12-10-2015, 04:14 PM
[#0000ff]Good fishing for whitefish while shore casting or wading is limited. Whitefish show up around rocky bottoms suitable for spawning...in water from 6 to 12 feet deep...with 7-9' having been the most productive this year. The problem is that a lot of Bear Lake shoreline either does not have rocky rubble, has a gradual slope out into deeper water or the bottom drops off too quickly from the shore...such as at Cisco Beach.
Those limited to shore casting can sometimes do well fishing off the outside of the rocks to the south of the marina entrance at the State Park. Fan cast until you find how far from the rocks the fish are cruising and then fish parallel to the rocks to keep your lures in the "zone" while retrieving. Just be careful if the rocks have a coating of ice or snow.
The entire east shoreline is a series of rocky beaches. The whitefish move up and down that shoreline...schooling up in spots that have the right depth and the right bottom rocky conditions. You can reach the fish without getting in the water at many spots. But having a good pair of insulated waders will allow you to cover more water and to reach fish that might be just beyond your best cast from dry land.
The downside of casting out from shore is that you will likely lose a lot of jigs. Those cobble rocks have lots of holes and gaps that gulp in your jigs. Unless you can maneuver straight above them, to wiggle them free, you will be forced to break off and retie. But if you are not getting snagged occasionally you are probably not fishing the right area...the right way.
The whole shoreline north and south of the launch ramp at Cisco Beach can be successfully fished from shore. Since the bottom slopes downward quickly, a long cast will put your lures in water too deep for whitefish...but may get you a nice cutt or even an occasional mack. To limit your efforts to whitefish you will have to figure out the best zone for each spot you stop to fish. Sometimes you can find whitefish surprisingly close to shore. Just keep moving and casting until you find fish.
Check the recent posts from GSP on this board. He has been staying at his cabin at Bear Lake for the past week...fishing by wading every day. And he has caught from 10 to 20 whitefish just about every day...fishing only a few hours in the morning. He has also scored a few nice cutts and a couple of macks...all fishing near shore. You might want to PM him to see if he will provide more specific info.
Good luck.
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Those limited to shore casting can sometimes do well fishing off the outside of the rocks to the south of the marina entrance at the State Park. Fan cast until you find how far from the rocks the fish are cruising and then fish parallel to the rocks to keep your lures in the "zone" while retrieving. Just be careful if the rocks have a coating of ice or snow.
The entire east shoreline is a series of rocky beaches. The whitefish move up and down that shoreline...schooling up in spots that have the right depth and the right bottom rocky conditions. You can reach the fish without getting in the water at many spots. But having a good pair of insulated waders will allow you to cover more water and to reach fish that might be just beyond your best cast from dry land.
The downside of casting out from shore is that you will likely lose a lot of jigs. Those cobble rocks have lots of holes and gaps that gulp in your jigs. Unless you can maneuver straight above them, to wiggle them free, you will be forced to break off and retie. But if you are not getting snagged occasionally you are probably not fishing the right area...the right way.
The whole shoreline north and south of the launch ramp at Cisco Beach can be successfully fished from shore. Since the bottom slopes downward quickly, a long cast will put your lures in water too deep for whitefish...but may get you a nice cutt or even an occasional mack. To limit your efforts to whitefish you will have to figure out the best zone for each spot you stop to fish. Sometimes you can find whitefish surprisingly close to shore. Just keep moving and casting until you find fish.
Check the recent posts from GSP on this board. He has been staying at his cabin at Bear Lake for the past week...fishing by wading every day. And he has caught from 10 to 20 whitefish just about every day...fishing only a few hours in the morning. He has also scored a few nice cutts and a couple of macks...all fishing near shore. You might want to PM him to see if he will provide more specific info.
Good luck.
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[signature]