Bear Lake Cisco Run?

[Boisan]

Happy Monday Everyone,

Does anybody have insight about this year's Bonneville Cisco run? I'm assuming the lake will not be frozen during the run due to higher daytime temps and those without a  boat will be shore-bound. I timed my trip to BL too early last year and did not net a single fish. I'm hoping this year will be different. Heading up next weekend to try my luck again. Any info about current lake conditions or near-shore cisco sightings would be helpful.

[AFDan52]

Happy Monday Everyone,

Does anybody have insight about this year's Bonneville Cisco run? I'm assuming the lake will not be frozen during the run due to higher daytime temps and those without a  boat will be shore-bound. I timed my trip to BL too early last year and did not net a single fish. I'm hoping this year will be different. Heading up next weekend to try my luck again. Any info about current lake conditions or near-shore cisco sightings would be helpful.

I've been up for Cisco Fishing for a long time , and I think you might have another week or so before the Cisco start running . uasually around the last week of January through the 1st week of February give or take a day or two .

[BearLakeFishGuy]

The lake is open water as of today, but a lot of skim ice forming. Very foggy in the valley, but daytime temps just won't allow it to lock up. I'm guessing (based on the weather predictions) that the lake will be open water for the 6th consecutive year for the cisco run. Today, I saw the very first cisco caught from a boat and it was only a few. So......that can change quickly on the lake. UDWR will begin doing checks every-two-days at Cisco Beach and the marina looking for schools along the shore. Last year very few fish were dipped from shore. Last year the weather was calm up until the run, then breezy. No fish were found along the shore for most of the run. Anyway, if you want cisco, you'll likely have to bring a boat and fight the ice flows (as of right now). One big wind and it can clean off the lake. I'm just the messenger, so please don't shoot me!

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Scott I appreciate the update. Sounds possible for next weekend. I was hoping for later, but I guess they will come when they come. Thanks Jeff

[fearfish]

Happy Monday Everyone,

Does anybody have insight about this year's Bonneville Cisco run? I'm assuming the lake will not be frozen during the run due to higher daytime temps and those without a  boat will be shore-bound. I timed my trip to BL too early last year and did not net a single fish. I'm hoping this year will be different. Heading up next weekend to try my luck again. Any info about current lake conditions or near-shore cisco sightings would be helpful.

I was on the rock pile last sunday and only seen 2 schools and i went out this sunday i seen a few schools of cisco come threw on the fish finder but i didnt get one i only tryed here and there i did catch a laker with one in its mouth so if i was a beting man you have another week and a half before it starts geting good im heading back out saterday or sunday if the ice or wind dosen't keep me off the lake i only fish out of a duck 16 foot duck boat so i have to pick my days  i get to go out there when i was out the the skim ice showed up around 230 witch really sucks to try and fish threw so we will see whats going on this weekend

[Boisan]

The lake is open water as of today, but a lot of skim ice forming.  Very foggy in the valley, but daytime temps just won't allow it to lock up.  I'm guessing (based on the weather predictions) that the lake will be open water for the 6th consecutive year for the cisco run.  Today, I saw the very first cisco caught from a boat and it was only a few.  So......that can change quickly on the lake.  UDWR will begin doing checks every-two-days at Cisco Beach and the marina looking for schools along the shore.  Last year very few fish were dipped from shore.  Last year the weather was calm up until the run, then breezy.  No fish were found along the shore for most of the run.  Anyway, if you want cisco, you'll likely have to bring a boat and fight the ice flows (as of right now).  One big wind and it can clean off the lake.  I'm just the messenger, so please don't shoot me!

Thank you for the update. Crossing my fingers that a few cisco will be near the shore next weekend since that's the only time I'll be able to make it to BL this winter and I put my boat away for the winter. Last year was a real bummer dipping from shore. I didn't even see a single cisco during the three days I went out. Conditions can only get better from last year. It's encouraging that people are seeing some here and there from boats. Do you know if the DWR posts cisco sightings on the fishing report page? Or is it best to call the biologist and ask them directly?

[SkunkedAgain]

You can call 435-946-8501 after work hours 5:30 or 6:00 PM and they have a message on their machine that has the current conditions... At least they have done this in the past and I assume it will still be updated fairly regularly during event time like the cisco run... This is the state park number and it has been a great source for Bear Lake info... Good luck... Jeff

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Happy Monday Everyone,

Does anybody have insight about this year's Bonneville Cisco run? I'm assuming the lake will not be frozen during the run due to higher daytime temps and those without a  boat will be shore-bound. I timed my trip to BL too early last year and did not net a single fish. I'm hoping this year will be different. Heading up next weekend to try my luck again. Any info about current lake conditions or near-shore cisco sightings would be helpful.

The boat anglers are starting to catch them. First cisco I saw caught was on Monday, but I've been out the last two days checking conditions and its slowly picking up.  The lake is completely ice free, so bring your boat.   The fishing for whitefish and cutthroat has been excellent this week and the lake trout fishing is pretty good too.  Best luck is from jigging.  Remember if you snag any fish other than cisco, you must release it immediately.  Finally, I would imagine its going to be a tough year for dipnetters due to the open water.  However, I've also seen years when open water dipnetting was pretty good.  FYI, the "Cisco Disco" is this Saturday, 1/22, so stop by at Cisco Beach and say hello.  We might even have a cisco for you to try, but if we don't we will definitely have french fries (courtesy of Andy's Restaurant in Ogden) and homemade scones.  Along with honey butter, raspberry jam, and hot chocolate.  Hope to see you on Saturday.  Oh, the BearLakeMonsterWinterfest.com is happening this weekend too.  Lots of awesome activiities on Friday and Saturday.  Try out snowmobiles, snowshoes, do the chili cookoff, hit the "taste of Bear Lake" on Friday night, etc.  There will be a Biggest Cisco tournament (free entry) with great prizes.  Last year the first place prize went to a 10 year old kid who won a $650 kayak!!!!   If you get too hot, then jump in the lake for the Polar Plunge and get a cool, limited edition hoody sweatshirt.  ALL proceeds will go to "The Family Place" in Cache Valley.  Its for a great cause!  The link for all activities is:
Home - Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

[UTFISHING]

Went out yesterday before daylight never seen any at first point boat launch or cisco Beach also Went to the utah marina on West side and did not see any.

[Boundless Bryce]

How was the Cisco disco today? Did anybody catch or net Cisco or other fish?

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Just an update on the cisco run. The fish really turned on Friday afternoon for jigging cisco. I saw the first limits taken Friday and everyone I spoke with on Saturday jigged limits. Both off the rockpile and off the 1st Point area (there was too much slushy-ice off the pumphouse or i'm sure they could have jigged limits there too). We'll be checking the shorelines this week and hoping we see the cisco come in shallow, but so far no one has seen them along the shorelines. This open water, for an unprecedented 6 consecutive years, is wreaking havoc on the shore runs for dipnetting. If the weather stays calm, that could change. Stay tuned for more updates beginning on Monday, 1/24/2022. I have also been updating the UDWR answering machine (435-946-8501-please call after 5pm) about every-other-day and trying to keep the UDWR Bear Lake fishing report page updated too (wildlife.utah.gov).

[Boundless Bryce]

Awesome, thanks for the update. I hope to go multiple times this week, probably fishing from shore. Debating if I want to focus on the Big boys, ( cutts, whitefish, and Lakers,) or if I should try for the Cisco.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Scott thanks for the update, are they seeing anything around the state park boat launch this year? Thanks Jeff

[Boundless Bryce]

Hey Scott thanks for the update, are they seeing anything around the state park boat launch this year?  Thanks Jeff

I was wondering the same thing, that would save me an extra 20 minutes driving to Cisco Beach.

[Boundless Bryce]

Hey Scott thanks for the update, are they seeing anything around the state park boat launch this year?  Thanks Jeff

I went to the state park to see for myself. The wind had pushed ice in. There was a bunch of broken up ice hugging the shore and extending out 15 to 20 ft. I didn't see a single fish there. I tried to cast from shore, but kept getting snagged on the ice. I even tried wading out. There was a fishing boat 50 or 60 ft from the north arm of the harbor. Looked like they were vertical jigging, but didn't catch anything in the 20 minutes I was there.

After that I went to Cisco Beach for a couple hours. Conditions are much better. No buffer of ice, but no fish either. Looks like the Cisco haven't come to shore yet.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Bryce, sorry it wasn't a very good trip... I'd like to try this weekend, but doesn't sound real promising... Thanks for the update... Jeff

[Boundless Bryce]

CISCO RUN IS ON!!!!!

Went to Cisco Beach as soon as I heard from the DNR that fish were coming in. Caught a 22 inch cutt on a white curley tail. Saw tons of skiddish Cisco, caught another 20 inch cutt that had 8 Cisco in it's stomach on a 3 inch hard sebile swim bait. Scooped 4 Cisco in the dark with my headlamp. While the sun was up, they swam away in schools. After dark, they swam solo and barely noticed I was there.

LET IT BEGIN!!!

[Bduck]

Met up with a friend from Idaho yesterday at the state park of BL. As I'm prepping the boat Scott stopped by and informed the cisco finally showed up that morning along cisco beach after a 2yr absents. We came up with the intention of jigging for cisco out on the rockpile. By the time we reached the pile there was a dozen other boaters with most jigging cisco. Wind was not an issue at all with barely a ripple, but the cold was very brutal. Anything that splashed in or on the boat would flash freeze to ice. There were some ice fog crystals that left a blanket coating. I have a complete enclosure for my boat with a propane tank top heater keeping a warm haven to thaw out the hands. From early on I was able to start my kicker but the splashing had formed at the pee stream hole so no kicker use this day. Kept my main motor running all day to keep from ice forming. We took a trip over cisco beach about noonish to see if anything was going on. Found 1 guy that just stepped into the water with his long net pole but he came out walked to his vehicle then left. We marked cisco in 40-60FOW. After hanging around at the beach for a while seeing if we jig up some cisco we then left to headed back to the pile. Finished the day with 1 limit between the both of us to divide. This bait will last us a while. While prepping boat for trip home Scott stopped by again gladly exchanging information and had a good conversation. I would prefer to jig for cisco over dip netting. I did mention how brutally cccolddddd it was there. If anyone is going for cisco now is the time.

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the report Roger, sounds like some tough condition up there, did you catch any other fish other than cisco?

[Bduck]

Thanks for the report Roger, sounds like some tough condition up there, did you catch any other fish other than cisco?

Our intentions were to follow up doing some trolling however that never did develop. It was too cold keeping clumps of ice from building up on the downriggers & rod tips. Besides jigging for cisco kept us busy.