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Bear Lake Fishing Report 11/26/2007 - whitefish are on!
#1
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Well since no one has really been giving any of their time to check on the whitefish run, I took it upon myself today to see if they were in (poor me[Wink] LOL!!). We fished for one hour, and caught 8 whitefish. The run is just beginning, but it is definitely "ON". Surface water temperature at Bear Lake is 42 degrees! The ramps at Cisco Beach and the Bear Lake State Park Marina are the only places available for launching boats. [/size][/black][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The Bonneville whitefish spawn over rocky areas along the shoreline in 3-15 feet of water. We caught whitefish off the Utah State Park marina and a friend of mine caught fish off the North Eden delta. The fish are averaging about 1-2 lbs, but can grow to upwards of 3 lbs. The fishing should continue to be red hot for the next two solid weeks and then begin tapering off just before Christmas. Use 1/16-1/8 ounce jigs. Twister tails, marabou or small tube jigs all work well. You can also try casting small spinners in the #0-#1 sizes as well as small spoons. Try to let your lure run close to the bottom or if you are jigging work the lure right on the bottom. The whitefish can hit hard, but often it is a very subtle hit. If you are not catching fish or snagging up on the rocks, then chances are you are not fishing close enough to the bottom. You can also try tipping your jigs or lures with a small piece of worm, but it is not really necessary during the height of the run. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Fishing for both cutthroat trout and lake trout remains good. Anglers are having the best success by jigging with tube jigs tipped with cisco in anywhere from 30-60 feet of water. Good spots to try are off the east side at 1st and 2nd Points and off the west side at the rockpile off Ideal Beach Resort and off the new rockpiles just north of the marina. You may also consider trolling with rapala-type lures on downriggers in the same areas as mentioned above. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]For real-time weather (wind speed, water temp, air temp, lake elevation) see the following link:
[url "http://www.bearlakewatch.com/NewPages/Newlakelevel2.htm"]Bear Lake Real Time Weather and Water Info Link[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Remember a Utah license is valid on the Idaho side of Bear Lake, but you may NOT use a second pole when fishing on the Idaho side of the lake. Idaho license holders are only able to use one fishing pole on either side of the lake this year. For those interested the GPS coordinates for the new rockpiles using WGS84 datum going from south to north are:

41 degrees 58.097 minutes;
111 degrees 23.682 minutes;

41 degrees 58.187 minutes;
111 degrees 23.728 minutes;

41 degrees 58.292 minutes;
111 degrees 23.765 minutes;

41 degrees 58.418 minutes;
111 degrees 23.798 minutes;
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#2
[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850]Wow Scott, Thanks for that good detailed report. It is also good to see the new rock pile coordinates (along with datum) listed.
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#3
You making me breakfast! LOL

I will be all over them this coming weekend, great to here! I fished Sunday for an hour while the kids played around and nada as far as activity. Must have just started or fish hate me!
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#4
c'mon Ice! [Wink]
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#5
How are the whitefish as table fare? Do they smoke good? What's the limit? Do they fillet like trout? What did you have for lunch today? Is it better to fish from a boat or is shore fishing good enough as they are shallow?
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#6
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How are the whitefish as table fare?
They are the best eating fish in the lake. Nothing like the mountain whitefish, which are typically found in the rivers

Do they smoke good? Absolutely a wonderful fish to smoke (if you can figure out which end to light!)

What's the limit? 10 whitefish daily and possession limit

Do they fillet like trout? exactly like trout. You must skin them before eating. Believe it or not several people over the years have complained to me that the "scales were getting caught in their teeth when they ate them!.....Yuck

What did you have for lunch today? Chili-mac. However, for dinner we had fresh cut corn, scalloped potatoes and deep fried whitefish! Yummy!~

Is it better to fish from a boat or is shore fishing good enough as they are shallow? Either. However with a boat you don't get snagged up as nearly a much and when you do you can motor the boat over the snag and usually get your jig back. It is common for shore anglers (bank tanglers) to catch their limit without too much trouble. Having waders or hip boots work well.

Here is a link to a story I wrote up last week that is in the current UDWR Wildlife Review On-line magazine. It should answer all your other questions. [url "http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/wr/"]Link to whitefish story[/url]
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#7
Scott,

Thanks for the great post. I was wondering why you like the 1/8 oz as a minimum. I usually like to fish the smaller 1/64-1/32 sizes. Do you like the better action?? Just curious, I definately believe you know more about whitefishing than me.
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#8
I like the 1/8 oz. as a MAX size. I use lures down to 1/32, but only through the ice. I can only cast down to 1/16 oz. effectively. The mouth of the Bonnevilles is easily large enough to engulf a 1/8oz jig and that is the easiest for me to cast.
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#9
Thanks for the info., Scott. I wasn't really expecting to hear what you had for lunch and I busted up laughing, I love chili-mac!. Are there any certain colors you prefer for small tubes etc.?
It seems like I should break out my crappie gear for the whitefish.
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#10
I've never fished for the whites, but is Cisco Beach a good place to try? I am heading up from Heber on Saturday morning.

Thanks-
Pacs
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#11
My favorite color of jigs are black, followed by white, yellow and pink. Crappie gear is perfect for these whitefish. You can definitely catch them from shore. However, hip boots or chest waders make life more tolerable and drier, especially if you want to wade out a step or two before casting. Cisco Beach or off the State Park marina break wall are the best spots to fish from shore.
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#12
Super! Thanks for the quick reply. See anyone else on Saturday morning at Cisco beach.

Pacs
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#13
I will be targeting them at the state marina, cisco beach is good but there are a ton of rocks and I lose too much tackle there![crazy]
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#14
Is the State Marina in Garden City?
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#15
yup!

Just north of the "T" when you drop in to garden city from Logan canyon.
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#16
Fish1,

Do you fish from shore at the marina? I will have my boys with me so I don't want to spend all of my time retying if they would keep losing jigs to the rocks at Cisco. It sounds like the marina is a better option.
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#17
Just my opinion but I think you would be better off fishing the break water off the state park marina with the boy's.

I have a boat but plan to be fishing from shore there as well.
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#18
Fish1,

Thanks for all the support, and I apologize for all the questions, but nothing's worse than dragging your kids out to go bust. With that said, I was looking at a map of the park, does it matter which breakwater to fish from. I see there is a north and south side. Is it better to walk all the way out to the end and fish where the boats enter the marina? Inside or outside of the marina? Or should I just follow the crowd?
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#19
Go out to the end where the boats come in and out of the marina. Fish on the outside of the marina. Either side is good.
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#20
Either north or south but fish the lake side not the marina side.

The north breakwater near the boat channel has a pretty easy access of dirt and gravel but the rest offer huge boulders and large rocks and some are a bit loose to the step. Also, if there is a morning frost the rocks are kinda slick to walk on so take your time.

Once you are at the waters edge there are plenty of flat surfaces to stand or sit.
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