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Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
May 19, 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: Fishing well overall. Crappie reports were better this week than last. Hearing about plenty of fish in 10’ to 30’ - depending on where you are at on the water. Lots of fishing efforts being focused in the narrows and many have talked to us about how busy it has been there. If you are in the narrows early and not seeing a lot of boats, don’t be surprised to see fish higher in the water column. As it gets busier, you might find yourself fishing a little deeper. Plenty of success by those trolling Flicker Shads, Shad Raps and soft plastics. With the soft plastics on light heads - slow down and let it work! From the bank, try a slip float and multiple soft plastics tipped with crappie nibbles. Bass fishing has been pretty decent for 1-2.5# fish and a little tricky for big ones. Lots of fish being caught shallow on jerkbaits, topwaters, senkos wacky or Neko rigged, jigs, spinnerbaits and Keitechs. Sturgeon fishing is excellent on the main, up the Snake River side and down below the dam - TROUT!

Boise River: Still quite a bit of water flowing down it and the flows popped up a few feet a couple days ago. Chris with Boise River Guides is smashing from the boat. From the bank, access is a little limited and in some areas, flows are scooting! Its not uncommon with flows like this for fish to be INCHES off the bank…

Brownlee: Current water level is 2072 - up almost 4’ in a week. Fishing is solid for everything, not as awesome as it was a few weeks ago but still a great place to be. Crappie are all over the place - the bigger the school, the smaller the fish. There are some true giants out there right now - in small groups or even isolated. While trolling is always effective, I would be throwing 3 and 4” soft plastic minnow style baits for these bigger fish. A 3.5” Mooch Minnow on a 1/8oz Cipher Tungsten Ball Head is a KILLER combo for bigger crappies. For the bass, lots of shallow fish in less than 15’ of water. Catch them with topwater walking baits or poppers, cranks, jerkbaits, a variety of 3-4” minnow baits and if you want to have some fun, throw a 5” Daingerous Swimbait or the new Spro KGB Lil Guy. Cats are everywhere and will be for a while - shallow! They’ll eat lures and cut baits.

Snake River: Lots of grass and water fluctuations - including a few really low water days - careful boating! Great location for bank anglers right now. Topwater should be at the top of your list! I’d also have a Keitech, Texas rigged Zoom UV Speed Craw, IRR Finesse jigs and swimbaits like the aforementioned KGB Lil Guy and 5” Daingerous!

Wilson Springs: Lots of little keepers! While the temps are not ridiculous, get a kiddo out on the water and catch a few! Simple nightcrawler and powerbait rigs will get bit - come see us if you are new to fishing and need a little help!

Lake Lowell: Reports are ALL OVER the place! I’m going to have 4 baits rigged up right now…Buzzbait (probably black), Spinnerbait/Chatterbait, Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog to flip and a swimming worm of some kind (not really a swimming worm per se but I love the Trick Worm for this…) - rigged weightless. My usually strategy for finding bass here is to start on the outside weed and bush edges with the buzzbait and spinnerbait, as I move in - probe with the buzzbait and start flipping the different types of structure until I get so shallow I either run into carp or the bass! If its carp, I get out of there. Catfishing has been decent with the water level up. Along the dam has been pretty solid and there are plenty of cats over by Gotts point.

Cascade Reservoir: Mixed reviews for bass, pretty solid reports for keeper perch, jumbos a little trickier and no trout reports this week. The keeper sized perch are around that 10’ mark. Better fish are hanging out around the bottom in 25-30’. Keitechs caught quite a few of them that I know of! Look at the Easy Shiners in particular - that slender profile seems to be something those perch love. Bass are mostly post spawn. Females out roaming and fellas hanging close to the banks and keeping their eyes on things. Senkos and Keitechs caught several in the Payetter River Bassmaster tourney their this weekend. With the warming temps, I would have a topwater and a spinnerbait as well.

Horsethief Reservoir: No Report.

Owyhee Reservoir: If you are looking for a place to get some kids on fish - and size is less important than quantity - this is your spot! Crappie are everywhere eating darn near anything. Bass are a little trickier however. Lots of smallies are already deeper than 15’. Catch them on drops shots and jigs. Largies are in all phases of spawning - be prepared for just about anything. I’d have a Trick Worm on a Shakey Head, Keitech on a Cipher Head, weightless senko rigged wacky and a spinnerbait or chatterbait.

Owyhee River: Couple reports of fish caught on spoons and small jerkbaits. Crowds have been manageable if you can go during the week.

Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!!

No Report.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: Was pretty hot for a minute - wild winds slowed things for a bit but I expect it to pick up again here pretty quick with the decent week ahead of us. The Kokabow Silver/Bubble Gum dodger and the new T-Rex have been successful. Start higher in the water column early but will probably have to start working deeper as the day moves on. Don’t forget the corn!

Arrowrock Reservoir: Not a lot of reports this week for kokes - plenty for trout. One customer caught 20+ on a purple and white Flicker Shad!

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK for Kokes! On fire! Some ok sized fish and a tons of littles but Alan with Kokabow Tackle says they are eager! Pick your favorite couple dodgers and get after it! Bass fishing is excellent and this is the time of the year to catch a few good ones. Should be some shallow fish that would eat a topwater or weightless fluke and there are some out in 12-18’ that will eat Keitechs and other minnow baits!

Payette Lake: Good reports this week and a spot I’d be starting to target. Fish are still on top from the reports I received and crowds of wake boats are not bad…yet…

SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY CODY ARD!:

Well, the Bonneville spring run has definitely peaked and is now on the decline, falling short of the forecast they anticipated. Most likely, Idaho will start seeing the effects of this in the coming weeks. Be prepared for closures and possible changes to our seasons.

Bonneville was showing around 76K over, and Lower Granite was at 11K as of yesterday. About 1,000 fish per day are coming over Lower Granite — that’s great news.

Meanwhile, the Clearwater is fishing very well. The hogline boat guys are getting them, as well as the anglers fishing from the banks. Below Dworshak Dam has also been producing.

The Salmon River run will most likely be delayed due to high flows and the infamous Slide Rapid on the lower part of the river. When spring flows get over a certain volume, the Slide Rapid tends to slow fish migration. Whitebird and upstream to Riggins should provide good fishing for the first few weeks, followed by the Little Salmon after that.

I was guiding for the Bass Babes Tournament this past week on the lower Snake River, and one of the girls hooked and landed a salmon on a bass grub — an epic fight!

These next two weeks should bring some exciting salmon fishing in Idaho, so get out there and get ’em while you can!

Local Ponds: Lots of trout stocking - get em while the water isn’t too warm and overgrown with weeds!! Crappie jigs are excellent stocker trout baits!

New Hats!, Custom Purple is BACK! - Limited, GRADUATION!, Tightlines Class!, Tungsten is GOLD?, New Reel Covers - FOR FREE?!

4 New Hats are IN STOCK NOW!! See them in the product highlight section below!
The highly sought after Custom Purple Jerkbait is BACK IN STOCK! We have 41 available…they go quickly!
Congrats to all of the 2026 high school graduates! We have helped several put together customized gift baskets. If you need some help for a graduating angler in your life - COME SEE US! We can make it so easy…
Join Jordan Rodriguez as he teaches about all things TROLLING! Class will be held at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center on May 20 from 6pm - 8:30pm. Class is only $40 when you use the CODE “IRR” - There’s more to it than just dragging baits behind the boat…let Jordan show you how to catch more fish trolling.
Most know by now that there is are major changes in the tackle industry as it pertains to Tungsten. Raw Tungsten prices have increased 10 fold and several of the largest brands are bowing out. Take a look at the prices of a few 1/2oz Flipping Weights on Tackle Warehouse…incredible!! Idaho Rod and Reel is in a decent position as we still have some inventory. Will not last forever and once we are out, that’s it for a long while from what I can tell.
Buy a reel from Idaho Rod and Reel and it will now come with a Neoprene cover for it! Free of charge!! Check them out below!
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.}

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