Bear Lake

Flows into the Bear Lake Outlet

  • Recommended Fishing Water

Bear Lake in Bear Lake County is 69,446.1 acres.

Interactive Map
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Bear Lake is a 70,000 acre system located in southeast Idaho and northern Utah. The Idaho-Utah border roughly bisects the 20-mile long lake in half and is between 5 and 8 miles wide. At full pool,  the maximum depth is 208 feet and the average depth is 85 feet. Calcium carbonate precipitate strips phosphorous from the water giving the lake a turquoise color. The lake is home to four endemic species (only found at Bear Lake), including Bonneville Cisco, Bear Lake Sculpin, Bear Lake Whitefish, and Bonneville Whitefish.

Facilities

Motor Restriction
No
Boat Ramp
Yes
Dock
Yes
Toilet
Yes
Campground
Yes
ADA Access
Handicap Accessible

Recommended Game Fish

Species Observed in Surveys

Fish Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity General Size
2016/11/15 Lake Trout - Triploid 18,046 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
2015/11/05 Lake Trout - Triploid 21,137 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
2014/11/03 Lake Trout - Triploid 25,170 Catchable (6+ inches)
2013/10/31 Lake Trout - Triploid 10,005 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
2012/11/02 Lake Trout - Triploid 8,500 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
2012/11/01 Lake Trout - Triploid 25,500 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
2011/11/08 Lake Trout - Triploid 14,400 Catchable (6+ inches)
2010/11/02 Lake Trout - Triploid 17,850 Catchable (6+ inches)
2009/11/12 Lake Trout - Triploid 22,000 Catchable (6+ inches)
2008/11/10 Lake Trout - Triploid 8,125 Catchable (6+ inches)
2007/11/06 Lake Trout - Triploid 1,296 Catchable (6+ inches)
2006/10/06 Lake Trout - Triploid 29,312 Catchable (6+ inches)
2005/11/01 Lake Trout - Triploid 2,312 Catchable (6+ inches)
2005/10/31 Lake Trout - Triploid 11,889 Catchable (6+ inches)
2004/11/10 Lake Trout - Triploid 7,794 Catchable (6+ inches)
2004/11/09 Lake Trout - Triploid 18,784 Catchable (6+ inches)
2004/11/08 Lake Trout - Triploid 9,604 Catchable (6+ inches)
2003/11/06 Lake Trout - Triploid 917 Catchable (6+ inches)
2002/11/07 Lake Trout - Triploid 115 Catchable (6+ inches)
1998/11/24 Lake Trout 9,875 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1998/11/23 Lake Trout 14,260 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1997/11/04 Lake Trout 11,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1997/11/03 Lake Trout 9,800 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1995/11/06 Lake Trout 11,475 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1995/11/03 Lake Trout 14,025 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1986/06/25 Rainbow Unspecified 4,012 Catchable (6+ inches)
1985/06/28 Rainbow Unspecified 4,080 Catchable (6+ inches)
1984/06/21 Lake Trout 21,320 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1984/06/12 Rainbow Unspecified 4,085 Catchable (6+ inches)
1983/06/28 Rainbow Unspecified 3,960 Catchable (6+ inches)
1983/06/16 Lake Trout 11,600 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1983/06/15 Lake Trout 12,800 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1982/06/14 Lake Trout 79,920 Fry (0-3 inches)
1982/04/16 Lake Trout 5,810 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1982/04/15 Lake Trout 12,900 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1982/04/14 Lake Trout 12,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1982/04/13 Rainbow Unspecified 4,160 Catchable (6+ inches)
1982/04/06 Lake Trout 8,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1982/04/05 Lake Trout 12,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1981/09/29 Cutthroat 195,964 Fry (0-3 inches)
1981/09/28 Cutthroat 119,143 Fry (0-3 inches)
1981/09/17 Cutthroat 273,634 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1981/08/19 Cutthroat 33,422 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1981/07/21 Cutthroat 93,325 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1981/07/17 Cutthroat 55,998 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1981/05/15 Cutthroat 105,097 Catchable (6+ inches)
1981/05/08 Lake Trout 129,800 Fry (0-3 inches)
1981/04/17 Cutthroat 3,485 Catchable (6+ inches)
1981/03/09 Rainbow Unspecified 4,060 Catchable (6+ inches)
1980/09/24 Cutthroat 17,790 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1980/09/24 Cutthroat 25,142 Fry (0-3 inches)
1980/09/23 Cutthroat 116,273 Fry (0-3 inches)
1980/09/22 Cutthroat 96,387 Fry (0-3 inches)
1980/08/05 Rainbow Unspecified 2,750 Catchable (6+ inches)
1980/06/03 Cutthroat 73,725 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1980/05/05 Rainbow Unspecified 1,250 Catchable (6+ inches)
1979/10/29 Cutthroat 6,042 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1979/10/26 Cutthroat 2,649 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1979/10/10 Lake Trout 31,450 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1979/07/17 Rainbow Unspecified 430 Catchable (6+ inches)
1979/07/16 Cutthroat 8,700 Catchable (6+ inches)
1979/05/24 Rainbow Unspecified 1,900 Catchable (6+ inches)
1979/05/23 Cutthroat 80,855 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1979/05/17 Rainbow Unspecified 1,750 Catchable (6+ inches)
1978/10/19 Cutthroat 27,932 Fry (0-3 inches)
1978/10/18 Cutthroat 81,466 Fry (0-3 inches)
1978/08/15 Rainbow Unspecified 4,050 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1978/05/24 Cutthroat 10,098 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1978/05/22 Cutthroat 7,854 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/09/22 Cutthroat 9,675 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/09/21 Cutthroat 33,750 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/08/20 Cutthroat 12,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/08/12 Cutthroat 15,912 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/08/06 Cutthroat 60,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/07/26 Rainbow Unspecified 501 Catchable (6+ inches)
1976/07/20 Cutthroat 20,295 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/07/14 Rainbow Unspecified 3,500 Catchable (6+ inches)
1976/07/13 Cutthroat 58,660 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1976/03/31 Lake Trout 10,200 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1975/10/10 Lake Trout 8,755 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1975/10/09 Lake Trout 22,800 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1975/08/13 Rainbow Unspecified 1,225 Catchable (6+ inches)
1975/07/30 Rainbow Unspecified 2,800 Catchable (6+ inches)
1974/08/22 Rainbow Unspecified 416 Catchable (6+ inches)
1974/07/11 Rainbow Unspecified 3,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1974/04/12 Lake Trout 9,540 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1974/04/11 Lake Trout 22,260 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1973/08/30 Lake Trout 10,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1973/08/30 Rainbow Unspecified 840 Catchable (6+ inches)
1973/08/22 Lake Trout 35,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1973/08/01 Rainbow Unspecified 360 Adults
1973/07/17 Rainbow Unspecified 3,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1973/05/08 Rainbow Unspecified 2,000 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1972/09/05 Rainbow Unspecified 1,000 Catchable (6+ inches)
1972/05/24 Lake Trout 10,935 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1972/05/18 Rainbow Unspecified 2,400 Catchable (6+ inches)
1972/04/18 Rainbow Unspecified 6,720 Catchable (6+ inches)
1971/06/29 Rainbow Unspecified 3,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1971/06/11 Rainbow Unspecified 3,800 Catchable (6+ inches)
1971/06/09 Lake Trout 21,870 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1971/04/27 Rainbow Unspecified 4,700 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/08/04 Rainbow Unspecified 3,000 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/07/16 Rainbow Unspecified 2,700 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/07/08 Rainbow Unspecified 2,900 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/04/29 Rainbow Unspecified 4,200 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/04/27 Rainbow Unspecified 4,200 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/03/19 Rainbow Unspecified 4,100 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/09/26 Rainbow Unspecified 1,890 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/09/25 Rainbow Unspecified 2,800 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/09/18 Rainbow Unspecified 3,920 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/08/20 Lake Trout 8,500 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1969/08/11 Lake Trout 11,900 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1969/07/31 Rainbow Unspecified 2,700 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/07/16 Rainbow Unspecified 2,000 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/06/10 Rainbow Unspecified 3,100 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/05/05 Rainbow Unspecified 3,700 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/09/16 Rainbow Unspecified 2,300 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/08/22 Rainbow Unspecified 2,300 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/08/16 Lake Trout 11,173 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1968/08/09 Lake Trout 8,720 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1968/07/09 Rainbow Unspecified 2,160 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/05/09 Rainbow Unspecified 2,900 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/04/26 Rainbow Unspecified 4,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/04/25 Rainbow Unspecified 3,100 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/04/24 Rainbow Unspecified 3,100 Catchable (6+ inches)
Source: IDFG Fish Stocking Database.

Licenses and Tags

Learn more about IDFG Licenses, Tags & Permits
 

Fishing Rules, 2022 - 2024

All Waters Open All Year

Except as modified in Special Rules
Fishing is not allowed within the posted upstream and downstream boundary of any fish weir or trap.

Daily Bag Limits

The following daily bag limits apply to all waters within each region except as modified in the Special Rules. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit after the second day of the season.

Special Rules

Bear Lake
  • From the mouth of St. Charles Creek (Little Creek) for a radius of 300 yards into the lake is closed to fishing from April 16 through June 30
  • Not more than 2 baited hooks, flies, or lures per line
  • One line only when ice fishing. Two lines permitted when ice fishing with a two-pole permit
  • Trout limit is 2
  • Cisco limit is 30; dip-netting permitted January 1 through February 15. Dip nets may not exceed 18 inches in any dimension. Any size hole may be cut through the ice to catch cisco
  • Whitefish limit is 10
Southeast Region Bag Limits
Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth)

  • Bass limit is 6, both species combined
  • None under 14 inches

Brook Trout

  • Brook Trout limit is 25
  • Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they must be followed when fishing for Brook Trout

Cisco (Bear Lake only)

  • Cisco limit is 30

Kokanee

  • Kokanee limit is 6

Sturgeon

  • Sturgeon limit is 0, catch-and-release
  • Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing
  • Barbless hooks are required
  • Use of a sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device is required. See fishing regulations for details

Tiger Muskie

  • Tiger Muskie limit is 2, none under 40 inches

Trout includes Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, and trout hybrids (e.g. Tiger Trout)

  • Trout limit is 6, all species combined
  • In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout
  • Does not include Bull Trout and Brook Trout which are listed separately

Whitefish

  • Whitefish limit is 25
  • Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they must be followed when fishing for whitefish

Protected Nongame Fish includes Northern Leatherside Chub, Bear Lake Sculpin, and Bluehead Sucker (also known as Green Sucker)

  • May not be harvested or possessed

All Other Fish Species includes bullfrogs and crayfish

  • No bag, size or possession limit
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