Anglers at Highland Glen Pond must release every largemouth bass they catch under new regulations the Utah Wildlife Board approved Sept. 18.

The board set the daily bass limit to zero at eight community ponds along the Wasatch Front, including the Highland pond near Lone Peak High School. The rule takes effect for the 2027 fishing season, though the DWR has not specified an exact start date, according to ABC4.

The change turns Highland Glen Pond into a catch-and-release-only fishery for bass. Until now, the pond fell under general community pond rules with a two-fish daily limit. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) had encouraged anglers to voluntarily release largemouth bass there, but the practice was not required.

Bass are now off limits to keep.

The DWR proposed the stricter limit to protect heavily fished water bodies, ETV News reported. The agency conducted a statewide angler survey earlier in 2026, and the proposals received broad statewide support, the DWR said in a summary of the board's meeting.

Seven other ponds face the same zero limit: Spring Lake, Salem Lake, Dry Creek Pond and the Old Provo Channel in Utah County; Sunset Pond in Salt Lake County; Andy Adams Reservoir in Davis County; and Goode Ski Lake in Weber County.

Highland Glen Pond, at 4800 Knight Ave., sits near Lone Peak High School and has parking and a small boat ramp. Highland City has used the park for its Hooked on Fishing youth program, which ran on Saturdays from May 2 through June 6. The zero-limit rule applies to largemouth bass.

The board's Sept. 18 meeting also reclassified 14 native fish species as game fish with a zero daily limit to boost conservation protections. Those species include Bear Lake sculpin, bluehead sucker and Virgin spinedace. Separately, the board listed burbot, zander and golden shiner as prohibited species in Utah.

Upcoming community events

  • Hooked on Fishing: Highland City's youth fishing program at Highland Glen Park ran May 2 through June 6, 2026. No 2027 dates have been announced.
  • Angel's Gate Trailhead: Highland closed the trailhead through October for trail work.