Lake Trout fishing at Little Bear Lake

Start shallow in spring: lake trout sit in 10 to 40 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 22 to 74 ft, and by winter most fish are in 19 to 74 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 63 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.

Lake Whitefish fishing at Little Bear Lake

Spring lake whitefish on Little Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 22 to 74 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 63 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.

Cisco (Lake Herring) fishing at Little Bear Lake

Spring cisco (lake herring) on Little Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 22 to 74 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 63 ft, rated prime for summer cisco (lake herring). Plan around early morning in the warm months. A vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic covers the summer program.

Walleye fishing at Little Bear Lake

Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 33 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Little Bear Lake

Spring smallmouth bass on Little Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.

Rock Bass fishing at Little Bear Lake

Spring rock bass on Little Bear Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for rock bass in summer. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.

How deep is Little Bear Lake?

Little Bear Lake is about 74 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Little Bear Lake?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, lake trout, lake whitefish, burbot, rock bass, cisco (lake herring) on Little Bear Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Little Bear Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 63 ft of water that rates prime for lake trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Little Bear Lake?

For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.