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Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
July 14, 2026

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A NOTE FROM RYAN!

From time to time, you will notice ads in the newsletter. As the subscribership to Hook Points has grown considerably, the costs to produce it and host it have now become significant. We have no plans to stop producing the letter as so many of you have told us that you find it useful! I’m happy about that!! In order to help offset the costs, we are working with a company that will help us find advertisers that pay well for ad placement. We get paid per click! You do not need to sign up for anything! Please help us offset the costs of Hook Points by clicking on the links. Please do not feel obligated to do so but the help would be welcomed!!

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Better week reported for crappie, steady for bass. Careful with the sturgeon. That about sums up most of the reports I received for CJ! Crappie are schooling up and a little deeper most of the day. Some reports of early morning fish in the narrows up pretty shallow around the over hanging trees and around the subtle points that line the narrows. Yes they do exist! Look ON the bank to find these points! The ol’ narrows aren’t as featureless as many tend to think. Guys are still catching them trolling on really long setbacks of 120 or more feet with Flicker Shads and Rapalas. Vertical jigging your favorite plastic should get ya bit as would a Jigging Rap or drop shot. Bass are all over the place. You can find them deep, shallow, suspended, on top - so be prepared for all scenarios. Better fishing right now up the Snake River arm and in some of the deeper areas of the main bowl. Keitechs, drop shots, walking baits, IRR Finesse Jigs, 92 Tao tubes, Ned rigs and some deep diving cranks are all good ideas. Couple die hard sturgeon guys noted the water is getting warm so fight those sturgeon quickly and get ‘em back in the water!!

Boise River: Fishing well! Shrimp under a float or tumbled on a split shot rig, small cranks and jerkbaits and drop shots with 1/8oz weights and small minnows or creature looking baits will get bit. On that drop shot, try wacky rigging a small Berkley worm…

Brownlee: Starting to drop. Down roughly 4’ to 2073. All ramps are still usable. Fishing is excellent for bass, good for crappie. For the crappie, go looking for deeper bluff areas that are on corners of points and close to shallower gravel full areas. Throw a 3.3” or 2.8” Keitech on a semi tight line up against the bluff wall and let it pendulum back to ya. Look for subtle bumps and set the hook! Bass are really targeting crayfish right now. The shop jig is absolutely crushing and a bunch of you are now on the Dry Creek/Idaho Rod and Reel Exclusive 92 Tao tube bandwagon. I am CONFIDENT if those were the only two baits you threw right now you’d come home pumped! Lots of fish out in 20-35’. Plenty of fish around the bluff walls and steeper points. Flats that extend out into that 30-40’ are good places to look as well. If you are looking for a reaction bite, try a Rico popper early in the morning or a jerkbait/crankbait. Drop shots, neds and Keitechs will all get bit for sure. Catfishing for channels is FIRE! Cut baits and just simple nightcrawlers will work.

Snake River: Good fishing right now - grass in a lot of areas is pretty thick. IRR jigs and 92 Tao tubes will keep ya busy all day. Topwater in the morning and evening is a really good move. If you’re whopper ploppers and poppers are hanging up in the grass, try a buzzbait or a softbody frog…yes smallies eat frogs too!

Wilson Springs: No report.

Lake Lowell: Pretty consistent fishing is what I am hearing from most. Seems like the best bite windows are early and then right as the heat is starting to fade around 6pm to dark. Frog bite has been good! Spinnerbaits are doing some work as well and as usual, flipping is the most productive.

Cascade Reservoir: Good reports for perch this week - better than last. Lots of medium sized perch schooling up and moving around. Can be caught shallow early but overall reports are indicating that consistent fish are in 20-30’. Some really large perch were caught in a couple of tournaments this weekend and a couple of those catches came really shallow! For bass - spend some time up on the banks if you’re struggling. There are quite a few shallow fish that will take a topwater, jerkbait or Neko rigged soft plastic. Deeper fish off long sandy points or rocky areas will eat Keitechs, jigs, Ned rigs and drop shots.

Horsethief Reservoir: No Report

Owyhee Reservoir: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK! Good reports for some really nice largemouth - though it sounds like they aren’t catching quite as many. Topwater bite can be excellent and I’d have two rods rigged up and ready for it - buzzbait and a walking bait. For subsurface work, I’d be looking in everything from the bank out to 25’ with Shakey Heads, Ned rigs, IRR Finesse Jigs, a drop shot and a Neko rig! ADDED: the 92 TAO TUBE IS GETTING BIT HERE!!

Owyhee River: No Report.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: This is where I would be fishing right now for kokes. Get your gear down and play around in 20-30’ and see what happens. The fish size is decent and the numbers haven’t been bad. Look at your dodger collection and pull something darker.

Arrowrock Reservoir: All reports this week were for trout…bunches of ‘em!

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Still the kokanee hot spot! Fish are in 20-30’ and not hard to catch. If you aren’t getting bit, make sure you have corn and make sure you aren’t under them.

Payette Lake: We fished here this week with Chris from Idaho Hook-n Hunt and Old Hat Outdoors. We found a couple of bigs! Definitely had to put in the work! Darker dodgers were the best. I know guys are saying don’t go here - but I found this trip really rewarding. We caught 4-5 smaller kokes and I caught my PB. Go test those skills!! I can’t tell you that you’re coming home with a limit but I loved the challenge! We all put our heads together and figured out a couple of ways to get bit! Hottest part of the day produced fish…tough day for sure! But worth it. Fish were in 30-40’.

SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY CODY ARD!:

Not much to report for Salmon fishing, but a few changes happening.

Upper Salmon River Chinook fishing will close on July 15th.

The Southfork has been expanded from 4 days a week to 7 days a week. Numbers are still low and quota was halfway thru last time I heard. It will most likely close to fishing within a week. That'll be a wrap until the Fall Salmon run gets to Lewiston in September.

Bouy 10 opens August 1st, first 9 days are Either Salmon, wild/hatchery. Most guides are already booked, but its open all month long and is an amazing fishery if you’ve never done it. Ive got a boat booked for Aug 11th. Very long list of guides to choose from , Idaho and local Washington area. Go experience that!! You wont be sorry.

Local Ponds: If you are struggling to catch a pond bass right now, fish early, fish late and/or throw your baits in the nastiest crap you can!! Lots of trout ponds are about to struggle. Check the stocking report before you go and get there early!

Customer Appreciation Lunch!, Sunline FC Sniper Promo, For the Ladies!!, Buy 1 Get 1 Tight Lines Class Promo, Link Rod Restock and PreOrder Update,

JOIN US THURSDAY for a FREE CUSTOMER APPRECIATION LUNCH!! We will start serving at 11am and stop at 2pm. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY! We just want to make sure that the folks that allow us to do what we love, know that we appreciate them! Stop by the shop for your ticket!
15% Off Sunline FC SNIPER FLUOROCARBON Spools and Boxes. While supplies last!!
Ladies!! Join Venturely Outdoors on Lake Cascade on August 8th for a WOMENS FISHING TOURNAMENT!! Go check out Venturely_premieroutdoors on Instagram and give her a follow! I have met Richelle and worked with her on a few things! She is an AMAZING woman and doing so much for Ladies in the outdoors!
Come try a Tight Lines 208 Class!
Looking to up your panfish game this year? Come check out Panfish School with instructor Jordan Rodriguez, happening July 15. This class will help you catch more crappie, perch, and bluegill (and some other fun surprises), with tons of insider tips, tackle giveaways, and more! And Jordan is offering a special for all Hook Points readers and Idaho Rod & Reel customers: Buy one, get one free admission! Simply register using this link and bring a plus-one for free! Click Here!
EXCITED to announce that several of the LINK and Imperium rods that we have been out of are scheduled to ship this month! And maybe a surprise with them?? Pre-Order will be available as per usual.
Buy a reel from Idaho Rod and Reel and it will now come with a Neoprene cover for it! Free of charge!!
Shop is STOCKED! Some very cool products and brands arriving almost daily!
^{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

Love these builds!!

Technically Speaking...

Reading Electronics

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

KOKANEE STOCKING!!

F&G releases the first generation of 'captive broodstock' kokanee

During June, about a million kokanee fingerlings raised from Idaho Fish and Game’s first “captive broodstock” were released into Idaho’s lakes and reservoirs. Many of those fish will reach catchable size within two to three years.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

Summer Chinook Info

Upper Salmon River closed to Chinook fishing on July 15

Idaho Fish and Game will close fishing for Chinook salmon on the Upper Salmon River from the posted boundary just upstream of the mouth of Valley Creek upstream to the posted boundary just downstream of the Sawtooth Hatchery weir at the end of fishing hours on July 15.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!

Chinook fishing in the Little Salmon River is closed

Idaho Fish and Game closed sport fishery for Chinook salmon in the Little Salmon River on June 8 after harvest objectives were met. As of June 8, the Lochsa River is the only remaining Chinook fishery open.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

Local Fish Stocking Reports

Southwest Region Fish Stocking Forecasts

Forecasts of fish stocking efforts by Idaho Fish and Game in the Southwest Region

idfg.idaho.gov/fish/stocking/southwest