Bluegill?

[Joe_Dizzy]

Looking for a lake/pond, preferably in Salt Lake valley/vicinity, where I can take a lazy kick with my float tube and fly rod in pursuit of Bluegill and/or other panfish.

The two I've come up with in a quick search are Mantua and Pelican, but both are pretty good hauls and was hoping for something closer. I used to catch them occasionally in Utah Lake while ice fishing, but not enough where I thought I could actually pursue them.

[RockyRaab2]

You might want to check out Bountiful Lake, just off the Legacy Highway. It's a Community Pond, which means you could only keep two fish, but it has lots of bluegill for fun catching. And a float tube is a great way to fish it.

https://dwrapps.utah.gov/fishing/fStart?...ful%20Lake

[Therapist]

Utah Lake has a good population of Bluegill, you just have to get out of the harbor(s) ! A good place to launch is at AF Harbor, but don't launch off the main ramp. Go up the dike a bit till you see a break in the brush and a sloping gravel area. you can launch there and kick out to the weed line north of the dike. Another option is to park outside the Harbor, walk through the brush out to the mouth of the AF River ( yes even though it is dry, it is the AF River) and launch off the gravel bar out there and then kick north along the weed line. it will be fairly shallow so you may have to get out away from the weeds a bit and cast into them. That is a pretty consistent area for them. The airport dike used to be pretty good also, but the water is way to low now to get out there !!

[Cowboypirate]

The rocky area of the dam at Newton is a fun spot and Pineview always has some hanging around

[Joe_Dizzy]

Thank you so much for inspiration here folks! I will definitely check out that area around AF harbor as it's only a 15-minute drive and I like the possibility of a mixed bag there.

Bountiful Pond is one that I strangely would not have considered. Strange because I've been there a fair amount of times over the winters for bird watching, but always thought of it more as a put 'n' take trout dumping spot. I may have to reconsider that now.

Newton probably out of range where I would be willing to go for Bluegill, but you never know... might find myself close to there for others reasons and it becomes an option.

Thanks again and I will report back any findings! Need to hit the tying bench now.