Bear Lake White Fish?

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey my memory isn't so great and I didn't start my log until this summer, so does anyone remember when the white fish spawn at Bear Lake? Is it in December? I'd like to try catching a few this year if I can find them... J
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

Bonneville whitefish spawn begins late November and goes through the first 2-3 weeks of December. I know I'll be fishing the first Sat of Dec and it should be red hot. (Dec 1st).
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thank you. Guess the fish'en is red hot when the days get cool. Thanks a bunch. J
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Curious - are these the same "whitefish" that are found in the Logan and Blacksmith rivers? I've seen them, though never caught one.
I gather they have very small - sucker like mouths? Real bony - often "canned" then you don't have to deal with the fine-bones. ????

Never had canned fish, though I've got a recipe I oughta try!

Hey J - if you ever have a spare seat up to BL - I'd love to give it a try. Though I understand you sport the family and then some. Have a bud at work who's talked up the late season BL fishing. So maybe we'll see you up there!

I just would be a wee-nervous taking my little tug barge out on such a big lake. Though another bud at work has talked up the notion of long-lining, and my little rig being perfect for that.

Maybe if I had a surf-casting rod!

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Yote the Bear Lake Whitefish is I think Bonneville and the river ones are a different strain that are a little smaller. They have similar bones to trout and I hear are great smoked. At least that's what I want to try. When I try the BL venture if I'm not committed otherwise I'll give ya a call for sure. It would be a fun trip. I sometimes wonder if my boat is big enough for BL so I try to be ready to run for shore if a blow starts. My wife threw away my last few cisco tails so I'm not sure what to use on a jig over there maybe chub minnows would work. I'd sure like to catch so nice trout over there but I know it's a stingy lake at times. Well got to run but I'll put a fish story on here later tonight. J
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[BearLakeFishGuy]

There are 3 different species of whitefish in Utah. Bear Lake has two of them. Bonneville whitefish (Prosopium spilonotus) can grow to 3-4 lbs. They have a LARGE mouth and are predators of other fish once they reach a size of about 14" long. They will readily hit smaller spoons, spinners and literally inhale jigs! They are typically only caught during the late fall spawn and through the ice or from boats until about April. They spawn along rocky shoreline areas. Bear Lake whitefish (Prosopium abyssicola) is what is known as a "dwarf" species. They grow to a maximum size of about 9" long and less than a pound. They can also be caught on small jigs or castmasters jigged from a boat. They spawn in deeper water (35-100+ feet) along rocky areas. The whitefish found in other lakes and streams throughout Utah are mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) and are mainly insect eaters. The flesh of mountain whitefish is quite different from the two found in Bear Lake. The flesh of Bear Lake and Bonneville whitefish is nice and firm and the "Y" bones are not nearly as well developed as those in mountain whitefish. Since Bear Lake whitefish don't get very big, most people eat the Bonneville whitefish. They can be prepared like any trout would and smoking them is also a popular method. I hope that clears things up?
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