Whitefish run is beginning at Bear Lake

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Bear Lake Fishing Report 11/25/09:
Launching is available at the Utah State park marina, First Point, Rainbow Cove and Cisco Beach ramps. Water temperature is 40oF. The Bonneville whitefish are just beginning to show up over rocky shorelines in 5-15’ of water and the spawning run is just starting. We fished this morning for about 3 hrs and caught 8 whitefish along the east side of the lake, but the run is just beginning and the fishing should really get hot in the next couple of weeks. My fishing partner caught the catch and release record for Bonneville whitefish this morning and he'll be turning the paperwork. This coming weekend should be good too. Anchor over shallow rocky shorelines and then cast 1/16 – 1/8 ounce jigs. You can use twister tails, marabou, tubes or road runners. Sometimes it helps if you “tip” the jig with a small piece of night crawler, but its definitely not necessary. Also, try small spoons tipped with worm, or #0 - #1 spinners fished close to the bottom. The limit on whitefish is 10. Whitefish are good when filleted, breaded, and deep fried or you can fillet and bake the fish. Smoking the whitefish is the most popular method for preparing them. As for other fishing on the lake, anglers are catching cuttrout in 50-80’ of water using tube jigs tipped with cisco. Good spots have been off the east side at the pump house, Second Point, and Cisco Beach. Very few anglers have been fishing the rockpile at Ideal Beach, but the anglers who I have spoken to have done fair for both cutthroat and lake trout.
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[Old_Coot]

Thanks Scott for that report. Saved me a phone call. That was the exact info I needed. I plan to smoke a bunch of those whites again this year like I did last year. They were fantastic. I followed much of your piece with Adam Eakle on white fish catching and smoking. I've been stocking up on lures and can hardly wait to get back up there.

I plagiarized one of your other posts and stuck it in a Word document for future reference.
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[setthehook]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#0000ff][size 5]fantastic fishing report! got me excited to get back to that big blue lake.[/size][/#0000ff][/font]
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[FishingWaters]

[font "Times New Roman"]Thanks for the report Scott. I have either Tuesday or Thursday of next week open to make a trip for the white fish.[/font]
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[fish1on]

BREAKFAST time........Thanks for the update Scott.
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

We fished off the marina today from a boat and never caught one whitefish, so they are no "in" at the marina just yet, but are definitely going on the east side. I did pick up on nice cutthroat about 3lbs on Thanksgiving morning. That fish was "pardoned" and I released it unharmed!
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[pacscrumhalf]

I'm heading out tomorrow with the kids and will be fishing from shore from Cisco Beach. I also plan on longlining for some cuts from shore. I have an 11 1/2 foot light action and was thinking about sinking some tube baits tipped with sucker meat. Any suggestions for the cuts from shore?

Thanks-
Jeff
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

For the cutts I would try casting a #4 or #5 Vibrax spinner (or something comparable). Also, try rattling crankbaits, or even simple spoons. If you don't like to cast, then use a 1/2 or whole cisco fished on the bottom.
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[Red-head]

I've been waiting for this report for a month! Thanks.

I've got one question. I've searched previous post so I think I'm good as to what to use and where. I just don't know when, ie. what time of day is best?
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[Old_Coot]

Scott, how hard do you think it would be to catch a limit of white fish casting from the bank using casting bubbles to get maribou jigs out there?

I have never done that but it seems quite possible. That might be a lot easier than dragging my boat up there.

What think ye?
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[fish1on]

Coot

Contact me my friend and all will work out. Boat is always there and shore fishing is my thing if the weather is less than managable.
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

Pulling your boat up is worth it, if you ask me. Lots less lost lures and you can make your presentation a lot easier from a boat. With that said, I've caught my limit from shore by casting jigs and bouncing them in. You gotta keep them moving and close to bottom or you won't get bit. Also, bring hip boots, or better yet, chest waders. Then again, read my first sentence. Lots easier and your boat is small and easy to launch!
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[pacscrumhalf]

I went to Bear Lake on Saturday and was skunked (0-3) at Bear Lake. I tried white, black, white and black, bait, no bait, with a float, without a float, Cisco Beach, the harbor, and nothing. I hope I do better at the Burbot Bash.

The wind was the biggest factor I think. I go there around 9 am and the wind kicked up almost immediately. That was less of a problem at the harbor where I fished both dikes, but still no takers.

I'll figure out the whitefish one of these days, but I am only good for a couple of trips a year because of the drive.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I'll keep at it.

Jeff
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[WaveWolf]

[#500000]How much leader did you use under your casting bubble and did you jerk it coming back in?[/#500000]
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[Old_Coot]

My limited experience fishing for whites reminds me that it is best to be fishing at first light up to about 8:00 or 9:00 am then the bite shuts off (or significantly reduces). But that's just me. Also, I think the best white fish fishing is over on the east side of the lake around cisco beach where there is plenty of shallow gravel and rocks.
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

Ol Coot is correct, but whitefish fishing has been "interesting" so far this year. They are catching some fish in the mornings, but it seems there has been some good succes from 11am-2pm during the high sun of the day. I checked some anglers yesterday and they said they were doing better in the afternoon than they did in the morning. That may change over the next week or so, but that's whats going on right now.
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[FishingWaters]

Scott I'm headed up for some Whitefish tomorrow. What is the launching conditions at the marina?
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

Clear as a bell. Just like in the summer only 15 degrees this morning.
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[pacscrumhalf]

I changed my leader length a number of times. I went as few as 2 feet to as much as 5 or 6, should I have gone longer? When I used the float, I just mostly let it sit and come in with the waves, reeling in a little here and there.
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[FishingWaters]

I hope the 15 degrees wont freeze the marina.
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