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Hook Points

Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
February 03, 2025

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: We have ice around Black Sands and through the narrows - though I am curious if this rain has moved that out. If I get an update on that I will post it on instagram or send an updated version of Hook Points. Airforce ramp has been accessible. Perch, crappie and trout fishing remains steady and on some days - awesome! Trolling Flicker shads, small soft plastics and even simple nightcrawler tipped Wedding Rings has been productive. Once schools are located - vertical presentations can be used. One customer had a PHENOMENOL day on the Eurotackle Z Vibers! Seems the Sturgeon bite has been decent up the Snake River arm. Different cut baits and squid are what I have heard are working. Bass fishing remains tough but not impossible. The bite has been better on the days with the warmest nights…we’re bottom fishing now. One customer had an decent afternoon on a small “Old Ugly” Dry Creek tube. I’d have a 2.8” and/or a 3.3” Keitech and a blade bait rigged up. Betting I could get one to go on a Tungsten Finesse jig trimmed small with a tiny trailer on it…

Boise River: Great bites on the Boise right now. Some beautiful browns being caught along with Rainbows and Whitefish. Shrimp on a jig head, wacky rigged Powerbait worms and crappie jigs all caught fish this week that I know of. If you are targeting a big brown - throw hardware. Bass sized jerkbaits work! If you’re uncomfortable with that - take a look at the Dynamic Lures HD Trout baits. Throw em on the Imperium Ultra Light!! That rod is unreal for throwing these baits on the river!!

Brownlee: Water levels are at 2053 - that’s 6’ down in a week. A good friend and shop instructor Skyler sent images of ice around Spring ramp. As with CJ, curious what this rain will do to that. It has been colder over in that part of the world - might be even more ice. Will update as soon as I know anything. No fishing reports received last week.

Snake River: Just a couple reports from the river. Fishing is tough with short bite windows and cold water. I’d have a 3.3” Keitech and a blade bait…and patience. Don’t sleep on the IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig…that thing always works!

Wilson Springs: No report this week.

Lake Lowell: No report.

Motorized and Non-motorized boating are allowed April 15 to September 30. Human-powered boats are allowed 200 yards in front of the Upper and Lower Dams between October 1 and April 14. The rest of the lake is set aside for migrating and wintering wildlife.

Cascade Reservoir: Really good reports from guys fishing mid lake and higher. Tip ups with worms from the Cascade shops have been doing well. Jigging raps and other small spoons are still working. Seems that there are two opinions on depth right now - shallow and deep - good news, whatever team you are on - both are reporting catches so 🤷! Lots of holes being cut seems to be the trick. Will be dealing with slush this week…

Tackle Toms Cascade Cup

Cascade Cup 2025 - Tackle Tom's Local

Tackle Tom’s is hosting its annual Ice Fishing Tournament. We have categories for adult single anglers, adult team anglers, and kid anglers.

tackletomsidaho.com/cascade-cup-2025

Horsethief Reservoir: Tip ups and nightcrawlers! Lots of smaller fish being caught. Been fishing here since I was a kiddo - by the damn has always been reliable.

Owyhee Reservoir: No report this week.

Owyhee River: No report.

Duck valley: From the Tribal Website:

January 27, 2025 –Ice conditions change daily as weather permits. Ice depth at 5.5 inches up to 60 yards from the Mountain View Boat Dock. Ice depth 7 inches up to 60 yards from the Sheep Creek boat dock. Mountain View ice is clear, with visible stress fractures. Sheep Creek ice appears much frostier, with less clarity. The ice has been loud negotiating with the with the daily temperature, cracking over a light thaw throughout a day spent mending and melting, refreezing at night. Ice depths in the shallow areas closer to the shore at both reservoirs is consistently reading 5.5 inches up to 60 yards out.

Trout activity is high around mid-morning at Mountain View, and Sheep Creek has been doing well in the mid-afternoon.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: No report this week.

Arrowrock Reservoir: No report this week.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: No report this week.

Local Ponds: Stocker trout are available in most of the ponds right now. Take a look at the stocking report below. Try the Eurotackle Mummified Meal Worms under a float!

Shop News - Kokanee Class is FILLING UP!, STURGEON CLASS AND ROD GIVE AWAY, What the Heck is a Coike?

ANNOUNCEMENT!! As a small shop with limited space, it is not possible for us to stock everything that we’d like to. We also have so many people that would love to support the shop but they might live in Boise or further and the drive doesn’t always make sense. I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that Idaho Rod and Reel is now offering customers the ability to access almost 40,000 items on our new ONLINE STORE - www.idahotacklebox.com! We can ship anywhere in the US and most orders over $50 ship for free! (some exclusions apply) Idahotacklebox.com has everything from Huddleston swim baits to downriggers to 360 flashers to electronics and MORE! NOTE!! Idahorodandreel.com is still live and lists what products are in the shop and what classes and events are coming up. IDAHOTACKLEBOX.COM is a SECOND site! We want to keep our small shop, community feel but give our friends and customers more options. We want to keep providing classes, community events, newsletters like this and improve our youth programming. Please support us in these efforts by using this new site when it makes sense for you!
FILLING FAST!!! JOIN US FOR A FREE KOKANEE SEMINAR with Locally Owned, KOKABOW FISHING TACKLE! Sign up at idahorodandreel.com under the “Classes” tab. AFTERNOON SESSION IS STILL OPEN!! MORNING SESSION IS CLOSED!! HUGE discounts on Kokanee rods, reels and tackle will be available to attendees! MANY people wait for this sale to gear up for the Kokanee season - that’s how good the sales are!
Crappie/Trout anglers!! Come check out the new top selling rod in the shop built just for you. The Imperium UL spinning rod is 6’6” and WEIGHS LESS than 3 ounces! Fast action and a 40 ton blank make it so sensitive and perfect for tough bites. Strong enough for those bass that bite your crappie jigs as well…
STURGEON CLASS!! FREE RAFFLE FOR A HELLCAT ROD JUST FOR ATTENDING!!! Join Hells Canyon Sturgeon Guide Cody Ard, as he spends the evening talking to us about how to find and catch the awesome sturgeon we have here in Idaho!! Class will be FREE!! Class will be held at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center on Thursday, Feb. 6th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. We will have snacks, drinks and tons of great instruction! Registration is at Idahorodandreel.com under the “Classes” link!
KIDS YOUTH DAY COMING SOON! Let’s get those kids out of the house and having some fun learning some new techniques, making their own lures and might even be raffling of something cool 😎
The new Cipher Fishing Company started right here in Nampa Idaho is producing the highest quality Tungsten products on the market. Designed and fished by the best - it is STILL!! the top seller last week by a MILE! Thank you for helping us start this company off with a bang!
BIG CHANGES at the shop coming in 2025! We are more committed to your success than we ever have been and we want you to know how passionate we are about taking care of the people that take care of our little shop! We still think the #smallshoplife is the best life…you’ll see 😉!
There are certain models of LINK rods that I 100% expect to be sold out by March. Link Rod Inventory Update: 7’1” Link Medium Spinning - Cork Handle are SOLD OUT. 7’1” Link Medium Spinning - GRAPHITE handle - 1 LEFT. 7’3” MH Casting in both CORK and GRAPHITE are almost sold out. 7’ Imperium - almost sold out.
New and In-Stock this week: Yamamoto 2.5” Hula Grubs, Hog Farmer Stroll Shads, FULL KEITECH RESTOCK, **NEW** Keitech Spinnerbaits, Daiwa J Braid Grand
BEANIES! In Stock and a steal at $12.99
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

I had no idea…this is a cool watch

Technically Speaking...

Identifying fish on forward facing sonar

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

For those fishing around Cascade

Bureau of Reclamation enforcing vehicle restrictions on Hot Springs Wildlife Management Area of Lake Cascade

January has been very cold and has brought virtually no snow to Valley County, which has been great for ice conditions on Lake Cascade but has created issues for unauthorized use of Bureau of Reclamation land surrounding the reservoir. Anglers have begun creating a parking area on the Hot Springs Wildlife Management Area along Stonebraker Lane near the Sugarloaf State Park Unit - an area where vehicle use is prohibited by the Bureau of Reclamation’s management plan for Lake Cascade.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/bureau-reclamation-enforcing-vehicle-restrictions-hot-springs-wildlife-management-area-lake

FYI Steelheaders on the South Fork Clearwater

Calling all anglers: South Fork Clearwater River localized broodstock program kicks off again!

Eligible steelhead will be brought to and spawned at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery, then released back into the South Fork Clearwater River as smolts. In theory, this localized broodstock program will create fish that are more adapted to return to the South Fork Clearwater River and result in more robust runs in the future.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/calling-all-anglers-south-fork-clearwater-river-localized-broodstock-program-kicks-again

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

Steelhead Dam Counts

Steelhead Dam Counts

idfg.idaho.gov/fish/steelhead/dam-counts

Steelhead Reports