Bear Lake 12-23-03 (report)

[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Hit Bear Lake yesterday with Bait_Caster. Our goal was to catch a limit of white fish. Since neither of us had ever been to Cisco Beach (I know … we need to get out more), we decided to use BLM's directions ([/size][/font][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=85812"][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=85812[/size][/font][/url][font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]) to drive there. Once we got there, we couldn't find anywhere to launch at so we decided to just cast from the beach. All we could catch were snags. After getting skunked and leaving a bunch of grubs and lead heads in the lake we decided to drive back over to the west side ramp and launch the boat. Launched in about 34* water. Being determined to come home with some whites, we buzzed back over to Cisco Beach and try again in a few different places. Still no luck. So, we decided to head over to the rock pile to see if we could find any action there. We were pretty much the only boat on the lake. At least we couldn't see any others. We anchored up just N-E of the rock pile in about 70 feet of water. We were jigging for macks and cuts but got nothing for over an hour. So we decided to move in closer to the pile in about 50 feet. The sun came out for about 45 minutes and during that time I caught one mack and two cuts and BC caught two cuts and a mack. Then the sun went away and the fishing died down again. We decided to move straight North of the pile in about 45 feet and try some more. BC landed one more mack. All total, BC landed 2 cuts and 2 macks. I landed 2 cuts and one mack. All of our catches were in the 2-3 lb range … nothing worth writing home about. With the day soon to end and still determined to get some whites, we headed for the marina to fish the rocks. We fished there for over an hour with NOT ONE BITE!. A week ago we caught a half dozen cuts in that area. We went home with out a single white![/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]While we were fishing the dike for whites, BearLakeFishGuy pulled up on the dike and chatted with us for a while. BLFG sure has a lot of good knoledge of Bear Lake.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]All in all, it was a slow but great day out on the pond. We caught a few fish and nibbled on smoked Bear Lake trout all day. And, we learned where Cisco Beach is ta-boot.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]I wouldn't be surprised if Bear Lake freezes over this year.[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Here is BC with one of his cuts:[/size][/font]

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[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Here he is with one of his little lakers:[/size][/font]

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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Last Friday the water temp was over 38 degrees. It's dropped 4-1/2 degrees in 4 days? Hmmm... [/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 3]Our luck will be that the marina will freeze solid and the lake will stay open. The marina is so shallow that it is a real possiblity. Great for small boats able to launch off the beach but no good for Larger boats. [/size][/font]
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[Kent]

Please explain why you couldn't find any place to launch at Cisco Beach? Was the ramp too icy, or couldn't you find the ramp?
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[wiperhunter2]

Maybe the fish finder was the difference in the temps. When we launched Friday the water in the marina was 33* but the main lake was at least 36* and before we went home it had climbed to 38*.
Old _Coot, another good spot for the whites is south of first point by the pump house and south of Gus's point in the weed beds. Ask Muskyhunter and Idahonative about where to launch that is closer to those areas they can give you better directions on how to get there than I can. BLM knows the spot also, south of Gus's point on the beach. WH2
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Kent,[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]We found a ramp that went down to the water edge and no further. BearLakeFishGuy later told us that that was the new low water ramp. That's the only ramp we seen. I now understand that there is a "Rainbow Cove" ramp but we didn't see it. Maybe on our next expedition over that way we will look closer for the Rainbow Cove ramp. Do folks launch from Rainbow Cove in the winter with snow on it?[/size][/font]
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[muskyhunter]

Rainbow Cove ramp is high and dry,there are a few places along the rocks on Cisco that we just back into the water!!I have not been over on the east side since they poured the new ramp,I am assumeing it is right next to the outhouse on the south end of Cisco?M.H.
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

Yes, the ramp is right next to the new out house on the vesry south send of Cisco Beach. I'm really puzzled why Ol Coot didn't catch any whitefish along Cisco Beach I had two friends in a boat that fished over there today (Tuesday 12/23) and he limited out on whitefish in about 3.5 hours. Plus he caught 4 cutts? That's good ol Bear Lake for ya! Water temp in main lake was 35 degrees as of 10:30 am today. Marina was about 33.
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[fish1on]

Were the bubblers on in the marina?? one, two ??? I wonder if the state plans to turn on all of them before it freezes on us?? I would hate to have just bought a boat and not be able to launch!!
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[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Fish1on,[/size][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2]Bubblers were going full blast. I seen at least two, maybe more. They seemed to be churning a whole lot more water/air than what I remember them doing last year.[/size][/font]
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[fish1on]

Thanks for the info COOT, sorry you did not get into the Whites. I wish I could get even a small Mac or Cutt but keep coming up with whites, go figure HUH!

P.S. I sent you a P.M.
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[muskyhunter]

fish1on,you have to put the marshmellow on before the worm!![][][]"MACKS LUV UM!!"M.H.
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[fish1on]

Boy do I feel silly now!!! I was eating the marshmellows! But seriously what is the story about marshmellows and worms? I thought that White, pumpkin. salt and pepper tubes with sucker or cisco were the ticket?? All that money in gear and all I needed was a hook, worm, and marshmellow?
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