Hook Points
Posts
Hook Points

Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
October 13, 2025

In partnership with

Fishing Reports

The Future of the Content Economy

beehiiv started with newsletters. Now, they’re reimagining the entire content economy.

On November 13, beehiiv’s biggest updates ever are dropping at the Winter Release Event.

For the people shaping the next generation of content, community, and media, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

RSVP for the Winter Release →

CJ Strike: Now we’re starting to hear about both good days and bad days - sounds like fall fishing!! While this is my favorite time of the year to fish, it can be a moody time for sure! One of the things you might notice is great mornings and then NOTHING for hours! Or vice versa - just gotta grind thru it! For crappie and trout, just really tough to beat trolling Flicker Shads and Shad Raps. Reports for perch colors, fire tiger and purples have been coming in. Look at 60-100’ behind the boat and spend time experimenting with your speeds. 1.5MPH is a good place to start. As you’ve heard in many of our classes - don’t forget to swerve around a bit!! Crazy how a change of speed, depth, direction can trigger a bite. Don’t forget about the Snake River arm!! For bass, you’ll probably want a few rods on the deck as I bet you will find fish a bit spread out! I’d have a minnow style crankbait that covers 12-14’ depths, a drop shot with a Roboworm or Dream Shot (PURPLE!!), an IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig with a Zoom UV Speed Craw trailer or if you want to try something new that I have had success with - try the Netbaits Eko Craw, I’d have a jerkbait and Carolina rig with a Zoom Fluke! I have heard of a few topwater fish - for me that’s going to be a walking bait like a Teckel Kicknocker.

Boise River: Fishing well!! From a good customer in regard to the Lucky Craft Pointer 65’s I always recommend…”That bait is like cheating!! Thank you!” - This is when the river shines. Floats and small minnow baits, drop shots with small Berkley Worms and spinners or small cranks and jerks!!

Brownlee: Water levels are at 2050.5 - down a foot from last week. Algae warning is still in affect and you can launch from the Spring Rec site using the old ramp. Fishing has become a tougher but lots of good ones are being caught. The Payette River Bassmasters just had a 2 day tournament up there and the winners were close to 35 pounds! So definitely good ones to be caught. Really good reports on drop shots, jigs, cranks, tubes, Carolina rigs and jerkbaits. If you want my list of baits for those techniques, it would be a Hologram Shad Roboworm, IRR Tungsten Jig Smallie Bug, Pro RK Crawler in Browns and a Strike King 3XD in a baitfish color, the new 92 Tao tubes, green pumpkin fluke and the IRR Purple jerkbait! No reports this week for crappie. I’d start around the mouths of coves as well as around the bluffs. I don’t troll for them as much as cast - I just enjoy casting - so I’m going with a Cipher Tungsten Ball Head and a Mooch Minnow!

Snake River: Fishing well - lots of little fish reported but plenty of good ones available. I;d have a Keitech, drop shot, IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig, jerkbait, a UV Speed Craw on a light Texas rig and a weightless fluke.

Wilson Springs: No report.

Lake Lowell: No Report.

Cascade Reservoir: Mixed reports - but worth going if the weather allows! Lots of reports on some good trout fishing with purple and white colored cranks. Sounds like fish are within the top 15’ of the water column and if they are there, they’re aggressive. If that is the case - try one of the smaller flatfish - love trolling those! For the perch, I like the smaller blade baits and jigging raps this time of the year. Look for schools around rock piles and don’t be surprised if you find a school in 10’ or in 25. They get pretty spread out in terms of depths this time of the year - often depends on wind and current and sunlight. I heard from a couple of guys that had some success on good sized smallies on crankbaits, jerkbaits, lipless cranks and jigs. Reports have been that there are shallow fish available early and then the bite gets a bit tough. Fish move out a bit deeper and if you have Livescope, try a Cipher Elite Scoper head with a Mooch Minnow or Mayor swimbait.

Horsethief Reservoir: No report.

Owyhee Reservoir: Some good ones being caught but I would say the overall mood towards Oywhee is that it just got tough - for bass anyway! Crappie - no problem. Still bunches and they’ll eat whatever you can get in front of them. Best reports for the bass have been on Shakey Heads, drop shots, minnow style baits and one good report on a crankbait. For the Shakey head - take a look at the Yamamoto Sensei worm and the Net Baits T-Mac worm (crazy value!!). For the drop shot, I love the Dream Shot - look at some of the Bluegill colored baits. Loving the Mooch Minnow right now paired with the Cipher Tungsten heads!!

Owyhee River: No Report

Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!! FINALLY!!!

No Report

Lucky Peak Reservoir: No Report

Arrowrock Reservoir: No Report

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: No Report

Payette Lake: No report.

Local Ponds: Check the stocking report to see which ponds have been stocked but with the cooler temps come more trout!

Boise River Fishing Class!, Link and Imperium Stock Updates, New Hook Points Section, 2Pc Rods Back In Stock!, Custom Tubes almost SOLD OUT!

_{Jordan Rodriguez with Tightlines 208 will be teaching a How to Fish the Boise River class on October 16, from 6-8pm at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center! Cost is $60 and includes tons of Boise River specific tackle and prize giveaways! Sign up at www.tightlines208.com.}
I expect to be sold out of the Link M Fast Spinning Rod with the Graphite Handle this week! We have low inventory on the Imperium Spinning Rod and the 7’3” MH Fast Casting rod. We should have several more models here in November but I will not have time to replace the rods just mentioned.
^{As many of you now know, I am one of the owners of J and H Sales and Marine. Just because folks are asking - Idaho Rod and Reel does not own J and H - I invested in J and H personally with my business partner Cody Murray. I was looking for a way to build the platform that Idaho Rod and Reel was built upon and the boating side was a logical step in that direction. Basically, we were looking for more ways to be a part of the fishing industry and our community.}
^{Check out the new section that will showcase some of the boats that are available at J and H!}
^{The 2 Piece Idaho Rod and Reel Spinning Rods are back in stock!! These are 30 Ton blanks and come with 2 tips - 1 medium and 1 medium light! 2 Rods in 1…INCREDIBLE PRICE! We sold over 300 of these last time we brought them in.}
Custom DRY CREEK Tubes are ALMOST SOLD OUT!!! 9 2 Tao has been catching fish like crazy as well!!
^{ONE STEP CLOSER!!!!! WE ARE WORKING ON A VERY UNIQUE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY!! CAN’T WAIT TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT!!}
^{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’ve been on a Marling Baits kick…

Technically Speaking...

Love this knot…great one to know! And NOT the Palomar!!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Poaching…

Officers investigating illegal killing of up to 4 moose in Elk River and Clarkia areas

Anyone with information relating to this incident is encouraged to contact Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office at (208) 799-5010, the Citizens Against Poaching Hotline (CAP) at (800) 632-5999, or report on the Fish and Game's enforcement tip line.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/officers-investigating-illegal-killing-4-moose-elk-river-and-clarkia-areas

Salmon Harvest NOW

Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!

FALL CHINOOK SALMON UPDATE: harvest of unclipped Chinook resumes Oct. 4

Starting on October 4, 2025, the harvest of both adipose-intact and adipose-clipped fall Chinook Salmon will be allowed in Idaho.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/fall-chinook-salmon-update-harvest-unclipped-chinook-resumes-oct-4

Upper Salmon River Steelhead Fishing Report (10-09-2025)

idfg.idaho.gov/article/upper-salmon-river-steelhead-fishing-report-10-09-2025

Local Fish Stocking Reports

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

Should we bring them in??!!