Hook Points

A NOTE FROM RYAN!

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Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Mixed reviews this week from CJ - mostly depends on what you are fishing for. Plenty of smaller trout being caught by the dam and Air Force ramps by guys trolling Flicker Shads, Shad Raps and Kokabow dodgers/baits. They are also being caught from the bank around Black Sands with Powerbait - one customer swears by Pink and had good success with it on Saturday before it got windy. Crappie fishing remains a little hit or miss. Some ok bank reports from anglers with floats and 3’ leaders - jig heads tipped with soft plastics or nightcrawlers or old school Beetles Spins and small underspins. From the boat, you’re going to be on the move looking for small schools of good sized fish - you will run into LARGE schools of tiny ones…good if you’re looking for bass but going to need to move if you’re looking for crappie. Like we talked about in last weeks reports, we are seeing fish move shallow. Plenty of reports of fish being in 10-15’. Might be suspended or close to the banks - keep that in mind. Bass fishing has been good in the main bowl, the narrows (if there’s room) and up the Snake River arm. The river arm gets more murky the higher up you go. Guys are still reporting a decent reaction bite on crankbaits, jerkbaits and lipless cranks. For cranks, I’m going with a Spro Rk Crawler 50dd and a Spro Little John DD45 in brown, green or red. For a jerkbait, I’m throwing a Nishine 95MD and for a lipless I would have a Lucky Craft LV 500 in any of the craw colors. If the bite gets tough or you’re fishing from the bank, I’d have a 3.3 Keitech and a Ned rig! If you’re targeting largies, go play around shallow and have a swim jig, spinnerbait and/or a chatterbait. I’m going with something that has a gold blade. Crappie Classic is this weekend!! Expect the ramps to be extremely busy.

Boise River: Another good week reported on the Boise River. If you haven’t spent much time on the river, its an incredibly nuanced river but a phenomenal fishery - big fish if you know what you are doing. This is the time of the year that my favorite kinds of baits start working again - small jerkbaits, crankbaits and spinners. Take a look at our selection of Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Rapala Shad Raps and spinners from Blue Fox, Mepps and Panther Martin. Drifting a hair jig or crappie jig under a float is a fun way to catch trout as well and very effective on the Boise. Never discount the ol’ shrimp on a jig head…

Brownlee: Current water level is 2044.8, down about a foot from last week. You can still launch at the Spring ramp - but you will be using the old ramp. Remember that inside the “No Wake” Buoys at the Spring ramp is a rock pile that can be hit right now. Stay to the south side of the old ramp and all will be well! At this level, pay attention as in certain areas, there are rocks that are close to being exposed - especially around the Mountain Man Lodge area. Fishing well for both bass and crappie. For the crappie, the schools are decent sized and the fish will eat if you can get a bait to them. There are schools in 30+ feet but you can look shallower than that. Bass guys are catching them on Keitechs in less than 20’. I haven’t heard of anyone catching them trolling although I am sure there are guys doing that successfully. Most guys have been casting and retrieving or fishing vertically. There are fish around the cove mouths and around any point - even small ones. Transitions from bluffs to shallow are money! And that goes for the bass as well! Crankbaits are working - not every minute of every day so have a plan B, C and D!! B = Keitech, C = jerkbait and D = jig! Good friend of the shop recommended anything that looks like a crappie and spent some time successfully fishing in 15-20’. That was seconded by another customer that had success on white swimbaits. He also had success with the crankbaits on the sunnier but breezy days. The water is cleaner the closer to the dam you get. IBM Open is this weekend - expect the ramps to be a little busy.

Snake River: Couple of tough days reported on the river with some decent ones mixed in. Good spot to target if you are looking for some bank angling options for smallies. A Keitech, a jig and a Blue Fox are great options for the bank angler. From the boat, take a look at a Spro Little John DD45 - small flat sided crankbaits that dive to 10’ and can be thrown on spinning rods - that just flat out get bit! I’d have an IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig, a shallow jerkbait and a drop shot rigged up.

Wilson Springs: Lots of fish to be caught right now. Simple Powerbait and nightcrawler rigs are working. Small crappie jigs and even the Dynamic Lures HD Trout will catch you a couple!

Lake Lowell: No Report. Worth a look!! The bank angler is King here for another couple weeks and the fish can’t stay quiet here for long!! Grab a chatterbait/spinnerbait and a senko!

Cascade Reservoir: Decent fishing reported for spawning perch - go ahead and get shallow with drop shot style rigs with nightcrawlers, small 2-3” Keitech Easy Shiners and 1/4oz blade baits. Trout are being caught by trolling anglers - fish on top, less than 10’ of water is where one customer had an amazing day! Good sized trout too!! With perch in them…hint hint! Give perch patterned Flicker Shads and Shad Raps a go. Some bass reports trickling in but nothing too exciting yet. There are plenty of bass that follow the perch spawn like we do! Don’t ignore the shallows.

Horsethief Reservoir: No report.

Owyhee Reservoir: Some decent reports from this past week. Bass anglers had success with Idaho Rod and Reel Finesse Jigs, spinnerbaits, 3.3” Keitechs and shakey heads. Water is down!! Be careful! Reports of tons of crappie are already coming in. Good bank fishing option right now - small jig heads and plastics are all you need. Tournaments here on both Saturday and Sunday this week. Guessing 20-30 boats for each of those.

Owyhee River: Fish are biting! Water is low but the deeper pools are holding fish. Small jerkbaits and cranks will work! Shrimp on a jig head and crappie jigs are all good ideas. Simple jig head and a Keitech?? 100%!!

Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!!

SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK! There is bank access and open water - anglers are catching! Powerbait is a great bait out there. Spoons and small minnow soft plastics work great at these lakes. March thru May are some of my favorite months to fish here!! If you are a fly angler, a small float tube, intermediate sinking line with a a selection of scuds and leach patterns is one heck of a way to fish out here!! Watch out for the wind…check the weather before you go.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: Pretty dang full right now and reports are good from LP. Fish are on top and anglers are catching a good mix of trout and Kokanee. One customer recommended running pretty close to the shoreline with dodgers that have either white or blue in them. Another angler caught a limit quickly not far from Spring Shores with pink and white Kokabow dodgers on 100’ setbacks and purple, orange or green Kokabow baits. Corn of choice was tuna blood!

Arrowrock Reservoir: Mixed reviews on AR this week with one angler calling me a liar for telling people that there are Kokanee in Arrowrock. Still trying to figure out if they were joking or not…regardless, like the LP report, fish are on top - 80-100’ setbacks and watch those speeds. I’d be 1.3 to 1.5mph paying attention to inside and outside rods as you are curving your route. If they take the inside bait on turns, they want the bait slower and deeper. If they want the outside bait on a turn, fish could be telling you they want it shallower and moving faster.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Employee Braxton and his dad spent some time at Anderson and did alright! Said the fish were on top and the dodger of the day was the Wonderbread stuff! Blue Kokabow baits did well when other colors stopped working.

SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY CODY ARD!:

Upper salmon: Best catch rates were upstream of the pahsimeroi. Sounds like the peak of the spring run is pretty much near there or already there in Salmon. Flows came up a little but very fishable. 

Little salmon is still fishing well, flows weren't too bad and fish are being caught.   

The women with bait tournament has wrapped up, with over 200 Steelhead landed.  The biggest fish of the tournament was a 34 inch hatchery fish and most fish winner was 4 fish.   Great Job ladies.  

Clearwater and Southfork clearwater are completely blown out, the mainstream was running 36,000 cfs yesterday, the southfork running 3500cfs this weekend.    Thats a no go.  Keep an eye on that, as that river drops, the fishing will pick up.  Most likely that flush will push the rest of the stragglers upriver.  

Looking forward, Springer season will be here before you know it.   Springers are already being caught below Bonneville dam, mostly in the Willamette.  Drano and Wind river I predict will be early this year. If you've never fished Drano with a guide, I highly recommend it! Its a blast. As of today 43 Adults have crossed Bonneville dam, and there is 1 salmon past lower monumental, which means there will be ONE salmon in Idaho this week.    

Local Ponds: Ponds are warming up! I’d have a good selection of spinnerbaits, swim jigs and glide baits with me! Weightless Keitech 3.8 nose-rigged is not a bad way to fish a pond! IDFG has been busy stocking trout so check out the most recent stocking reports below, grab your kiddos and some Powerbait - go get bit!

New Class this Week!, Local Youtube Channel, Crappie Tournament, IBM Open, New Brownlee Guide!

• Stop Fishing and Start Catching!! Brought to you by Jordan Rodriguez and Tighlines 208 is THIS WEEK! Join Jordan on March 25th in the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center from 6-830pm and learn all about putting more fish in the boat!! Cost is $50 and INCLUDES an starter tackle kit! These classes are well worth your time and the reviews from students are EXCELLENT!

• Take a look at the Youtube Channel “Idaho Hook & Hunt”! The channel run by local Kokabow Pro Staffer and good friend of mine Chris Zaccato features local waters and techniques with an emphasis on Kokanee Fishing!!

• The Crappie Classic is this Weekend at CJ Strike!! Good luck to all that entered!

• The IBM Open is this weekend at Brownlee Reservoir.

• I want to introduce you to Gage Warren of Western Idaho Fins and Feather Guides. He is a USCG Captain and Licensed Guide and will be focusing his efforts on Brownlee, Oxbow and Hells Canyon reservoirs. I can personally vouch for the talents of this great angler!! See his information below or reach out anytime if you’d like to connect with Gage!!

• HUGE amount of crankbaits and jerkbaits just showed up!

• If you love to troll, WE ARE STOCKED!! Flicker Shads and Shad Raps!!.  

• BEGINNING BASS FISHING CLASS COMING SOON!! 

• ^{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

Local Channel!! Idaho Hook & Hunt

Technically Speaking...

Lithium Battery Tips!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Great Fisheries!

Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!

Local Fish Stocking Reports

Steelhead Dam Counts

Spring Chatterbait Fishing!

Crappie Report from the Guides!

Great for ALL SPECIES!

How to fish a lipless!

Catfishing in Spring!

Can AI help you catch more fish??

Google Earth tips for better fishing!

Spring Fishing for Perch

New in the Shop

The NEW IRR Tungsten Finesse Jigs! MADE IN THE USA!!

Spro Little John DD45!

The MARINA - Boats available at J and H Sales and Marine

Awesome Boat!! Check this out! Alumacraft 16-V - AFFORDABLE WAY TO GET OFF THE BANK!!

Love this Alumaweld!

Check out this Nitro!!

Catch Spotlight

Submit your own entry to be featured in Hook Points to: [email protected], Subject: Catch Spotlight

This is why I listen when Jon provides a crappie report!

Lisa is back on the smallies!!

This is why you should come to Jordans class this week!!

Team Brixey had a great weekend!!

Damien said the Weekend Fishing Planner recommendation was a good one!! Love hearing it! Great catch young man!

Great catch Mike!!

John looks pretty dang happy with this catch and I don’t blame him!

Colby is the man!!!

Aaron said the Red Eye Rod works!! Great catch man!

Wyatt has just been smashing them!! Atta kid!!

Callahan knows where the Kokes are!! Guy can catch em!

Haven’t seen a yellow belly in a minute!! Nice job Chris!

Sparks…ONLY CATCHES BIGS!!

Now that’s a good smallie!! Great catch Stella!

Stu - did not believe in green pumpkin…until this day!! Haha! Inside joke…

Todd with another awesome catch!

Rumor is the NAILS have powers…nice job Rebecca!

Tyler found a little Owyhee gold!

Kaylynn is now a fan of the Spro RK Crawler!!

Cody with big green ones is just a normal thing around here 😆 

A new PB for Jake!!

Hustons are always on good ones!!

Great catch Everett!!

Dan found himself a good green one! Nice job man!

Liam knows where the crappie are!!

Lance and Cory doubled up!

Brian is a bass guru!!

Every now and then even I get lucky!! Really fun fish caught on a Keitech with a Cipher head on the Link Tech rod - Cannot even tell you how much I love this rod!!