Fishing Forum

Full Version: Big Blue - Whitefish?
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Haven't heard a whole lot on the whitefish run yet this year.
Are they still not going strong?
Not going to be a good year with warmer temps and high water?
People keeping quite this year?
[signature]
It's been going, but with the high water they really aren't getting spectacular days, but they have been catching fish... Last I heard they expected this week to be the end of things... I only went once and caught 3 smaller (16") fish but two were in the last 10 minutes there, so it had been a really slow day for me... Some are limiting, but they are having to work harder for a limit this year and not necessarily only keeping big fish like years past... I think the reports have been on the other board so the general board hasn't been getting much for whitefish stories this year... Sorry we didn't get ya informed sooner... I was missing out on the stories until after last weekend as well... I hadn't looked on the other board soon enough... You may still be able to get some, but I think the window is closing soon... Later J
[signature]
I live here on Bear Lake and have been fishing my buns off for the whitefish for the last couple of weeks. I got third place in the whitefish contest. Success has been very spotty this year compared to other years. The water temps don't have much to do with it, but for sure it seems that the abundance of suitable habitat and spawning areas has affected the fish concentration. Most years I can watch the fish swarm by the many dozens to hundreds at a time and can also catch one on almost every other cast when they are running heavy, but not this year. I've had a few limit days, but not many. They did start a little later than normal and are still going right now, at least for the next several days I'm sure. I thought I had posted a few reports on here, but I haven't done a dedicated thread due to the slow fishing. I don't want to report that the fishing is stellar when the reality is the opposite. It's a long way for most guys to come up here and costly as well and I would feel like a heel if I sucked a bunch of guys up here just to have wasted their time and money. The die hard whitefish anglers know the timing anyway and will come try it regardless of the reports (or lack thereof).

If you want to try it I would suggest getting up here this weekend, because there won't be another weekend for another year.

Just a few tips on spots.....second point, Cisco beach and if the stars line up Gus Rich point have been best with second point probably best overall.

Good luck if you come try it!

Mike
[signature]
I've been at Bear Lake for over 26 years. This year was the best weather I can ever recall during the Bonneville WF run. It is BY FAR the most fishing pressure I have ever seen during the run. It was not uncommon to have 5-8 boats on most of the productive areas. Too many people running their electric trolling motors in the shallow water that the fish were pretty spooked. Have people caught WF? You bet. Lots of them. It is/was harder to limit out this year, but you could do it if knew what you were doing. I had friends the fished BL the last two days and although they did not limit (20 fish between two of them) they came close and they are not the best anglers 15 one day and 17 the next. Overall, the WF run has been very good with LOTS of angler pressure (mainly due to the tournament that was going on). Some tournament anglers had zero etiquette, but that's anther story. Oh, one thing that has been VERY overlooked this year is jigging on the "rockpile" with castmasters in about 48' of water. That was productive for WF too. I also had several anglers report they caught some big lakers and some really big cutthroat trout while fishing for WF. I know we picked up several. So, this year has been very good overall. Is it a little tougher to catch a limit, yes.....but it was almost not fair to the WF the last several years when the lake was really low and all the WF were very concentrated on the little bit of rocky habitat that was still covered with water. Its always much nicer to be up at Bear Lake than inhaling the SMOG in Logan, Ogden or SLC as I did the last two days. (cough, cough).
[signature]
"Some tournament anglers had zero etiquette"

[#0000ff]Yeah, verily. You and I witnessed the wild men from Wyoming...squeezing in between two other boats who were already less than casting distance apart. But our wading warrior...GSP on the board...had his own encounters the next day.

He was set up in one of the very few spots fishable by wading anglers...with the high water...and was catching a few fish. He was the only one fishing from shore. Then, the only boat visible on the lake set up just beyond his casting range...temporarily.

As he continued to catch fish they moved in closer and closer. Now they were right on top of where he had been casting. When he "discreetly" suggested that they had a boat and could fish anywhere else on the lake they ignored him. So he used some harsher language, to which they replied in kind. His last cast bounced off their boat...and he hooked a fish...his last one...right under their boat. Then he packed up and left. Oh yeah, he did not see any of the three in the boat catch anything.

Here is a picture he sent me from his cell phone. Do you happen to know these guys? Sportsmen of the year award.
[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Last cast didn't quite hit their boat, but dang close. And I did truly catch a fish on that last cast. And yes, I did use some "salty" language and disgustedly left [mad]
[signature]
[#0000FF]You are just a bit more tolerant than I would have been. I have had more than my share of boats who want to share my chosen tubing spot. Some I invite to join me in my tube. Others get a hook-laden crankbait or spoon chucked at them a time or two. If I had been on the shore with you I would have pitched a few rocks out "to make more spawning habitat" for the whities. Too bad if they bounced off the boat or occupants on the way to the water.

Sorry if I told the story wrong or in any way lessened your illustrious image on this hallowed forum.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
Some people's children!!

Glad GSP held held his ground. I don't mind friends getting close to my spot .... especially if they ask, but a couple of out of staters really got me mad with their lack of courtesy and angling manners. I guess I'm getting more and more used to it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
[signature]
My image is definitely not illustrious [crazy]. Interestingly enough, I invited doitall5000 to fish next to me on Friday and he and I both caught fish and everything worked out fine. On Saturday there were other boats where I was including a robin egg blue 12 or 14 footer aluminum with 4 guys in it that I know I posted about 2 or 3 years ago during the whitefish run that I thought was going down in 3 foot swells a la the Edmund Fitzgerald. Those guys were awesome. They drifted close to me but when they got to within casting distance they motored out and away and started fishing to the north. Another duck boat with a mud motor was courteous as well as I think a Crestliner with 2 fishermen in it. So there is hope!

Merry Christmas!

GSP
[signature]
Tubedude you are very respected on here. Love your posts and help offered to people. But your buddy GSP is full of crap. We never swore back at him. He was fishing 2nd point and there were no less then 10 boats there when we started.

Fish stories are great, but lies are silly!! Best of luck out there to everyone.
[signature]
Hi guys. I'm new to the forum....but feel like I can contribute a lot... Looking forward to meeting some new friends with new concepts on fishing, especially on "The Big Blue" Bear Lake. Hyrum.....and "The Pig" Porcupine....
[signature]
Sorry pookiebar, I'm not full of crap. I never said you swore at me, read my post after Tube Dude posted our encounter. You or someone on your boat said I had salty language after I told you guys you had the entire Fing lake to fish (20 mile shoreline) and why did you have to set up right on top of me.

And there weren't 10 boats. Maybe 7, possibly 8.

Doesn't matter. Fact is you guys anchored up right on top of me.

Is that a lie?

GSP
[signature]
You’re right, Tubedude is the one full of crap in this case. And is there a big difference between 8 boats and 10?? About 10 is 8 or maybe 12. Estimates are hard, understood.

And yes we ended up drifting on our anchor line closer then we intended. You chose to use salty language and leave. We also offered another boat there the chance to tie directly to our bow after you left. It’s all YOU’RE choice on how to react to stuff. Hope next time is a better outing for you.
[signature]
Hey welcome to the forum. Glad you joined us and your from my neck of the woods too. Good deal. You like the hard deck or strictly soft water? Ice is underway now so be good to have you join us. See ya around. J
[signature]
Yes, it was my choice to tell you guys off and to leave the situation. It was your choice to anchor on the 15 feet of shoreline that I had been fishing for the last 1 1/2 hours when there was plenty of shoreline for you to fish away from me (the only shore angler there) as the other boats did.

And don't put words in my mouth. I did not say Pat was full of crap. Even he would admit that he embellished the story. I never told him there were no other boats there and I'll bet he would even say that. I told the same story to Bear Lake Fish Guy, and Joe and Steve Orduno and most of them said I should have done more than tell you off and leave.

You are just trying to deflect the fact that you all had a lack of common courtesy and etiquette. You all watched me catch around 7 fish while you caught none and couldn't stand it. Got news for you. Those 15 feet of shoreline are not the only place the whitefish were. If you would have been decent, I might have shared Tube Dude's jigs with you or told you the technique I was using.

This is on you guys.
[signature]
I did not put words in your mouth. I simply stated that Pat was full of crap in this case, or as you say "embellished the story"

We had moved up and down the shore line with limited to no success. Hoped that we could move into a spot somewhat closer to where the fish were obviously piling up. The anchor line got tied a little longer than intended and we drifted back into your line. Lack of common courtesy is not what happened. You didn't stick around long enough for us to rectify the problem. Once you left, of course we are going to stay you were gone by then!!

My point is you chose to blow up and get your feel goods hurt, when we were ready to shorten our anchor line and move if needed but you acted like an old salty dog. Then took your ball and went home so to speak.

Best of luck next time.
[signature]
WHEEEW!!!!! This thread went south quick....
Thanks tube dude👍🏼

First off I’m the fat guy in the boat wearing black coat, just a side note, the camera ads 10-50 lbs.

Second, it’s funny how 2 stories can be so different. All I remember about that day was how the doctor threw a temper tantrum.
I even replied back to his fowl language with, “ with all these flavors, you chose to be salty?”

Third, telling bear lake fish guy and ”Orderno rules” doesn’t make your side of the story factual.

Fourth, why didn’t you just chuck a lure in our boat like tube dude suggested? Probly cuz you couldn’t have!

Fifth and final , this has been a roll off the couch, can’t breath from laughter post and thread to so many. When I got the text that Dr. G had posted his tantrum on BFT I couldnt help but let all the characters affiliated with this story know.
[signature]
And here you guys are bad mouthing Wyoming guys when it appears the dirty rotten culprit is one of your own from Kaysville!
[signature]
Hey CTTG how do you know I'm a physician?

It is funny how two stories can be different. Pretty sure I didn't throw a temper tantrum but definitely did drop the F bomb on you guys after you got close enough to hit you if I would have been casting anything other than 1/8 oz jigs.

I already said someone in your boat commented on my salty language. That's on me. Never said you guys swore.

Didn't say telling others made anything factual, just that I told them all the same occurrence.

Could have easily hit your boat but chose not to.

And I didn't post about it on the forum. Tube Dude decided to and I set the story straight from what he posted, i.e. I didn't hit your boat and you didn't swear at me.

I think you guys may be named Trump. When confronted with the truth it's all Fake News.
[signature]
[#0000FF]Wyoming guys could stand some more heat.

Sorry Gary. Wouldn't think of lumping you in with the guys who showed poor sportsmanship. There are bad apples in every group...and some good ones...like yourself.

You could join me in my tube anytime.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]