Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) Fishing
A 2,456-acre Idaho lake in Bear Lake County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Bear Lake: Paul Hermans, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) by the numbers
Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) covers 2,456 acres of Bear Lake County, according to IDFG. IDFG lists it with the IDFG Southeast Region. The run into Montpelier is close to 14 miles. The Planner describes it this way: Bear River Drainage.
No launch on it shows in the IDFG, BLM or Forest Service layers.
Surface acres as listed in the IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (water page), read November 7, 2026. Census 2020 places.
Launching a boat on Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
The access layers record no ramp at Mud Lake (Bear Lake County), so nearby launches are listed.
IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites layer, BLM Idaho recreation site points and USDA Forest Service recreation opportunities (EDW), read November 7, 2026.
Bag limits for Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
| 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 |
Read the IDFG Southeast Region rows first, then the exceptions IDFG prints for Mud Lake (Bear Lake County).
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.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Stacking Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) against nearby reservoirs
The biggest neighbour here is Bear Lake, 69,446 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Region | Recommended fish | Launch sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) | 2,456 | Southeast Region | 0 | 0 | |
| Merkley Lake | 4 miles north | 46 | Southeast Region | 0 | 0 |
| Bear Lake | 4 miles south | 69,446 | Southeast Region | 3 | 0 |
| Dingle Pond Wetlands Preserve | 7 miles northeast | 15 | Southeast Region | 2 | 0 |
| Little Valley Reservoir (Bear Lake County) | 13 miles northwest | 34 | Southeast Region | 1 | 0 |
| Montpelier Reservoir | 17 miles north | 131 | Southeast Region | 5 | 0 |
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner and the agency access layers, read November 7, 2026.
In the Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) neighbourhood
Still water for a second day beyond Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
- Merkley Lake4 miles north
- Bear Lake4 miles south
- Dingle Pond Wetlands Preserve7 miles northeast
- Little Valley Reservoir (Bear Lake County)13 miles northwest
- Montpelier Reservoir17 miles north
Idaho communities handy to Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
- Montpelier14 miles
- Franklin27 miles
- Preston30 miles
Counties that share Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
- Bear Lake Countyseat: Paris
What Piscifun sells that fits a trip to Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
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Gem State fish to know on sight at Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)
Photo: Under the same moon, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
Photo: Mike Cline, Public domain
Mud Lake (Bear Lake County): what Gem State anglers keep asking
Which Idaho county is Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) in?
Its Planner point lies in Bear Lake County, about 14 miles from Montpelier.
How big is Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) by the IDFG figure?
The Planner says 2,456 acres.
How many launch sites reach Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)?
Agency data record no ramp on it.
Does Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) hold trout?
IDFG gives no species here.
Which brochure lines govern Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)?
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.
What does a nonresident need at Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)?
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.
Is Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) stocked?
IDFG shows no plants for it.
Where would I pick up nightcrawlers on the road to Mud Lake (Bear Lake County)?
No listed tackle store lies within 30 miles.
Pencil Mud Lake (Bear Lake County) into this year's Idaho plans
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