Bear Lake question

[adam19]

Hey Guys - doing a quick trip to bear lake.  we will have a boat, but no down rigger set ups.  I have fished the east side a few spots over summers and am okay figuring that side out - but have never fished any of the west sides.  I have heard marina / rock piles etc, but dont really know what I'm looking for and what to expect during this later spring time.  

I know summer fish go deeper is all - but not sure when that transition happens - we are looking to catch anything but the carps.  

I do have a basic fish finder so we should at least know if we have something moving below us and how deep.  

Anyone willing to share some starting points?  Maybe types of baits to try.  not sure if standard trolling with some diving rapalas works at all right now?  or focus on just jigging down?  

Not sure what to expect right now with temps around 45 compared to mid july while fishing evenings hiding during family reunions.

Thanks.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey I think right now is the annual sucker spawning season, so you might be able to catch some bait around the state park marina... Mike will have to chip in here on whether the trout type follow the suckers around or not, and I think the spawning for the cutthroats starts this time of year as well... So the streams will be closed, but just outside of the markers where they are closed you might be able to catch some fish making their way in to spawn... Without downriggers I'm not sure you can get deep enough to make trolling very effective, so you may want to focus on jigging... I'd think the rock pile off Gus Rich point will be the best this time of year, if you are working the west side... Good luck... Jeff

[gmwahl]

The trout dont seem to follow the sucker's as much as the other fish. Not really sure why, but fishing the west side without a downrigger is really a jigging game. The cutts can be caught from top to bottom while trolling though if you concentrate in the area from in front of the marina north to swan creek. Just be sure to stay outside the boys around swan creek. Lakers are deeper, so the rockpile is a good spot right now to try and score one of those.

White 3/4 ounce tube jigs tipped with sucker, carp, or a gulp minnow will get you cutts and lakers on the rockpile, and various minnow lures in perch pattern or silver and black/blue are good for trolling.

Mike

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Mike,
Appreciate you chipping in to help out... Man I wish I had time to go fish, so much I'd love to do this time of year... Catch a few for me, and then let them go... Thanks Jeff