01-18-2005, 05:23 PM
[font "Arial Black"][black]Bear Lake Fishing Report
Updated Tuesday, January 18, 2005
The cisco run at Bear Lake has officially started. This morning cisco were finally observed along Cisco Beach. A few schools of fish were observed and were dipnetted. This is a typical start to the run and it will only get better during the next week. This coming weekend should be excellent for dipping fish, providing the weather cooperates and the wind does not blow. If the wind blows, the fish will move off shore and cannot be dipped. If it is calm, the fish will swim in close to the shoreline. The lake is completely open water and the temperature has not been cold enough to produce any ice cover on the lake. Therefore, if you want to try to dip cisco you should come prepared. Wear chest waders or hip boots at a minimum. The fish are very spooky during years with open water and it is important to remain very still or the fish will simply swim out and around you. The best bet is to keep a low profile by kneeling down along the edge of the shore and wait for the fish to come to you. You can either keep your net in the water or you can try to "swat" the net down on top of the fish in the water that is really shallow (less than a foot or so deep). Remember the DAILY AND POSSESSION limit is 30 total fish. You cannot catch 30 one day and return again to catch 30 again the next day unless the fish from the first day were consumed or no longer in your possession. If you freezing the cisco for bait you are only allowed to possess 30 fish. This regulation will be strictly enforced.
Fishing on the rockpile has been good for cutthroat trout and whitefish. You should also be able to easily snag a limit of cisco in 1-2 hours of time if you prefer that method to dipnetting. Cutthroat and whitefish are in right on the rockpile in about 35 feet of water. They are feeding on cisco and their eggs so the fishing for those species will taper off as the cisco run progresses but should pick up again a few weeks after the cisco run is over. We spoke with several anglers fishing the rockpile yesterday and everyone was able to catch a limit of cisco. Use a spoon or other jigging spoon jigged right off the bottom. Don't be surprised if a cutthroat or lake trout hits your offering while jigging for cisco. Remember you can keep foul hooked cisco, BUT ALL OTHER SPECIES THAT ARE FOUL HOOKED MUST BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED.
The marina is frozen and no boats can be launched from that ramp at this time. The only place to launch a boat at this time is the Cisco Beach boat ramp. Only smaller boats should be launched here and we caution you to use this boat ramp at your own risk. The ramp is very icy and there are several large rocks in the water at the base of the ramp. [/black][/font][font "Arial Black"][black]
[font "Arial Black"][black][#ff4040][#000000]Edit:[/#000000] If you're coming up with a boat make sure to bring a GPS or at least a compass. It has been very foggy on the lake and its darn near impossible to find the shore, let alone the rockpile![/#ff4040] [/black][/font]
The UDWR will update the telephone answering machine on a daily basis with the latest status on the run information and access conditions. We ask that you please call AFTER 4:00pm since biologists need to complete their work during the day and it is impossible to speak to everyone who calls. The UDWR Bear Lake office number is (435) 946-8501. [/black][/font]
[font "Arial Black"][black]
[/black][/font]
[signature]
Updated Tuesday, January 18, 2005
The cisco run at Bear Lake has officially started. This morning cisco were finally observed along Cisco Beach. A few schools of fish were observed and were dipnetted. This is a typical start to the run and it will only get better during the next week. This coming weekend should be excellent for dipping fish, providing the weather cooperates and the wind does not blow. If the wind blows, the fish will move off shore and cannot be dipped. If it is calm, the fish will swim in close to the shoreline. The lake is completely open water and the temperature has not been cold enough to produce any ice cover on the lake. Therefore, if you want to try to dip cisco you should come prepared. Wear chest waders or hip boots at a minimum. The fish are very spooky during years with open water and it is important to remain very still or the fish will simply swim out and around you. The best bet is to keep a low profile by kneeling down along the edge of the shore and wait for the fish to come to you. You can either keep your net in the water or you can try to "swat" the net down on top of the fish in the water that is really shallow (less than a foot or so deep). Remember the DAILY AND POSSESSION limit is 30 total fish. You cannot catch 30 one day and return again to catch 30 again the next day unless the fish from the first day were consumed or no longer in your possession. If you freezing the cisco for bait you are only allowed to possess 30 fish. This regulation will be strictly enforced.
Fishing on the rockpile has been good for cutthroat trout and whitefish. You should also be able to easily snag a limit of cisco in 1-2 hours of time if you prefer that method to dipnetting. Cutthroat and whitefish are in right on the rockpile in about 35 feet of water. They are feeding on cisco and their eggs so the fishing for those species will taper off as the cisco run progresses but should pick up again a few weeks after the cisco run is over. We spoke with several anglers fishing the rockpile yesterday and everyone was able to catch a limit of cisco. Use a spoon or other jigging spoon jigged right off the bottom. Don't be surprised if a cutthroat or lake trout hits your offering while jigging for cisco. Remember you can keep foul hooked cisco, BUT ALL OTHER SPECIES THAT ARE FOUL HOOKED MUST BE IMMEDIATELY RELEASED.
The marina is frozen and no boats can be launched from that ramp at this time. The only place to launch a boat at this time is the Cisco Beach boat ramp. Only smaller boats should be launched here and we caution you to use this boat ramp at your own risk. The ramp is very icy and there are several large rocks in the water at the base of the ramp. [/black][/font][font "Arial Black"][black]
[font "Arial Black"][black][#ff4040][#000000]Edit:[/#000000] If you're coming up with a boat make sure to bring a GPS or at least a compass. It has been very foggy on the lake and its darn near impossible to find the shore, let alone the rockpile![/#ff4040] [/black][/font]
The UDWR will update the telephone answering machine on a daily basis with the latest status on the run information and access conditions. We ask that you please call AFTER 4:00pm since biologists need to complete their work during the day and it is impossible to speak to everyone who calls. The UDWR Bear Lake office number is (435) 946-8501. [/black][/font]
[font "Arial Black"][black]
[/black][/font]
[signature]