Bonneville Cisco Run and Cisco Disco Invite!

[BearLakeFishGuy]

First the report.  The cisco are definitely running at Cisco Beach only (as of today).  We dipnetted fish but by about 9:00 am it was pretty much over.  It was windy today which made it difficult to see the fish, but they were some big schools coming through.  Its 100% open water along Cisco Beach, but there is little access for boats.  Today the ONLY spot you could attempt to launch was Rainbow Cove and that access is marginal. First Point are is socked in with ice so unless it really blows that is done.  The marina area is totally frozen and you can't launch there either.  I used hip boots and stood in about 8" of water and kept a low profile and the fish would come in right over my net and I would lift it vertically in about 1-2' of water.  Jigging to attract them just didn't seem to work today for some reason.  If its calm then you could have easily dipped limits in a matter of minutes.  Get away from other anglers.  Too much commotion by anglers just drives the fish off shore.   I watched one guy casting spoons off the shoreline and having some luck for cutthroat trout too!

The Cisco Disco is Saturday and if the wind cooperates there should be plenty of fish to dip.  I'm sending the BFT anglers an invite if they want to stop on by for some scones, fries, hot chocolate and maybe a few cisco.  We have had a challenging time getting enough fish this year since everyone is keeping their fish for bait and not donating any, so we may have to ration the cooked cisco if we don't get some more fish after Thursday morning.  Anyway, it will be a great time regardless.  We will be there from daybreak until about 9:30 or so, regardless of the weather, so I hope to see a few of you up at the lake!  After the Cisco Disco there is the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest over at the State Park marina and the Sunrise Events Center.  Make sure to stop on by there too.   For those coming up on Friday, there is the Taste of Bear Lake event going on at Sunrise Events Center too.  Its always a great time with great local food.    Here's the link:  www.bearlakemonsterwinterfest.com

[Cowboypirate]

Cookie and I love your event. So much fun. If anyone is thinking about - just do it. Get a Hotel room and make a weekend out of it.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the detailed report Scott we sure appreciate you preparing us to bring the right stuff... Hopefully we'll see you for a hot chocolate... Later Jeff

[Bduck]

Last year I met up with one of my fishing buddies launching GC State Park. We headed over to the Rockpile and started jigging for Cisco. There were only 4-5 boats in the area. As I remembered it was brutely frigid, but we were cozy with an enclosure & tank top heater. With a small propane grill on board for not cooking with, I had precooked a couple of meals the night before for a hot breakfast with both bringing our own thermos of coffee. Wind was not a factor on the calm seas that day but there was an ever so slight breeze which set us for a slow drift. We started upwind drifting & watching the fishfinder drifting over the Rockpile. We did get our 30-limit cisco each and 1 rod & reel setup I jigged off of the bottom. We had the idea at the beginning to do some trolling, it was just too cold with a lot of ice forming from the dripping rods around the transom & on the boat floor. Decided to pack up and head in.

[Riebs20]

Last year I met up with one of my fishing buddies launching GC State Park. We headed over to the Rockpile and started jigging for Cisco. There were only 4-5 boats in the area. As I remembered it was brutely frigid, but we were cozy with an enclosure & tank top heater. With a small propane grill on board for not cooking with, I had precooked a couple of meals the night before for a hot breakfast with both bringing our own thermos of coffee. Wind was not a factor on the calm seas that day but there was an ever so slight breeze which set us for a slow drift. We started upwind drifting & watching the fishfinder drifting over the Rockpile. We did get our 30-limit cisco each and 1 rod & reel setup I jigged off of the bottom. We had the idea at the beginning to do some trolling, it was just too cold with a lot of ice forming from the dripping rods around the transom & on the boat floor. Decided to pack up and head in.

Thanks for the info was hoping to get up and get some Cisco this year.

[KJB]

Thank you for the information it’s hard to commit to driving up and the run hasn’t started or just ended.

[BSF]

First the report.  The cisco are definitely running at Cisco Beach only (as of today).  We dipnetted fish but by about 9:00 am it was pretty much over.  It was windy today which made it difficult to see the fish, but they were some big schools coming through.  Its 100% open water along Cisco Beach, but there is little access for boats.  Today the ONLY spot you could attempt to launch was Rainbow Cove and that access is marginal. First Point are is socked in with ice so unless it really blows that is done.  The marina area is totally frozen and you can't launch there either.  I used hip boots and stood in about 8" of water and kept a low profile and the fish would come in right over my net and I would lift it vertically in about 1-2' of water.  Jigging to attract them just didn't seem to work today for some reason.  If its calm then you could have easily dipped limits in a matter of minutes.  Get away from other anglers.  Too much commotion by anglers just drives the fish off shore.   I watched one guy casting spoons off the shoreline and having some luck for cutthroat trout too!

The Cisco Disco is Saturday and if the wind cooperates there should be plenty of fish to dip.  I'm sending the BFT anglers an invite if they want to stop on by for some scones, fries, hot chocolate and maybe a few cisco.  We have had a challenging time getting enough fish this year since everyone is keeping their fish for bait and not donating any, so we may have to ration the cooked cisco if we don't get some more fish after Thursday morning.  Anyway, it will be a great time regardless.  We will be there from daybreak until about 9:30 or so, regardless of the weather, so I hope to see a few of you up at the lake!  After the Cisco Disco there is the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest over at the State Park marina and the Sunrise Events Center.  Make sure to stop on by there too.   For those coming up on Friday, there is the Taste of Bear Lake event going on at Sunrise Events Center too.  Its always a great time with great local food.    Here's the link:  www.bearlakemonsterwinterfest.com

Thanks for all the information. This will be my first time attending the Cisco Disco. As near as I can tell from what I’ve read, Cisco Beach is on the east side of the lake, is that where the scones and hot chocolate will be served?
Is the State Park marina also on the east side, or is it the marina by Garden City?
Also, where is the Sunrise Event Center located?

[SkunkedAgain]

In case someone doesn't get back with you I'll fill in what I can... Cisco Beach is on the East side of the lake almost to the Idaho border, there will be a ton of vehicles there unless you get there really early so you shouldn't miss it, and yes that is where they have the hot chocolate and scones, look for the shelter with the line, it's usually about half way between the north and south ends. State Park Marina is the one north of Garden city on the west side of the lake... And I don't know where the Sunrise Event Center is, so I can't help with that one.. Dress warm, it can be pretty cool on the east side before the sun comes up, which is close to noon on that side of the lake with the steep mountains right next to the lake... Cisco Beach is part of the Bear Lake state park so have your pass or be ready to pay to enter, it will be patrolled so to save a ticket, you'll want to give the governor his coinage... I'm not sure about whether they charge for state park entry on the west side with this big event, I have my pass, so I'm not sure if they charge to get into the polar plunge and etc... Sorry I can't answer that one... That event usually has a pretty big crowd, that's what makes me wonder if they have everyone pay to get in or not... Anyway I'll let Scott fill in the blanks, but it will probably be later tonight, I know he was going after cisco this morning and he's doing it more as a public service now since he's retired... Anyway I'll probably be over there, if you see a beat up bronze GMC truck missing the front bumper that will be me... I'll probably be on the beach near where I park... Have fun... Later Jeff

---

Ps... I think if you pay the state park fee on the east, it's good on the west for the same day, so don't throw the slip away... Don't quote me, but I think that was the case in years past when I didn't have the annual pass...

[BearLakeFishGuy]

There is no entrance fee to watch the polar plunge at the marina on Saturday. However, they do charge a fee for entering at Cisco Beach in most years. But once an entrance fee is paid it is good at all locations for that day. I heard it was really blowing up at Bear Lake on Friday morning, so that may destroy most of the ice that was forming. What I'm saying is that boats may be able to get out on the lake this weekend if the ice gets busted up.

[BSF]

In case someone doesn't get  back with you I'll fill in what I  can... Cisco Beach is on the East side of the lake almost to the Idaho border, there will be a ton of vehicles there unless you get there really early so you shouldn't miss it, and yes that is where they have the hot chocolate and scones, look for the shelter with the line, it's usually about half way between the north and south ends.  State Park Marina is the one north of Garden city on the west side of the lake... And I don't know where the Sunrise Event Center is, so I can't help with that one.. Dress warm, it can be pretty cool on the east side before the sun comes up, which is close to noon on that side of the lake with the steep mountains right next to the lake... Cisco Beach is part of the Bear Lake state park so have your pass or be ready to pay to enter, it will be patrolled so to save a ticket, you'll want to give the governor his coinage...  I'm not sure about whether they charge for state park entry on the west side with this big event, I have my pass, so I'm not sure if they charge to get into the polar plunge and etc... Sorry I can't answer that one... That event usually has a pretty big crowd, that's what makes me wonder if they have everyone pay to get in or not... Anyway I'll let Scott fill in the blanks, but it will probably be later tonight, I know he was going after cisco this morning and he's doing it more as a public service now since he's retired...  Anyway I'll probably be over there, if you see a beat up bronze GMC truck missing the front bumper that will be me... I'll probably be on the beach near where I park... Have fun... Later Jeff

---

Ps... I think if you pay the state park fee on the east, it's good on the west for the same day, so don't throw the slip away... Don't quote me, but I think that was the case in years past when I didn't have the annual pass...

Thanks For all the useful information Jeff. I found the Sunrise Event Center, it’s the blue and white lighthouse looking building across the highway from the State Park Marina.

[SkunkedAgain]

Sweet thanks for that information... and good to know what the event center is... I'm not going to take the boat, with snow overnight through the canyon, I'll be lucky to make it across the canyon with just the truck, I don't want to push my luck with a boat behind me... Anyway I heard that 25 mph winds cleared most of the ice on the east side and so I guess we better take our waders if we want to catch some cisco.. I hear it may be 8 mph winds tomorrow morning too, so not sure whether it will be a good day to catch cisco tomorrow morning, but lets hope there's less wind than they figured... Good luck to all of you that hit the disco tomorrow... Later Jeff

[Fishfarts]

We’re the cisco in Saturday or Sunday. Are people netting any? ?  Does anyone really know?

---

Are the cisco in Saturday or Sunday. Are people netting any? ?  Does anyone really know?

[SkunkedAgain]

Nothing for us on Saturday, lots of waves and wet, didn't see a cisco... Waiting for some calm weather or ice to let the fish come into shore... Later Jeff

[bearlaker7]

The cisco are done running, you might catch a few running by!