Utah Fishing Reports ยท Lakes ยท Northern Region
Bear Lake straddles the Utah-Idaho line, a huge, turquoise natural lake with native Bear Lake cutthroat, lake trout and the famous winter cisco run.
Looking for the latest Bear Lake fishing report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with current conditions, wind, stocking news and the flies working now at Bear Lake.
Water level
Wind forecast
Bear Lake fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Bear Lake cutthroat cruise the rocky shorelines in the fall.
Strip streamers and leeches along the rocks on the east side and near the marina.
Stocking report
See the Utah DWR fish stocking report for the latest stocking at Bear Lake and other Utah waters.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Bear Lake, bring: Woolly Bugger #4-8, Sparkle Minnow #4-6, Mini Leech #8-10, Balanced Leech #10-12, Balanced Bou Leech #10-12, Slump Buster #6-8, Egg #12-14, Scud Bomb #12-16, Clouser Minnow #2-6, Pitching Leech #10.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Bear Lake lake details
| Access | Bear Lake State Park marina, Rendezvous Beach and the east side off State Route 30. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 5,900 ft |
| Nearest town | Garden City, Utah |
| Best season | Fall through spring |
| Fish | Bear Lake cutthroat, lake trout, whitefish and cisco |
| Regulations | Cutthroat rules apply, and cisco dipnetting has its own rules. Check the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources fishing guidebook for current rules. A Utah fishing license is required for anglers 12 and older. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 3X to 4X tippet |
| Ice fishing | Freezes only in cold winters. |
| Camping | Bear Lake State Park |
| Kids | Yes. Beaches in summer. |
| Good to know | Big water and fast-changing wind. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cisco run and cutthroat.
Spring
Cutthroat along the shore.
Summer
Deep fish.
Fall
Cutthroat along the rocks.
How to get there
From Logan, take US-89 through Logan Canyon to Garden City.