Current conditions: The surface water temperature is about 51 degrees. The cooler water temperature is drawing both lake trout and cutthroat trout into shallower water. Lake trout are actively spawning, which also helps draw them closer to shore. Fishing has been productive for both species. Anglers have reported success while jigging, trolling and shore fishing.

Fishing spots and techniques: Prime locations for catching lake trout from shore include the Utah State Park Marina, the North Beach Jetty and along Cisco Beach. Cutthroat trout can also be caught in these areas. Recommended lures for casting include large spinners (size 5 or 6) such as Mepps, Vibrax and Roostertails. For fly fishing, try large sculpin patterns or articulated bunny fur leech patterns to entice these trout to bite. Boat anglers are finding success trolling with flatfish and jointed minnow lures in bright colors (yellows and oranges) near Cisco Beach in depths of 20 to 80 feet. Downriggers or lead-core lines are effective. It’s best to keep your lure close to the bottom or even bumping along it occasionally. 

As the lake trout spawn slows, these fish will focus more on feeding, and jigging from boats for both lake and cutthroat trout is expected to improve. Good jigging spots include the “rockpile,” First Point, Second Point and the rockpiles just north of the Utah State Park Marina. Anglers are advised to fish at depths of 30 to 80 feet and to keep moving until you locate active fish. Using a 1/2-to-1-ounce jig with a 4-to-6-inch tube, twister tail, or swimbait — tipped with cisco or other fish meat — is an effective way to catch these fish. Allow the jig to bounce off the bottom, lifting it 12-18 inches. Most strikes occur when the jig falls back to the bottom, so pay attention to your line.

Beginning in late November (around Thanksgiving) and continuing through the middle of December, Bonneville whitefish will begin spawning in mainly shallow, rocky shoreline areas. During this time, the whitefish move to rocky areas off the shoreline on both the east and west sides of Bear Lake and can be caught either from boat or from shore. Some of the hottest fishing action occurs during the coldest time of the year.

How do you catch Bonneville whitefish? If you don’t have a boat, don’t worry – you can catch them from shore. However, if you plan on fishing from shore, chest waders or hip boots help as they will allow you to walk out a few extra feet to cast out a bit farther. If you’re in a boat, simply anchor in about 8 to 15 feet of water next to a rocky shoreline and then vertically jig under the boat or make short casts and retrieve your lure so it’s right on the bottom. If you do not snag up on a rock occasionally, you should either slow your presentation down or move to an area with more rocks! You can “tip” the lure with a piece of night crawler or meal worm, but it really isn’t necessary since the fish are hitting the lure more out of aggression during their spawning season rather than feeding on the bait. Use a medium to light rod with 4-to-6-pound test monofilament line. Even better are small diameter superlines, such as Spiderwire or Nanofil, with a 4-foot leader of fluorocarbon line. These lines do not stretch, so they’re much more sensitive and will help you detect the sometimes light bite of the whitefish.

You might be surprised, but pound-for-pound, Bonneville whitefish fight better than trout. They will readily hit lures such as small (1/16-to-1/8-ounce) marabou or twister tails jigs, small spoons, small spinners and ice flies. This is a time when they can also be caught on fly rods using a sinking fly line with large flies, such as woolly buggers or other brightly colored patterns.

Popular spots to catch Bonneville whitefish from shore include off the Utah State Park Marina in Garden City and along the rocky shoreline at First Point, Second Point and Cisco Beach on the east side of the lake. The water temperature will be around 40 degrees or even colder, so be prepared to fish in cold weather.

Boat launching: The Bear Lake water level has dropped about 4 feet so far this year. Boat launching is available at the Utah State Park Marina, Rainbow Cove and First Point. The Cisco Beach ramp is open, but four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended to launch there. Construction continues on the Marina expansion project. Utah State Parks personnel are working closely with the contractor to minimize any impacts to the operations of the existing marina. 

Regulations and conservation tips: The trout limit at Bear Lake is two fish. There are no fin clip requirements for cutthroat trout, meaning any cutthroat trout caught can be kept within this two-fish limit. Lake trout are slow-growing and can take many years to reach larger sizes, so anglers are encouraged to release large lake trout whenever possible. For those planning to release their catch, land the fish quickly and return it to the water with minimal delay. Consider using a descending device to safely return fish to deeper, cooler decompress and recover effectively. The daily whitefish limit is 10 with no size limits.