Bear Lake Fishing
A 69,446-acre Idaho lake in Bear Lake County.
Pick for lake troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Hermann Luyken, CC0 1.0
Before a first trip to Bear Lake
IDFG gives Bear Lake 69,446 acres of water within Bear Lake County. At close to 19,432 feet, mountain weather shapes the season here. Its brochure region is the IDFG Southeast Region. The closest Census town is Montpelier, about 18 miles off. Its drainage, as IDFG words it: Flows into the Bear Lake Outlet. The Planner flags it as recommended.
The agency access layers list no ramp here. The 2025-2027 brochure lists 6 special rule lines here. On-site facilities per IDFG: boat ramp, dock, toilet, campground and accessible facilities.
Surface acres as listed in the IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (water page), read November 7, 2026. Elevation from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset and GNIS for the matched lake outline, read November 7, 2026. Census 2020 places.
What anglers catch in Bear Lake
The species chips for Bear Lake draw on Planner picks, surveys and plants.
Survey catches recorded at Bear Lake
- Bear Lake Sculpinsurvey 2028
- Green Sunfishsurvey 2028
- Prosopium sp.survey 2028
- Utah Suckersurvey 2028
- Bear Lake Whitefishsurvey 2026
- Bonneville Ciscosurvey 2026
- Bonneville Whitefishsurvey 2026
- Common Carpsurvey 2026
- Cutthroat Troutsurvey 2026
- Lake Troutsurvey 2026
- Speckled Dacesurvey 2026
- Utah Chubsurvey 2026
- Yellow Perchsurvey 2026
- Black Bullheadsurvey 2025
- Redside Shinersurvey 2023
- Cottussurvey 2017
These are survey finds, not a promise of what bites.
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner water page, read November 7, 2026.
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With no ramp listed at Bear Lake, carry a light boat in or tow to a nearby site.
The Planner lists no motor restriction here.
IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites layer, BLM Idaho recreation site points and USDA Forest Service recreation opportunities (EDW), read November 7, 2026.
How many fish you can keep from Bear Lake
| Group | Region rule as printed |
|---|---|
| Bass | 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 apply when fishing for Brook Trout |
| Cisco | Cisco limit is 30 |
| Kokanee | Kokanee limit is 6 |
| Sturgeon | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| Tiger Muskie | Tiger Muskie limit is 2, none under 40 inches |
| Trout | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Brook Trout 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 apply when fishing for whitefish |
| Protected Nongame Fish | May not be harvested or possessed (also known as Green Sucker) |
| All Other Fish Species | No bag, length or possession limit |
Region lines for the IDFG Southeast Region apply at Bear Lake except where noted below.
Special rules printed for Bear Lake
| Rule as printed |
|---|
| 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 |
Special rules printed for Bear Lake on its IDFG Fishing Planner page (Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027 for the Southeast Region, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
Fishing license fees as set in Idaho Code 36-416 (statute; IDFG sale prices add vendor and processing fees), read November 7, 2026.
Nearby still water beside Bear Lake
For more elbow room, Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) offers 2,456 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Region | Recommended fish | Launch sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake | 69,446 | Southeast Region | 3 | 0 | |
| Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) | 4 miles north | 2,456 | Southeast Region | 0 | 0 |
| Merkley Lake | 8 miles north | 46 | Southeast Region | 0 | 0 |
| Dingle Pond Wetlands Preserve | 12 miles north | 15 | Southeast Region | 2 | 0 |
| Little Valley Reservoir (Bear Lake County) | 15 miles northwest | 34 | Southeast Region | 1 | 0 |
| Montpelier Reservoir | 21 miles north | 131 | Southeast Region | 5 | 0 |
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner and the agency access layers, read November 7, 2026.
Close to Bear Lake
Reservoirs and lakes neighbouring Bear Lake
- Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)4 miles north
- Merkley Lake8 miles north
- Dingle Pond Wetlands Preserve12 miles north
- Little Valley Reservoir (Bear Lake County)15 miles northwest
- Montpelier Reservoir21 miles north
Overnight towns for anglers bound for Bear Lake
- Montpelier18 miles
- Franklin25 miles
- Preston29 miles
Bear Lake, broken out by county
- Bear Lake Countyseat: Paris
Piscifun reels and line packed for Bear Lake
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Reservoirs, alpine lakes and canyon runs close to Bear Lake, in pictures
Photo: BLMIdaho, CC BY 2.0
Photo: BLMIdaho, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
Before you load the truck for Bear Lake
Where in Idaho is Bear Lake?
Look in Bear Lake County, about 18 miles from Montpelier.
What size does the Planner give Bear Lake?
Near 69,446 acres, at about 19,432 feet.
Which listed launch suits a first trip to Bear Lake?
Paddle in, or use a launch nearby.
Which species are on record at Bear Lake?
IDFG recommends lake trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.
Does IDFG print special rules for Bear Lake?
Under the IDFG Southeast Region block: Trout limit is 6, all species combined; In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout; Brook Trout are listed separately. Read the water-specific lines above too.
Do I need an Idaho license to fish Bear Lake?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
Does IDFG plant fish in Bear Lake?
It has no stocking history on the Planner.
Who sells flies and worms close to Bear Lake?
Pack what you need; our list has no shop nearby.
Plan a Gem State trip around Bear Lake
Check the bag limit before a fish goes in the cooler.