Mantua Reservoir?
- Worms, frogs, Senkos
- When is the best time to fish Mantua Reservoir?
- Summer evenings. Season: May-September; ice fishing for gills.
- Why fish Mantua Reservoir?
- Mantua is where a lot of Utah kids catch their first bluegill, and the lily pads hold largemouth that will eat a frog fished right over the top. Rainbows round out the mix. Check Utah DEQ's advisory page before a hot-weather visit, since cyanobacteria turn up in this reservoir periodically.