[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I'm trying to decide where I want to go in a few days for a camping/fishing trip. We're considering Bear Lake for Lake Trout and cutts, trolling with a downrigger, and lead core on the other rod. Is it worthwhile, or should we head to Strawberry instead?????? I haven't heard any Bear Lake reports lately. Is it slow or what????[/size][/black][/font]
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During the summer it is usually slow for both cuts and macks. But if human company is what you crave Bear lake is the place to go. At any given time there are probably 60 or so jet skis and just as many or more water skiers on the lake. The only safe place to launch a boat is the utah marina and it can be an hour wait to do that. I live in Paris just 10 miles from the lake and fish it heavily from Sept. 2 to the 1st of July the rest of the time it is just a pain in the you know what. Good luck.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I'll be up at BL this weekend. Finding place to camp could be a chore though. If you head for the east side there may be a few first come, first serve sites left. Unfortunately, the only decent place to launch is the State Park Marina. Without knowing for sure, there usually is a tractor launch by Ideal Beach Marina. It's a little spendy though. $10 in, $10 out.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]The fishing can be good. I've fished the summer months and have had good luck. Two years ago we landed a 19lb laker in early August and caught good fish the whole week we were up there. We've always had decent luck through the summer but as bodine11 said, by 10-11 am (after aspirin and breakfast) the boaters and PWC folks are out in force. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Good luck if you go to BL. I'll have the Boomerang and we'll be staying at the $40 a night (choke...choke...) KOA with family.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Thanks a lot for the info. I didn't really consider the croud factor, although we'd probably go in the middle of the week, not a weekend. Still, maybe we'll put the Bear Lake trip off until October[/size][/black][/font]. [font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3] You've helped a lot[/size][/black][black][size 5]![/size][/black][/font]
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I live in Garden City and I will disagree with Bodine on the wait for launching. Even during the very busiest times this summer the wait was less than 15 minutes. Most of the time there were plenty of boat ramps at the marina and there was no wait at all. It used to be terrible but the marina was recently rebuilt with better traffic flow (2 exits now) and additional launching lanes were added. Not to mention several "prep" lanes.
The second thing I will disagree with is what was said about jet skiis. They are not a problem unless you decide that you "must" fish the rockpile. There is currently over 90 square miles of water on Bear Lake and if you look at the number of jet skiis on the water it is a pittance compared to smaller lakes like the Berry, Scofield, etc. If you are on the east side there are very few jet skiis at all. Just don't fish around the popular beach resort locations (i.e. Ideal Beach/Sweetwater/Blue Water) and you will not be bothered.
Finally, the fishing has been a bit slow. However, the "die hard" Bear Lake fishermen have not been up here fishing. For some reason they just decide to fish the lake when the snow flies in Oct/Nov/Dec. I totally agree with BearLakeMack in that you can get into some really nice cutts and lakers if you know what you're doing. Right now I've been basing my fishing reports what the novice Bear Lake fishermen (weekend warriors who don't fish much) have been catching. I would bet if the die hard Bear Lakers gave the "big pond" a chance during the summer (and didn't just concentrate on the rockpile") they could land some really good fish.
Cheers and good luck!
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Hey, Scott! Maybe we'll run in to you up there. If nothing else, I'll run up to your office and we can chat. I will agree that the rockpile area near the rental places and resort areas are a mess by 10-11 am but I also know that a weekend on the east side can be just as bad with the PWCs. We've fished there and had plenty of company with guys roaring along the shorelines. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]As you said, there's 90 square miles of water but I've had numerous encounters with jet skis on the east side when we're trying to troll the depths that hold fish. You'd think they could get more than a hundred yards offshore from their camps to spin donuts and roar around. As you very well know, there is a small water corridor from shoreline that is the best fishing, especially from Rainbow Point south. Unfortunately, that is the most popular place for PWCs too.[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]I'm game and going over regardless. I think I can find and catch fish on that pond. I let you know how we do. Later.[/size][/black][/font]
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