Trout Farm Fishing

Just outside Salt Lake City, in an area that almost feels like the suburbs of Ogden, you can find Cold Springs Trout Farm. On a warm spring day, when we needed a break from skiing, we decided to give this place a visit. After looking at their website and reading a few Google reviews, it seemed like the fishing was going to be a slam dunk as far as catching fish goes.

I have been to a few catfish farms over the years down south, and yes, most of the time it is pretty easy to catch a few fish. But we have also been skunked at a few catfish ponds where the fish would only eat the feed dumped out of the back of a truck at feeding time. Nothing is ever a slam dunk when it comes to fishing. That is why it is not called catching.

Two Types of Fishing at Cold Springs Trout Farm

There are two types of fishing at Cold Springs Trout Farm. The first set of ponds are catch-and-keep. That means you are required to keep whatever you catch, and then they charge you by the fish. It is about $5 per average fish and up to $20 if you catch a big one. I was a little worried we might rack up a few-hundred-dollar bill if we fished too long. They also provide the rods and bait.

The last pond on the property is the trophy catch-and-release pond, with fly fishing only. You have to pay by the hour to fish this pond. We decided to stop by a local big-box outdoor store and pick up a basic fly setup and a box full of flies. On a side note, I got my first four-piece fly rod, which is how most of them are sold now. One really nice thing about them is that you can pack them into a small rod case that fits in a backpack.

Checking In and Getting Started

We arrived at the grounds, and after a quick chat and check-in with the nice lady at the fish station, we got our bucket, a net, and each grabbed a “rod.” The rods did not have any type of reel, just a small bamboo-like stick with about five feet of line. The bait was just a small hook with a small piece of leather attached to it. You could also purchase a small cup of fish food for 50 cents. I was skeptical.

We walked over to the first pond, and it was completely packed with trout. There were thousands of fish in a pond about the size of a large swimming pool. At that point, I knew it was probably going to be like shooting fish in a barrel, so to speak. I put in the bait, and the fish attacked. It took less than 20 seconds to hook one, pull it up, and toss it in the bucket. Now, you might be wondering how fun that really is. Yes, it is a little less fun than real fishing, but it is still pretty fun for at least the first 10 minutes.

Trying to Catch an Albino Trout

In a sea of rainbow trout, there were a handful of white-looking trout. We went back to the fish shack to ask the lady in charge about them. They were albino trout that were specially bred by the farm. They were fine to eat, but she said they were pretty hard to catch.

Since the thrill of pulling in rainbow trout was starting to wear thin, we turned our attention to trying to land one albino trout without racking up too much of a bill with catch-and-keep rainbows. We failed at this effort, as there were just too many rainbow trout per albino trout. You could wait and try to put the bait right in front of one of the albino trout, but too many others would fight for the bait. After putting a few more standard rainbow trout in the bucket, we gave up and headed back to turn in our fish and have them cleaned.

Fly Fishing the Trophy Pond

I like fly fishing, but it is not my go-to fishing trip or method. My dad has never been a fan. My brother had never tried it, despite being an avid fisherman most of his life. On a float trip to Alaska in my early twenties, I put in some real effort into learning the craft, so for me, it seems pretty easy. I was selling the idea that it is not that hard to pick up casting a fly rod.

We headed to the trophy pond, set up the gear, and got the video ready to roll. As the fly fishing expert and the new wannabe YouTube star, I took the stage on the casting dock and made my first cast while giving a quick lesson. First cast, I got a little trout on the line. Like the other ponds, you could see the trout all hanging out next to the dock, and you could see some big ones. Second cast, bang! I landed a pretty nice trout. I think this is probably the first time I have ever caught a fish on camera, and yes, I would say this qualifies as cheating.

Over the next 40 minutes, my dad and brother would proceed to prove me wrong about how easy it is to learn to cast a fly rod. Fail after fail, they did not catch a fish. When our first hour came around, we had had enough and called it a day.

A Family-Owned Trout Farm and Wedding Venue

The rest of the grounds also serves as a wedding venue and has a little old-west-looking town next to it that is sort of neat. The place is family owned and also operates as a commercial trout farm. The ponds are fed by a spring that keeps the water circulating and keeps the farm-raised fish relatively clean.

It is nothing like wild trout fishing, but we still enjoyed our time and the big bag of trout fillets that we brought home. The final bill was only about $100. There are very few, if any, $20 fish in the catch-and-keep pond. They are almost all $5 to $6 fish, and those $5 fish produced some pretty nice-sized fillets. They were probably about the same cost as what you would pay at the grocery store.

Final Thoughts on Cold Springs Trout Farm

Cold Springs Trout Farm is not exactly a rugged wilderness fishing adventure, but it is a fun family-friendly stop if you are near Salt Lake City or Ogden and want something different to do on a day off from skiing. The catch-and-keep ponds are easy, the trophy pond gives you a chance to try fly fishing, and the setting makes for a relaxing afternoon. Just remember that when the fish are biting this fast, you may want to keep an eye on the bucket and the final bill.