The Bear Lake valley and its surrounding mountain ranges have over 350 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and wide open play areas with no crowds and no fences! There are many connecting groomed trails that take you by spectacular wonders.The Bear Lake valley and its surrounding mountain ranges have over 350 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and wide open play areas with no crowds and no fences! There are many connecting groomed trails that take you by spectacular wonders.
Southeast Idaho Interactive Snowmobile Trail Map
Northeast Utah Interactive Snowmobile Trail Maps
You may discover a cascading winter waterfall or follow an almost-frozen stream. You may even catch a glimpse of a wintering elk or moose! Off the groomed trails, you can seemingly drive forever in wide opens places or climb the mountains for a spectacular view of turquoise Bear Lake and the surrounding hillsides. The snowmobile season starts in late November and extends into April. The variety of terrain and spectacular scenery offers snowmobilers of all ability levels the chance to find challenges and fun!
Bear Lake has received significant snow in the last week, but boat ramps continue to be plowed and sanded. As of today there are large sheets of ice floating on the north, west and south ends of the lake, which is making boating/fishing difficult. However, this can change in a matter of hours if there is any wind. Launching access is available at the Utah State Park marina and Rainbow Cove Ramps (no dock at this location). The First Point ramp is not accessible to do ice on the lake at this time. Please note there is NO ice for ice fishing!
Bonneville Cisco are being caught from boats off the “rockpile” area and also off the area just outside the Utah State Park Marina. You should also be able to jig Cisco off the weed beds south of Gus Rich Point as well as the Pump House area (if there isn’t too much ice preventing access). We have not seen any Cisco at Cisco Beach as of this morning, but a few anglers are beginning to dipnet some Cisco off the Utah State Park Marina. We expect Cisco to show up along Cisco Beach any day. Dipnetting success will depend on the weather: if it is calm anglers should be able to do well; if it is windy it will be difficult to dipnet any fish.
Fishing for cutthroat trout and lake trout has been good for few anglers who have been able to get out. Jigging has been working well. If you are jigging, use tube jigs or swim baits in ½ to 1 ounce sizes and 3-6” long. Tip them with a piece of Cisco, sucker meat or Gulp minnows and fish the jigs right on the bottom. Reliable colors are white, green and chartreuse. Hot spots have been on the “rockpile” in 45-65’ of water, so move around until you find active fish.
Due to ice sheets on the lake the only area open to trolling has been on the east side along Cisco Beach. Troll with Rapalas in F9-F13 sizes and Dodgers with a squid or whole Cisco. Try staring at 45-65’ and run your lures just off the bottom, but cutthroat and lake trout can be found suspended at this time of year, so pay attention to your sonar and try to target these suspended fish as well as those that are along the bottom.
Some anglers have been casting from shore off Cisco Beach and have been catching a few cutthroat trout. The fishing should remain good in these locations for the remainder of the winter. Cast large (#5-#6) spinners (such as Mepps or Blue Fox) or spoons and let the lure sink and try to retrieve it where it is running close to the bottom. Large articulated flies in white rabbit fur or a sculpin pattern will also work for those anglers using fly fishing equipment.
Remember the trout limit is two fish, the Cisco limit is 30, and the whitefish limit is 10. 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, and while they are legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them.
