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In anticipation of my annual whitefish fishing trip to Bear Lake, I looked up this YouTube video of BearLakeFishGuy demonstrating how to smoke whitefish (or any fish for that mater).
[url "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBTptFyfe3c"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBTptFyfe3c[/url]
Good video Scott.
I'll be smoking my Saturday's catch on Sunday.
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I have never been to BL for whitefish.
How does it rate on the Fun-O- Meter?
Are they in most shallow areas or very location specific?
Thanks and have a good trip.
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[#0000FF]The Bonneville whitefish are definitely fun to catch. They are sometimes light biters and you have to be on your game to hook them before they slurp the crawler off your jig. Once hooked, they do fight hard. The way they vibrate the end of the rod rapidly is a quick indicator of what you have hooked. And they bulldog all the way to the net. No aerial antics but you don't need any.
A liberal limit of 10 provides enough both for a fish fry and a batch for the smoker. They are good both ways.
If you have fished for the mountain whitefish, in Utah's streams, you will find some differences in the Bonneville whitie. First of all, they feed on small fish and larger invertebrates...so they have a much bigger mouth than the stream raised whitefish. Second, they get about twice as big. An average male might be two pounds. Females can run from 3 to 6 pounds. And they definitely outpull a walleye of equal size...or even a cutthroat from most waters.
When they are in they are aggressive biters. Get in a hot school and you don't go long without a bite. And they hit a wide variety of jigs, spinners and even small crankbaits. Many "regulars" prefer little "pony jigs" with a small blade on it. The flash and vibration seems to call them in better. And whatever you serve will work better with a bit of sweetener...like a piece of crawler.
The whities can be found many places around the lake...depending on weather, water temperature, wind direction, etc. But the one thing that you should always look for are rocks on the bottom...in shallow water. Almost anywhere you find rocks on the shoreline you are likely to find suitable bottom structure in the 5-15 foot depths whitefish like for spawning. But some days they will favor certain areas over others...and might be gone the next day.
There can be some good fishing for whitefish and other species out along the rock dikes at the main marina. Some years they also show up well by the old marina near Gus Rich Point. Lake levels play a major role there. In low water years the rocky structure is too shallow.
Across the lake, on the east side, there are good whitefish spots all along the shoreline from First Point to the south...past Cisco Beach to the north. There are good launch ramps at first point and at Cisco Beach...with good fishing only a short distance from each.
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Thanks Pat, now I am very intrigued as I have never fished BL before. I have never boated their either. A report like this really ups the ante.
I was going to bird hunt this sat but this nice weather is making me second guess my decision.
I hate to take the risk of a skunking but how else does a guy learn?
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[quote SBennett]Thanks Pat, now I am very intrigued as I have never fished BL before. I have never boated their either. A report like this really ups the ante. I was going to bird hunt this sat but this nice weather is making me second guess my decision.
I hate to take the risk of a skunking but how else does a guy learn?[/quote]
SB, This whitefish fishing gig is one of those deals where fishing in a boat along side a veteran is BY FAR the best way to learn. I spent several years trying the harder way and it was a drag.
I know anoter guy on this board with the same desire to fish Bear Lake for whites who also has never fished there. I would really get a kick out of being the one to introduce you too to BL and whitefish fishing but I'm a bit short on money and time.
Picking a good weather day is kind of important too.
I have my own personal notes on how to fish for whitefish up there if you would like a copy. Send me your e-mail and I'd be glad to send them to you. But I must admit, What TubeDude wrote is really good info.
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Cool, I will pm you my email.
Weatherwise, this fri and sat looks to me about as good as it gets up there in december?
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Ralph, I think I'm going to try it tomorrow in the toon. Don't know when you will be there, think I heard you were planning on Saturday, but I have a funeral so I won't be able to be there then. Good luck and I'll let you know how things turn out... Appreciate you and Pat's tips and help, I'll see what I can do with them... Hope the wind doesn't blow too hard....
Shane I think Saturday will be a big BFT contingency on the lake... Very likely you could find some BFT assistance on the pond that day... that's a great part of BFT, the help that other members offer on the water... Still greatful to Gary (WyoGuy) getting us on the kokes at the Gorge and you helping me get going on Willard my first trip over there several years back... Best of luck and if you go Friday let me know we can do the blind leading the blind thing.... Later J
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[quote SBennett]Weatherwise, this fri and sat looks to me about as good as it gets up there in december?[/quote]
The [url "http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Garden+City&state=UT&site=SLC&textField1=41.9469&textField2=-111.393&e=0"]forcast for Bear Lake[/url] does look pretty good for Friday and Saturday. Last month, we just randomly picked Saturday for our trip. And luckily, the window of good weather looks to be in our favor.
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Skunked, I suspect that you will surprise yourself on how well you will do (if the wind don't blow much). We will be excited to get a report. Hopefully we get that report (good OR bad) before we leave at 0dark:30 Saturday.
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I will try to be prompt in my reporting. With the funeral and viewings and such I may not have an "A" level report, but I'll try to get a little vital data if I can. Later J
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"I hate to take the risk of a skunking but how else does a guy learn?"
[#0000FF]Shane, I have fished with you. I know you know how to tie knots and make a cast. I can assure you that fishing for the whities is not much different in technique and tackle than pitching jig for walleyes.
The single biggest factor is finding the fish. They can be anywhere and/or everywhere. Often they concentrate in one area that they find preferable for their "fall fling". But once you find them you can almost always get a few. Not like walleyes.
I am pretty sure that if you were to show up either Friday or Saturday you would have no problem chatting up other boaters who were finding and catching fish. As long as you stay a good long cast away there is usually not much concern about crowding. By observing you can get an idea of how far from shore the fish are holding and try to duplicate that in the same area until you find willing fishies.
It is no different that learning to fish for any species...on any given water. It may take a little time to get the feel but once you do your past experience and natural abilities will kick in and you will be a pro in short order.
Having a good light (walleye) rod, low stretch line, a smooth reel and a good assortment of jigs will get you started. After that you need to get the feel of the bottom and keep your jigs running just above it or hopping across it. But the more you allow your jigs to touch real estate the more you will be fighting "a piece of the rock". On the other hand, if you aren't hanging up once in a while you may be fishing above the bottom-hugging whities.
While some whitefish smack the jigs with authority, most of them register only as a light "tick"...or as a "rubber band" feel. You need to set the hook with a quick wrist snap whenever there is a change in the force. Hooksets are free. Oh yeah, you also gotta watch your line for twitches. Some hits you don't even feel...especially if there is a breeze.
A final suggestion is to not quickly reel up your jig after it gets back to the boat. Whitefish regulars hook a lot of their biggest fish by making few sexy vertical jigs of their offerings right under the boat before they make the next cast. Those fish both congregate under the boat and also follow jigs for a long ways across the bottom without hitting at times.
I'm sure you will get a lot of good info from Coot's epistle. He knows his stuff and knows how to put it into useable rhetoric.
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Watch out for that Wyoguy, him and his nephew will outfish you in the boat you just sold them just to humiliate you.
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Thanks for the compliments Pat, same back at ya.
This whitefish thing seems like a riot, with the chance of a dandy mac not bad either.
Without quick access to a map may I assume the quickest way to the State Park is through Logan Canyon?
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Anyone have a recommendation for a decent but inexpensive hotel close to the marina?
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[#0000FF]Yep. When you come to the stop sign in Garden City, turn left for the state park marina...right to go around the lake to First Point or Cisco Beach.
Roads should be good up over the hill. Although you may want to stop and look for a few minutes the first time you see the lake from the hill. Kinda purty.
Here's a map. Not mine...sorry.
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[#0000FF][#000000]"Anyone have a recommendation for a decent but inexpensive hotel close to the marina?"[/#000000]
Bear Lake Fish Guy can confirm but there is one on your right just as you approach the stop sign in Garden City. And I have had it recommended to me before, although I have not had the pleasure of trying it. Not a whole lot up there. But the fish don't seem to mind.
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Shane the weather should be good so Logan is probably your best bet to the state park marina. Good luck. J
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Pat,
Do you have a number for BLFG?
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Hey, I may see you out there. I'll be fishing either just off the marina or off of second point. I plan on being on the water by 8 with a buddy from logan. Good luck!
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Sounds good Mike. I was thinking Cisco, but I may be between there and first point unless it's more wavy on that side. Good luck and I hope to see you there. Later J
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