Bear Lake - Fishing

Fishing is popular and good on the lake. Anglers go for cutthroats (the only true native), rainbows, mackinaw, whitefish and yellow perch. In late January, hundreds of fishermen cut holes in the ice along the eastern shore and use nets to catch the small Bonneville Cisco that run the shores to spawn. Bonneville Cisco is one of four species of fish that cannot be found anywhere else in the world; the others being Bonneville Whitefish, Bear Lake Whitefish, and Bear Lake Sculpin. Other fish found in Bear Lake include the yellow perch, Utah sucker, Utah chub, carp, green sunfish, redside shiner, speckled dace, and occasionally brook trout that have washed downstream from St. Charles Creek. Ice fishing along the western shore is very popular. In winter protective ice fishing sheds can be rented from Bear Lake Marina (435-946-3343).

For more information, contact:

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Bear Lake Research Station
1030 N. Bear Lake Blvd. Box 231
Garden City, UT 84028
435-946-8501