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Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
April 28, 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: Another great week at CJ. Crappie fishing has been excellent from both boat and bank. From the bank - I have a couple suggestions for you. 1 - throw a jig head/underspin combo. The extra weight of the blade gives you access to more water with longer casts. 2 - Go with a heavier head like a Cipher Tungsten Ball head, 1/8oz with a 1/0 hook and pair that with a Keitech Fat Swing Impact 2.8 - again, more reach and the slightly bigger bait seems to get bigger bites. Lastly, grab some 1/8 or even 3/16oz drop shot weights for those fish that are bottom oriented. Crappie fishing doesn’t always have to be done with ultra ultra light lures. No doubt those work but many of the bank anglers that I talk to that are struggling, I think are having a hard time reaching fish and then feeling them with really light tackle. From the boat - reports that I am receiving make me believe just about anything will get bit right now. Everything from bobber rigs to trolling to multi jig rigs…find a school and stay on em! Plenty of shallow fish and lots of fish suspended out off the bank in 30-40’ of water but sitting 5-15’ under the surface. Bass fishing has been excellent. Topwater reports are starting to come in - if you can get a slightly over cast day with a little bit of chop, try a popper on a spinning rod! We have quite a few poppers, walking baits, buzz baits in stock with more arriving this week to get ready for the topwater bite. Wacky rigged senkos, IRR Finesse Jigs, 3.3” Keitechs and jerkbaits are all good options right now. There are plenty of shallow bass to target and many of you are asking about bed fishing strategies. Love talking about it!! Come see us and lets see if we can’t get you a few of those bites.

Boise River: No Report.

Brownlee: Current water level is 2067 - 10’ from full! Both of the spring ramps are usable. BE CAREFUL OF DEBRIS IN THE WATER!! Some of it is pretty dang big!! Fishing has been excellent for smallies, crappie and catfish. Great bank angling destination right now. If you go - I recommend a drop shot, EWG Ned Rig, Keitech on an EWG underspin, and a Texas rigged Senko or creature bait for smallies and read my suggestions for crappie bank anglers in the CJ Strike section. For catfish, talk to Anthony with Renegade Baits and get yourself some cut bait. LOTS of cats being caught!! From the boat, if you are hunting smallmouth, there are tons of fish sitting in 10-12’ waiting to move up shallow, to join the fish that are ALREADY up shallow. I’d have a popper, Keitech 3.3 Fat Swing and a 3/16oz or 1/8oz Cipher Fishing Tungsten Ball Head (lighter head will help you snag up less), a white spinnerbait, jerkbait and minnow style crankbait. I was here on Saturday and caught a crappie in every school that we drifter over with a 2.8 or 3.3” Keitech that was intended for bass. The crappie were shallow, close to drop offs that were near shallow water or coves - EASY to catch!

If you are looking for a painter this spring/summer - I LOVE THESE GUYS! Contact Ray and mention Hook Points for 10% OFF!

Snake River: Good fishing - waiting for a topwater bite to kick off. Feel like this week looks good for it. Some murky water in a lot of areas and grass to deal with. The IRR Tungsten Finesse jig caught some good ones for shop manager Brian Purtell this past week. I would have a jerkbait, 3.3” Keitech and a Spro Little John DD crankbait.

Wilson Springs: No Report.

Lake Lowell: Great fishing for some, tough for others! Flipping baits are working as are spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Have to experiment and figure out what the fish are holding to. Are they on wood? Weed edges? Back in the weeds? But once you figure out the bite, the fish are much bigger this year and worth your time! Couple of bait suggestions if you are flipping…take a look at the Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver or Kinky Beaver in darker colors and the Rapala Crush City Clean Up Craw has been a top choice. Some success being had on the Fire Craw Jackhammers as well as the Bhite Delight and Dirty White.

Cascade Reservoir: Good reports this week from Cascade. Perch are spread out but in good sized groups and can still be caught from the bank around the dams and rocky points. Small underspins, Keitech Easy Shiners in the 2” and 3” sizes and drop shot rigs with either your favorite soft plastics or small chunks of crawler will catch em. From the boats, top strategy has been trolling - purple Flicker Shads, orange and perch patterned Shad Raps are the baits that I have been selling the most and hearing about. Lots of trout being caught on cranks and 2 big ones on a spinnerbait reported by a bass angler that was looking for bass! Not a ton of reports for bass but guys are catching them on cranks, jerkbaits, Neds, spinnerbaits and Keitechs. Fro mthe bank - see what a drop shot will catch ya! The new Big Bite Baits Somolly drop shot baits we just brought in have been doing really well! Look at the Live Perch pattern - brilliant!

Horsethief Reservoir: One report from a bank angler that caught several small stockers on a simple nightcrawler and power bait rig. Said there was a fly angler by the dam that was doing well just trolling flies.

Owyhee Reservoir: Periods of no fish followed by periods of pretty good bites if you are looking for bass. Largies and smallies have both been eager to eat, just not an all day long bite for most. Work through the down periods with a Shakey Head, Neko rig and a 3.3” Keitech in crappie-ish looking patterns. When the bite is on, cranks, jerks and wire baits are getting bit - both chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. I’d have a Bass Mafia 5” Daingerous with me - love that bait.

Owyhee River: No report this week.

Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!!

No Report.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: A little hit or miss but as the water warms, will be a great spot. Chris Zacato with Idaho Hook n Hunt reminds us its a cooler reservoir than the others…and not “looks good in sunglasses” cool… 🤣

Arrowrock Reservoir: Good kokes but they are tricky to find. The plentiful trout you catch while hunting for the kokes keep things fun!

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Lots of fish but things have slowed just a smidge with cooler water coming in.

Payette Lake: Not many reports - other than it’s not great yet…

THANK YOU Chris Zacato with IDAHO HOOK AND HUNT!! Check out his YOUTUBE channel if you are a fan of fishing! Which I know you are…

SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY CODY ARD!:

Steelhead report is about the same, April 30th is the end of most steelhead fishing, little salmon will stay open until May 15th, Snake River Hells Canyon will be open until end of May. Rivers are all running high as our "snowmelt" is happening. I saw very little effort on the little salmon this weekend and I spent a day on the Southfork Clearwater, I hooked and landed 1 fish for the day. It was a good season all around, and this will probably be my last steelhead report as we move into Spring Salmon.

Numbers look good, 4 fish crossed Lower Granite yesterday, bringing a total of 14 fish into Idaho. Over a thousand fish per day are crossing Bonneville Dam, this next 2 to 3 weeks will be PRIME time for Drano and Wind River. Support our Idaho Guides over there fishing, Jones, ReelTime, Maverick Guide Service, TakeDown Guide Service just to name a few.

As for as for Idaho Fishing, Catchable salmon will start mid May on the Clearwater, mid to late May in the Salmon River System. Next report I will mention some tactics and how to fish them.

Local Ponds: Pond bass anglers are seeing bass on beds…and finding out that they can be moody!! Grab a selection of white baits and start throwing them in and around the beds to see if you can get a reaction. Color is irrelevant honestly - the white is for you to be able to see the bait. The further away you are, the better. Try a glide and a drop shot on a short leader. Lots of trout stocking! Nightcrawlers, Gulp Worms on a drop shot and Crappie Jigs!! Starting to find a decent amount of bluegills shallow in most ponds - they like being around the bass beds…

“Draggin” is Here!!, Tackle Shop Customer Event!, Ladies Only Class, Beginning Bass Fishing, Lots of New Products!

THE NEW DRAGGIN RODS ARE IN STOCK NOW! We only have 50 available and several have been pre-ordered. This rod features a deep green blank with Fuji components, an ultra light Sea Guide reel seat, custom artwork celebrating “The Jig” and a custom neoprene rod sleeve. This is a 44 ton casting blank! 7’2” MH XF Casting rod designed specifically for baits that are meant to be dragged! Uber sensitive, really strong and beautifully built.
Awesome event coming up!! The Tackle Shop in Nampa will have their customer appreciation event this Saturday!! Lots of raffles, Kokabow Tackle will be teaching a class from 10-12, a Strike King pro will be onsite! Grinz and Fins will be there to get you set up for bow fishing! Lots of food and great people!
Two Bass Tournaments Coming Up! The Enrico & Martin Memorial brought to us by the Snake River Bassmasters will be held May 2nd at Lake Lowell. The Jack and Jill is the following day! SIGN UPS FOR BOTH ARE IN SHOP!!
Save the DATE!! Ladies only class on May 19!! More details to follow.
Save the DATE!! Beginning Bass Fishing taught by Ryan Chris will be Wednesday May 6th. More details to follow!
Some very cool new Merch dropping soon!! Keep your eyes on our social media - this stuff is going to go fast.
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

Good Stuff!! It’s not as cut and dry as you think!

Technically Speaking...

Spinning Reel Tips!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Boat Access Info

F&G provides hundreds of boating access sites and asks people to use them responsibly

Fish and Game spent $2.8 million in 2025 to operate, maintain, and improve fishing and boating access in Idaho. Access sites range from small parking lots for walk-in fishing to full-service recreation complexes that include boat ramps, docks, restrooms, large parking lots, campgrounds, lighting, and more.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

More Records! Did you know we had these in Idaho?!

New state record burbot hoisted out of Kootenai River

Caleb Wilson, a local angler from Troy, hauled up the Kootenai River’s most legendary fish. And not just any legendary fish, a new state catch-and-release record.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!

Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (4-15-2026)

Idaho Department of Fish & Game

Spring Chinook fishing set to open April 25

Bag limits and days per week open to fishing are variable by river section. Spring Chinook Season and Rules brochure is posted on the Chinook Fishing rules webpage.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/spring-chinook-fishing-set-open-april-25