10-17-2013, 07:28 PM
Bear Lake Fish Guy knows a lot and might disagree with me but this is my take-
I think one has to look at the Predator/Prey scenario. Since the lake filled almost full recently many square miles of habitat for bait fish was opened up, therefore leading to a BIG boost in bait fish, this then leads to an increase in the size of fish. Girth on lakers/cuts in Bear Lake in my opinion has hit an all time high.
The perch/chub/bluegill/carp/sucker populations are way up, along with cisco. I have never witnessed 10+ perch caught in one day on bear lake until this summer, this was on top of 5 bluegill. I have also never witnessed a catfish being caught until this year (yellow belly).
I still think overall numbers of Lakers/Cuts is down compared to ten-fifteen years ago, and personally I think this might help the baitfish population grow as well, but quality is at all time high. Until three years ago, I had never witnessed a LEGITIMATE 20+ pound laker except 2 from years ago and they barely broke 20 when weighed. I have heard guys rant and rave for years and years about 20+ but when weighed, they were usually around the 17-18# mark. I have personally boated three over 20#s this year alone, and lost a few others through the ice that I am confident broke 20, one pushing 30...... and I know of many more taken over 20 this year.
Bear Lake is a special place, no doubt and holds some real beauties! Why one wants to drive to strawberry is beyond me[
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I personally hope for Ice....nothing neater than watching kids easily dip net a limit of cisco through the ice! A lot of people get to enjoy the lake and all it offers when she freezes! That to me is a good thing for the economy up here and the fishery.
Good luck to everyone in your endeavors what ever they might be and hopefully we can meet up and tell a fish story or two, whether we are in the boat or on the ice[
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I think one has to look at the Predator/Prey scenario. Since the lake filled almost full recently many square miles of habitat for bait fish was opened up, therefore leading to a BIG boost in bait fish, this then leads to an increase in the size of fish. Girth on lakers/cuts in Bear Lake in my opinion has hit an all time high.
The perch/chub/bluegill/carp/sucker populations are way up, along with cisco. I have never witnessed 10+ perch caught in one day on bear lake until this summer, this was on top of 5 bluegill. I have also never witnessed a catfish being caught until this year (yellow belly).
I still think overall numbers of Lakers/Cuts is down compared to ten-fifteen years ago, and personally I think this might help the baitfish population grow as well, but quality is at all time high. Until three years ago, I had never witnessed a LEGITIMATE 20+ pound laker except 2 from years ago and they barely broke 20 when weighed. I have heard guys rant and rave for years and years about 20+ but when weighed, they were usually around the 17-18# mark. I have personally boated three over 20#s this year alone, and lost a few others through the ice that I am confident broke 20, one pushing 30...... and I know of many more taken over 20 this year.
Bear Lake is a special place, no doubt and holds some real beauties! Why one wants to drive to strawberry is beyond me[
]I personally hope for Ice....nothing neater than watching kids easily dip net a limit of cisco through the ice! A lot of people get to enjoy the lake and all it offers when she freezes! That to me is a good thing for the economy up here and the fishery.
Good luck to everyone in your endeavors what ever they might be and hopefully we can meet up and tell a fish story or two, whether we are in the boat or on the ice[
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