Bear Lake Fishing forecast (March through June): Fishing for big Bear Lake cutthroat trout should heat up soon. By late March, the cutthroats should be closer to shore as their spawning run starts. The spawning run typically lasts through late spring or early summer, providing several weeks of good fishing. During the run, you can find great success trolling, jigging and fishing from shore. Fly fishing near the mouths of tributaries (North Eden, Swan Creek, Big Spring Creek, St. Charles and Fish Haven) can be especially fun from late March to April 15, when the cutthroat season closes to protect the fish for the remainder of the spawn. To cast out farther in the lake, some fly anglers bring ladders with them, place them in the water and then fish from their ladder! When fly fishing for Bear Lake cutthroat trout, a 8- to 10-weight rod is ideal for these large fish. As for fly size, bigger is typically better. Think mouse/vole patterns, large jointed streamers, and salmon/stone flies. Some additional tips for catching cutthroat and lake trout at Bear Lake in the spring include looking for good trolling spots which can be found from First Point north to the scout camp, along the delta areas near North Eden and South Eden, parallel to the shoreline at Cisco Beach, and from the Utah State Park Marina north to Fish Haven Creek. Since the water is still very cold, troll slowly with flat lines in shallow water 10-25 feet deep. Run your lines 150 feet or more behind your boat. The fish are easily spooked by boats in the shallow water but will move back into the area after the boat passes. Trolling your lure 150 feet or more behind your boat can be a very productive method in the early season. If youre jigging, try water depths ranging from 25-60 feet deep in the same areas as those listed for trolling. Use a 1/2- to 1-ounce jig with a tube, twister tail or swim bait tipped with a piece of cisco or other fish meat. You can also use a 1/2-ounce jigging spoon such as a Kastmaster or Swedish Pimple. Jig right on the bottom, bumping bottom and coming up about 12-18 inches. Many of the strikes happen when the lure is falling back to the bottom, so pay attention to your line. If you notice the lure/line stops sinking, set the hook and hold on! Boat launching is available at the Utah State Park Marina and First Point ramps. The Cisco Beach ramp is open, but four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended if you launch there. The Rainbow Cove ramp is closed until further notice due to construction work. Reminder: The trout limit is two fish. There is no longer a fin clip regulation for cutthroat trout, so any cutthroat trout can be kept, up to your two-fish limit. Lake trout take a long time to reach a large size. While large lake trout are legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them. If you plan on releasing fish, try to land the fish quickly and then get it back in the water without any delays. A better alternative is to use a descending device or a weighted milk crate tied upside down to a rope to carry the fish back down to the depth where you caught it.
