Bear Lake The surface water temperature is 70 degrees, and all of the boat ramps are open for launching. This includes the ramps at the Bear Lake State Park marina, First Point, Cisco Beach and Rainbow Cove. You can also launch boats at the inlet structure in Idaho (at the very north end of the lake) and at the Idaho State Park east side. Anglers have reported improved fishing for cutthroat trout and lake trout this past week. Best success has come from trolling Rapalas, flatfish and flasher/squid combos in 65 - 90 feet of water. Try starting in 65 feet, and keep moving deeper until you find active fish. Most of the fish are close to the bottom, but pay attention to your sonar, since youll also find a few fish suspended off the bottom. The best spots have been from 2nd Point northward to the South Eden delta. Also, try trolling at the same depths off Cisco Beach and off the Idaho State Park on the east side. Most anglers are trolling, but if you try jigging, try fishing the same areas and depths mentioned for trolling. Use tube jigs tipped with cisco or fish swim baits in ½- to 1-ounce sizes. Fish the swim baits slow and close to the bottom. Tip them with a piece of cisco, sucker meat or Gulp minnow. White, green and chartreuse are reliable colors. Long lining off Cisco Beach can also be an effective way to catch cutthroat trout and lake trout this time of the year. Use whole cisco, and fish the cisco right on the bottom. Remember the trout limit is two fish. Cutthroat trout with a healed fin clip may be kept; cutthroat trout with all fins intact must be immediately released. Large lake trout take a long time to reach large sizes. While theyre legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them.
