Bear Lake
Spring (March - 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.
Here are some additional tips to catch cutthroat and lake trout at Bear Lake in the spring:
Good trolling spots are 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- to 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 you’re jigging, try water depths ranging from 25 to 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 to 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. You may consider using a
“descending device” that allows you to decompress fish and release them into the deeper, cooler
water.
