Conditions Right Now
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Tackle + Bait Slots
Cat kit: 2/0 circle hooks + liver after dark.
Why Fish Here
Willow gets fished harder than almost any water in the valley, and that cuts both ways. The trout stay fresh because the state restocks community ponds roughly every two weeks through spring and fall, but you will be sharing the bank on any warm evening. Channel catfish go in several times over the summer starting in June, which is when the liver comes out after dark. The daily limit here is two fish, not the statewide trout number.
How To Fish It
Best rigs: Bobber + worm
Bait and lures: Worms, PowerBait, liver
Best time: Evenings. Season: All year
Local tip: Salt Lake Valley's busiest kid pond - stocked constantly.
Species Playbook
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.
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.
Getting There + Nearby
Nearby adventures: Millrace Pond (Taylorsville) (Fishing, 2 mi) · Sandy Urban Fishery (Fishing, 6 mi) · Bells Canyon Waterfall (Hike, 8 mi) · Mount Olympus (Hike, 8 mi)
Quick Answers
- What fish are in Willow Pond (Murray)?
- Rainbow Trout, Channel Catfish, Bluegill & Sunfish.
- What is the best bait at Willow Pond (Murray)?
- Worms, PowerBait, liver
- When is the best time to fish Willow Pond (Murray)?
- Evenings. Season: All year.
- Why fish Willow Pond (Murray)?
- Because the odds are good and the drive is short. Utah community ponds get rainbow trout on a rolling schedule rather than one spring delivery, so a Tuesday evening in April fishes about as well as any weekend. Just plan around the two fish daily limit.