Bear Lake

[SkunkedAgain]

Random observation on Bear Lake on this forum. When I joined back in 2003 there was non stop reports and chatter from Bear Lake, especially this time of year and continuing through the white fish season. I’m talking like 4 out of 5 posts were BL related. Now, with the exception of a few great reports from the local die hards, it’s pretty much crickets. Is that a function of the demographic of guys on this site now or a result of the current fishing status on the lake?  I also notice the pressure has correlated with that as well. Through the early 2000’s, it would be common to have 20-25 boats on the Rockpile. Now I usually see 8-10 this time of year. It is odd considering the exponential growth in the area over the past twenty years. I would agree with the fishing being tougher now than it was then, but it is only incrementally worse (for me).  Bear Lake is a tough nut to crack now as it was then as well. What is your thoughts?

I agree fishing sucks canyon is scary and no macs best to stay away

I see what you did there and I'm sure you never fish there anymore... Hopefully I'll get my boat trailer fixed soon and be over to watch you put on the clinic again this year... Later J

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I live in Garden City and can probably offer a local perspective.

First thing....
The laker fishing is increasingly spottier than it used to be this time of year.  The laker fishing is best starting about December 1st through ice up.  With no ice up then it stays good through the end of February or March.  Many of us that used to report on the fishing up here have not posted as much and don't follow BFT as often after the switch over of the forum a few years ago.  It was harder for me at first to even get on the local forum, and I am no longer on the premium members forum as a result.  I check in and try to update the forum when I think about it, but like I said, I'm not on here as often.

Second thing...
Facebook has local groups now, some specifically for bear lake, northern utah, southeast idaho, etc., that are probably taking some of the members and reporting that they would have done on BFT.  I could be wrong, but it is possible.

I try to update when the whitefish are running, when the Cisco are running, when we have safe ice, and if I see any questions on this forum, I try to answer them. 

I don't think secrecy is part of the downturn in reports about Bear Lake, but rather I think BFT lost a lot of member posts when it switched formats.

Mike

Mike, I sure always appreciate your willingness to update us on BL conditions... If I get my boat trailer fixed I'll be bothering you again soon for a report... I'm hoping the ice season didn't hurt the fishing too bad... but I do know it has to make a big difference since there were so many people there and I think a lot do keep the fish including a lot of big macs that they filleted and left skeletons on the ice... Kind of poor choice I thought, but hopefully they were legal catches... Anyway I'm hoping when I get able that the fish will still be there waiting for me to show up... Later Jeff