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Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
September 24, 2024

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Another good week of fishing at CJ for just about everything. Great reports for bass up the Snake River arm on tube jigs, IRR Tungsten Finesse Jigs, crankbaits and drop shots. For tubes, I love to throw the Big Bite Baits tubes. For cranks - throw a RK Crawler with green in it and tough not to throw a Roboworm right now - Orange Crusher is never a bad choice. Crappie and perch are being caught trolling Flicker Shads, Shad Raps and casting plastics tipped with nightcrawlers in 10-20’. Lots of fish (and boats) in the narrows but there are plenty of places in the snake river arm that hold these fish. Spend some time looking around. Trout fishing has improved significantly as the night time temps have cooled. As the water cools, you’ll be able to find them shallower and higher up in the water column aggressively feeding. The aforementioned trolling baits will work as will simple worm harness rigs and Powerbait from the banks. Sturgeon fishing has started to pick back up now that the water is starting to cool.

Boise River: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK! Big browns coming out of the river right now! Throw something moving…jerkbait, spinner, crankbait…drifting a Berkley Power Nymph under a float is a good idea as well! Simple jig head and a soft plastic minnow - another great option. Look shallower than you normally might be inclined to 😉

Brownlee: Harmful Algae Bloom Warning In Effect. Water levels are up slightly at 2048. The Spring Ramp is still accessible - just have to use the old ramp. See the attached image for ramps that are still accessible. Bass fishing is awesome right now! Take a Lunker City Hellgie on a Ned Rig, an Orange Crusher Roboworm on a drop shot, an IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig and a crankbait that dives to 15’ and have fun. Big crappie are being caught but they take a little work to find. Sounds like long main lake points and some deep rocky banks are the places to look. Fish are holding in 15-25’. I love a 2.8 Fat Sewing Impact or a 3” Easy Shiner on an eighth ounce ball head right now. Something like Electric Shad, Perch or just plain white.

Snake River: Still looking at lots of grass but water is clear and bass are chomping. Try a Keitech with a belly weighted EWG hook, a topwater popper or whopper plopper and a Texas Rigged drop shot…Orange Crusher will get it done (picking up on a theme here? 😉)

Wilson Springs: No report this week.

Lake Lowell: Fishing well! Water is cooling off and the bass know winter is around the corner. Time to feed up! Chatterbaits on the edges, a weightless fluke and a flipping bait in the weeds and I’d still try my luck on top! Tough to beat a wacky rigged Senko if the bite gets tough. Water is low. As such, see the dam closure notice from the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge below:

(8/2/24) Due to low water levels, the boat ramps at the west end of the Upper Dam and at Access 1 are closed as of today, August 2. Visitors can still launch boats at the Lower Dam Recreation Area off Riverside Drive, the east end of the Upper Dam, off Iowa Avenue, and Access 7 on the southwest side of the lake.

Cascade Reservoir: Water is low but fish are biting. Bass fishing has improved considerably. Jerkbaits, Keitech’s, jigs, Ned rigs and a drop shot should get ya bit. Perch fishing has been excellent around the shoreline rocks. Drop shot rigs with nightcrawlers are working as will trolling Flicker Shads and Shad Raps. Upside to trolling those baits is that you are likely to catch quite a few trout!

Horsethief Reservoir: Open again for day use!

Owyhee Reservoir: Still getting decent reports for medium sized crappie. 15-25’ seems to be the depth everyone is talking about and close to main lake points - the longer the better - and on the down river side of them. A customer had a great day with the Hand Tied panfish jigs that we tie and I’d also recommend a Keitech 2” Easy Shiner in the Rainbow Shad color. Bass fishing has been decent as well. Try a 1/2 to 3/4oz skirted jig, a deep diving crank like a Strike King 6 or 8XD and I’d throw a drop shot as well.

Owyhee River: Awesome fishing right now. PMD’s, BWO’s and Caddis for the fly guys. For the conventional tackle guys, they’ll eat an Ultralight Heavyweights jig, Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Lucky Craft Pointer 65 and I guarantee I could get one to eat a small 2” Keitech Easy Shiner…those browns are getting ready to spawn = they need to eat!

Duck valley: No report

Lucky Peak Reservoir: No Report this Week.

Lucky Peak Dam and Lake - WallaWallaUSACE | Boise ID

Lucky Peak Dam and Lake - WallaWallaUSACE, Boise, Idaho. 3,635 likes · 640 talking about this · 1,128 were here. Striving to deliver operational excellence in flood risk management, responsible...

www.facebook.com/LuckyPeakLake

RAMP LEVELS AT LUCKY PEAK!!

Arrowrock Reservoir: Water is very low but there are guys out fishing it still and catching plenty of small to medium sized trout on Kokabow dodgers and spinners.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Bass fishing is excellent for small to medium sized bass. A 3.3 Keitech, a drop shot and a topwater popper will get bit. Hearing ok reports for trout from a few trollers. Guys were throwing Salmo Hornets, Flicker Shads and Kokabow Spinners.

Local Ponds: Many have been stocked with catchable trout. If that is the case with your favorite pond - Powerbait excels as these fish have been pellet fed in the hatchery. A Gulp Maggot under a float and wacky rigged is a very effective way to catch pond trout!

Shop News - Bunch of BS (Bull Shad 🤣 ), Steelhead Class, Raffles Winners, Fall Bass Class, Ladies Only Classes

Idaho Rod and Reel is now a BUCCA BAITS dealer! Bull Shad Swimbaits IN STOCK NOW!
Hells Canyon Guide Cody Ard will be teaching a class on How to Catch a Steelhead on October 3rd, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center. THIS CLASS IS FREE! Cody has YEARS of experience guiding for and catching these awesome fish and is one of the absolute best steelhead anglers I know. Baits, locations, movements
COMING SOON! Fall Bass Fishing Classes!
Steelhead Anglers! Hand tied steelhead jigs are coming soon!
Congratulations to Pat Thomas, Kyle Witherspoon and Travis Rosenberry for winning our Fall Kickoff Raffles! Pat won 3 Idaho Rod and Reel Link Rods and a Daiwa Tatula reel, Kyle won a $500 Tackle Bag and Travis won a Daiwa Tatula SV Baitcaster and a Daiwa KAGE Spinning Reel!
SECOND CHANCE RAFFLES COMING SOON! If you didn’t win something in our grand prize raffles…don’t give up just yet…
There are a FEW Mystery Tackle Boxes left…Trout, Crappie and Bass flavors.
LADIES ONLY CLASSES COMING SOON! Can’t wait for you to meet our newest instructor!! She has years of experience with multiple species and techniques!! Excited to have a 100% Ladies Only Class coming soon!
Keep an eye out for something new…TACKLE TALK TUESDAYS coming soon!
IN STOCK NOW: BUCCA BAITS BULL SHADS IN STOCK NOW! Mad Katz Catfish/ Sturgeon Rods, Daiwa Saltist 50’s!! Sturgeon Guys!! Check this REEL OUT! (Battle tested in Hells Canyon by Cody Ard), Daiwa Kage Rods
CUSTOM COLOR SOFTBAITS ONLY AVAILABLE AT IDAHO ROD AND REEL FROM MAJOR MANUFACTURERS COMING SOON!
CRAPPIE and TROUT fishers…custom rods built just for you coming SOOONN!!!.
Custom Rods…something very cool is coming 😉
Bait and equipment reviews coming…along with some How To’s….
Is there something you’d like to see in the shop? Email me at [email protected]…one random suggestion just might end up winning you a prize.

Worth Watching

This is Awesome!

Technically Speaking...

Which knot is the strongest? Some really good tips as well…

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Very COOL!

MK Nature Center in Boise welcomes five Upper Columbia River sockeye salmon

On Sept. 20, five Upper Columbia River sockeye salmon arrived at the MK Nature Center in Boise—and yes, they had a little help from the tanker truck. Come on down to the nature center and see these big fish for yourselves!

idfg.idaho.gov/article/mk-nature-center-boise-welcomes-five-upper-columbia-river-sockeye-salmon

Good to know!!

Live in Idaho Waters (Part 3): Native Minnows

We’ve talked about sculpin, we’ve talked about suckers, for our last installment of “Live in Idaho Waters” were going to discuss native minnows. A ‘minnow’ is sometimes used as a generic term for any small fish swimming around in a lake or stream, in reality, the term minnow applies to a specific category of fish.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/live-idaho-waters-part-3-native-minnows

I jumped down a Youtube rabbit hole 😄

Current Trout Stocking

Fish Stocking Forecasts

td {width: 33%; max-width: 33%; } This report highlights the monthly fish stocking schedule. Unless noted, fish listed below are all 10 to 12 inch rainbow trout. Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions; dates may change due to weather or staffing constraints. The table below shows schedules for all known forecasted stocking and up to the last month's recent stocking schedules. It may take two weeks for stocking data to appear as Historical stocking information. Your patience is appreciated.

idfg.idaho.gov/d7/fish/stocking/forecasts?rid=3

Not fishing related but I tried this…its awesome!