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Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
March 31, 2026

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 has been decent. Crappie reports are solid - not everyone is catching every cast and good sized groups of big ones seem a little tricky to find - but many are catching and some have been really good sized! Consistent reports for crappie in shallower water - 15’ and shallower and still plenty of reports being caught out in 20-30’. Trolling and casting are both working. One customer reported catching several fish during the crappie classic by trolling one long line with a Flicker Shad and a second line on the down rigger with either a Flicker Shad or a Shad Rap. Bank anglers are reporting some decent catches with underspins and float rigs of varying depth settings - 5’-7’ is where I’d start. Lots of different soft plastics are working and don’t forget the crappie nibbles. If you are seeing decent numbers of fish tight to the bottom, drop shot rigs are killer and can increase the number of different species you catch. Put a Ned rig as your bottom weight and you’ll be surprised how many perch and bluegills you pick up! Trout fishing is excellent from both boat and bank - lots of smaller fish from the last stocking but bass guys are catching a few decent sized trout while cranking for bass. Trolling Kokabow gear, wedding rings and Flicker Shads are great ways to catch these trout. Bass fishing has been excellent and the reaction bite is on. Jerkbaits, cranks and lipless should definitely be rigged up. Neds and Keitechs should also be ready to go! The IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig is getting bit! I never leave home without one. Good reports from most areas of CJ - with the Bruneau being the exception. Not hearing a lot from that area but good stuff from the Snake River arm, main bowl and in the narrows. Really good reports from our sturgeon anglers both on the main reservoir and below the dam. Great time to fish for just about everything right now!! Get out there!

Boise River: Fishing well. Waiting for the water to rise but until it does, flies, spinners, small jerkbaits and crankbaits and crappie jigs under floats are all great options!

Brownlee: Current water level is 2044.9, about the same 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 is excellent for bass and the crappie fishing is definitely picking up. For the crappie - look around the several bays found at Brownlee, points and rocky bluffs that are close to shallower water with a mix of smaller rocks and dirt/mud. Bass anglers are catching these crappie on jerkbaits, cranks and larger than 3” swimbaits like Keitechs…these big crappie like big minnow baits!! For bass fishing, be prepared for the reaction bite with 10’ diving crankbaits, lipless cranks, jerkbaits. Reds, browns and blue/chartreuse are definitely working for crank colors. Natural colored jerkbaits are getting bit - experiment fishing them very shallow and don’t discount them in the dirtier water areas! I’d have a good selection of 3.3 and 3.8 Keitechs on Cipher Fishing tungsten heads as well as Ned rigs! Customer that fished the IBM Open this weekend sent me a text thanking me for the Tungsten Finesse Jig - thats a good sign!! Throw on a Strike King Rage Ned Bug trailer - 😍

Snake River: Fishing well for both catfish and bass. For cats, baits from Renegade Baits have been the number 1 recommendation. For bass, Ned rigs, Keitechs, Tungsten Finesse Jigs and reaction baits like cranks and jerks are doing well. A really good river crankbait is the Spro Little Jon DD45 - can be thrown on a spinning rod and is perfect for throwing at small targets. From the bank, the Keitech and Ned rig are doing really well around areas like Celebration Park, Swan Falls Dam, Marsing and up by the CJ Strike Dam. No way I’d be here without a jig…

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: Couple reports this week from some bank anglers! Chatterbait and a Keitechs on Underspins along the dam and around Gotts Point have caught a few!

Cascade Reservoir: Good reports this week - not on fire but definitely worth your time. Good sized fish are making up for “not as many” fish. Trolling seems to be the deal right now. The usual suspects will get the job done - Flicker Shads in purple and perch patterns, Shad Raps in browns and oranges and slow trolled jerkbaits (sneaky). The trout being caught are good sized!! Been fun to see the catches! We aren’t seeing huge perch caught but really good eater sized fish are coming home with anglers. Not hearing anything crazy about the bass fishing but it won’t be long…I’d be willing to give it a go with blade baits, jerkbaits and Keitechs!

Horsethief Reservoir: No report.

Owyhee Reservoir: Fishing is good right now - great on some days and a miss on others. Overall - worth a trip. Crappie are everywhere. Look for them shallow. Remember shallow doesn’t always mean close to the bank…if you’re out trolling for them, long lining cranks is a great way to catch them. Can also troll things like Keitechs and underspins! From the bank - the Keitech and an underspin is a great idea. Bass have been mostly shallow - 15’ or less is where I would be targeting. I’d have a spinnerbait, jig, swim jig or a shakey head tied on. Sounds like the cranking bite has either been on or off - not hearing about too much in between.

Owyhee River: Fishing has been solid - water is low. Small jerkbaits, crankbaits and minnow soft plastics on small jig heads can get bit. Look for deeper water behind some riffles and float a small earth-toned tube jig or crappie jig either on a split shot rig or under a small float and see what happens. I highly recommend coloring the bottom of the float black if you have chosen a bright colored one.

Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!!

No Report this week. Check the wind before you go!! This is historically a great time to fish here. Trolling flies would be my suggestion but if you aren’t into the fly game, grab a few Flicker Shads and keep them fairly close to the surface.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: Good reports from Lucky Peak for decent sized Kokanee. Fish are still on top. Sounds like the reservoir is pretty full. Best reports are coming from below Arrowrock dam. Best color we are hearing of is Silver dodgers and pink or orange hoochies and spinners.

Arrowrock Reservoir: Quite a few trout reports this week with an ok mix of kokanee. Like LP, fish are on top. Rumor is WHITE is the color of choice.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Couple reports this week are suggesting that the fish aren’t all as small as we were thinking they would be. Fingers crossed! But I’m still betting we have another season of small-ish fishies…

SALMON AND STEELHEAD BY CODY ARD!:

Upper salmon. Fishing is still really good, flows came up and little off color but still fishing well between pahsimeroi and sawtook hatcheries. Best numbers are upstream of the east fork.

SF has been high and muddy all week with very low catch rates. Fish and Game ended the tube program on Saturday the 28th, and will not be hitting quota this spring due to higher than average flows and low catch rates. Sounds like this run is about done.

Best fishing was the Little Salmon, Boulder hole up to the falls. Catch rates were thru the roof with great flows. This will most likely continue for the next week or so, depending on how much rain we get.

2026 springer season is officially starting in Idaho April 25th, as of Saturday there has been 90 over bonneville and we officially have 1 salmon IN Idaho.

Get your Drano and Wind river trips booked soon, plenty of Idaho guides will be there hitting it, support these guys and catch some fish!! Plan for end of April and first of May to get in on the action.

Local Ponds: Some decent reports coming in! For the bass ponds, don’t sleep on the 4” Z Man TRD. I’d have a chatterbait or spinnerbait and a Texas Rigged craw. Trout are biting - follow the stocking reports and have small spinners and powerbait with ya. Throwing flies on water bobbers is a great way to catch pond trout. Come see me if you want to see how to set it up!

Customer Appreciation Day!, Quiet Week of Announcements But…

Keep your eyes on our social media! Customer appreciation event coming soon…
Cool Archery Event Coming Up!! See the ad just above!
Not a ton of announcements this week…But something big is coming soon.
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!!
Shop is STOCKED! Some very cool products and brands coming soon!
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...

Cleaning Crappie! Smoooooth…

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

For my fellow walleye hunters!!

Walleye fishery update in the Magic Valley Region

The Magic Valley Region is home to two of the state’s three managed walleye fisheries: Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir and Oakley Reservoir. Here's an update on walleye populations in those managed fisheries, and get tips on how to fish for walleye.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/walleye-fishery-update-magic-valley-region

Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!

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