04-06-2021, 02:47 PM
Bear Lake Fishing Report – Tuesday, April 6, 2021
Boat ramps that are available for launching at this time include: the Bear Lake State Park marina, First Point, and Rainbow Cove. You can also launch boats at the inlet structure in Idaho at the very north end of the lake at the Idaho State Park.
Cutthroat trout and lake trout fishing has been fair this past week. The best luck has been for anglers trolling on the east side of the lake in 30-80’ of water using crankbaits with rattles off downriggers fished close to the bottom. It pays to keep searching for fish until you find some active fish. Also, with the warmer weather it may pay to troll off the mouths of the tributary streams (until they close on April 15th). Cutthroat trout may be staging just off the mouths of the tributary streams prior to their spawning run. You might consider anchoring and then casting (flys, spinner, or spoons) since the water depth is fairly shallow and if you are trolling it will spook the fish. Additionally, vertically jigging using tube jigs tipped with cisco can work off the tributary mouths. Use swim baits in ½ to 1 ounce sizes and 4-6” long. Fish your jig slow and close to the bottom. Reliable colors are white, green and chartreuse.
The Bear Lake sculpin will begin spawning any day now and continue for the next few weeks. Look for flocks of diving ducks along the shoreline and you will know where the sculpin are spawning. In these same areas, try fishing from shore using large sculpin pattern or bunny fur flys on sinking-tip fly line. Or you can cast #5 or #6 spinners (Vibrax is a good choice) or cast with larger spoons. Work the lure as close to bottom as possible. Cutthroat trout and lake trout will follow the sculpin into the shallower depths. Water temperatures are still cold enough that cutthroat and lake trout can be in as shallow as 3-5’ of water along the shorelines.
Remember the trout limit is two fish. Cutthroat trout with a healed fin clip may be kept; cutthroat trout with all fins intact must be immediately released. Large lake trout take a long time to reach large sizes, and while they are legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them.
Garden City Community Fishery Pond
This pond is now open water and anglers report that fishing is good for rainbow trout with worms under a bobber or casing with small spinners. Don’t overlook casing wooly buggers with a fly rod or with a fly behind a bubble. Please use the self-service creel cards and let the UDWR know how you did fishing.
Laketown Reservoir
Laketown Reservoir is also open water and access is good with road improvements made last fall. Cast small spinners or spoons tipped with meal worms or night crawlers. Green or brown wooly buggers are also a good bet at this time of year. There are no services at Laketown Reservoir, so PLEASE clean up after yourself. It is even a good idea to bring along a small trash bag and pick up any other litter you may see. If you do fish, don’t forget to use the self-service creel cards and let the UDWR know how you did fishing.
Boat ramps that are available for launching at this time include: the Bear Lake State Park marina, First Point, and Rainbow Cove. You can also launch boats at the inlet structure in Idaho at the very north end of the lake at the Idaho State Park.
Cutthroat trout and lake trout fishing has been fair this past week. The best luck has been for anglers trolling on the east side of the lake in 30-80’ of water using crankbaits with rattles off downriggers fished close to the bottom. It pays to keep searching for fish until you find some active fish. Also, with the warmer weather it may pay to troll off the mouths of the tributary streams (until they close on April 15th). Cutthroat trout may be staging just off the mouths of the tributary streams prior to their spawning run. You might consider anchoring and then casting (flys, spinner, or spoons) since the water depth is fairly shallow and if you are trolling it will spook the fish. Additionally, vertically jigging using tube jigs tipped with cisco can work off the tributary mouths. Use swim baits in ½ to 1 ounce sizes and 4-6” long. Fish your jig slow and close to the bottom. Reliable colors are white, green and chartreuse.
The Bear Lake sculpin will begin spawning any day now and continue for the next few weeks. Look for flocks of diving ducks along the shoreline and you will know where the sculpin are spawning. In these same areas, try fishing from shore using large sculpin pattern or bunny fur flys on sinking-tip fly line. Or you can cast #5 or #6 spinners (Vibrax is a good choice) or cast with larger spoons. Work the lure as close to bottom as possible. Cutthroat trout and lake trout will follow the sculpin into the shallower depths. Water temperatures are still cold enough that cutthroat and lake trout can be in as shallow as 3-5’ of water along the shorelines.
Remember the trout limit is two fish. Cutthroat trout with a healed fin clip may be kept; cutthroat trout with all fins intact must be immediately released. Large lake trout take a long time to reach large sizes, and while they are legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them.
Garden City Community Fishery Pond
This pond is now open water and anglers report that fishing is good for rainbow trout with worms under a bobber or casing with small spinners. Don’t overlook casing wooly buggers with a fly rod or with a fly behind a bubble. Please use the self-service creel cards and let the UDWR know how you did fishing.
Laketown Reservoir
Laketown Reservoir is also open water and access is good with road improvements made last fall. Cast small spinners or spoons tipped with meal worms or night crawlers. Green or brown wooly buggers are also a good bet at this time of year. There are no services at Laketown Reservoir, so PLEASE clean up after yourself. It is even a good idea to bring along a small trash bag and pick up any other litter you may see. If you do fish, don’t forget to use the self-service creel cards and let the UDWR know how you did fishing.