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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!!
Last Time the Market Was This Expensive, Investors Waited 14 Years to Break Even
In 1999, the S&P 500 peaked. Then it took 14 years to gradually recover by 2013.
Today? Goldman Sachs sounds crazy forecasting 3% returns for 2024 to 2034.
But we’re currently seeing the highest price for the S&P 500 compared to earnings since the dot-com boom.
So, maybe that’s why they’re not alone; Vanguard projects about 5%.
In fact, now just about everything seems priced near all time highs. Equities, gold, crypto, etc.
But billionaires have long diversified a slice of their portfolios with one asset class that is poised to rebound.
It’s post war and contemporary art.
Sounds crazy, but over 70,000 investors have followed suit since 2019—with Masterworks.
You can invest in shares of artworks featuring Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and more.
24 exits later, results speak for themselves: net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.*
My subscribers can skip the waitlist.
*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.
Fishing Reports
CJ Strike: Decent reports still coming from CJ. If I had to pick a place to fish right now, this might be it. Trout are being caught on the regular with Flicker Shads fished down in 15-20’ along with green Wedding Rings and Kokabow dodgers in pink, white and straight silver. Crappie, perch AND some big bluegill are being caught regularly! Good customer reported seeing schools of fish in 30-50’ depending on where you were. Vertical presentations with jigging raps worked great for them and helped them catch their PB! Love hearing that! Drop shotting Crush City Mooch Minnows were also working. Bass will bite and are biting! Might have to spend some time with a gold or chartreuse blade bait out in 30’ but they’ll eat. I’d have a drop shot and received an instagram message from a customer that caught their first jig fish using and IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig in the narrows!
Boise River: Have not heard of a steelie being caught in over a week. Trout fishing is excellent and they will eat a soft bead! Shrimp under a jig head is always a good bet but give this rig a try…really small piece of split shot, a #10 Owner Mosquito Hook with a nose hooked Berkley Gulp Crawler or Maggot, actual nightcrawler or nose hooked Berkley Power Nymph. Toss it in the current and move it EVER so slightly faster than the current, staying very close to the bottom. Should feel that split shot nick the bottom a bit.
For those still hunting Ocean Trouts, fish were dropped at the following locations:
Glenwood Bridge
Americana Bridge
Below the Broadway Avenue Bridge, behind Boise State University
West Parkcenter Bridge
Barber Park
Brownlee: Current water level is 2071.7, 6’ from full. New ramp at the Spring Rec site is in the water and easily accessible - no dock. Fishing has slowed here a bit for most but trust me - there are good bass to be caught RIGHT NOW! Pick the warmer days and get after it!! For the crappie, gotta use your electronics to find the schools. Two weeks ago, they were out in 50-60’ and not biting. However! We also found schools in 20-30’ and those WOULD eat - I’d target fish in those depths. Vertical presentations with jigging raps and cast retrieve presentations with the new 2.5” Mooch Minnows or a 3” Keitech Easy Shiner. For the bass, I’d be looking around in 30-35’ with drop shots, blade baits, small spoons and Keitech 3.3’s. Move things slowly! Look for the warmest water you can find. Guessing we have 42-ish degree temps and dropping. A degree or two this time of year can make all the difference.
Snake River: Guys are still getting bites here and if you are trying to get out and do a little bank fishing, this is where I would spend my time! Try around Celebration Park, Map Rock and below Swan Falls dam. A simple tube jig texas rigged or a Ned rig on an EWG style hook will work! I’d have a Keitech as well…3.3 on a 3/16oz Cipher Ball Head.
Wilson Springs: No Report.
Lake Lowell: No Report.
Cascade Reservoir: FROM JEFF WITH FREEDOM OUTDOORS!! Boulder Creek - 1-2 inch hard ice, Blue Herron - 1-2 inch hard ice, Poison Creek - 1 inch and main body is open. Probably a week out still. THANK YOU JEFF FOR THE REPORTS!! He is posting almost daily on Facebook - give them a follow and help yourself as you plan out your ice season.
Horsethief Reservoir: From Jeff with Freedom Outdoors: 2-3” of hard ice down to 1-1/2” by the dam. Betting its very fishable in 3 days.
Owyhee Reservoir: No report.
Owyhee River: No report.
Duck valley: CAN BUY PERMITS ONLINE!!!
No Report.
Lucky Peak Reservoir: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK! Couple reports for some Kokes and rainbows up by the dam with Kokabow gear. Fish were caught deeper than I would have expected - 20’. Hearing that, I would suggest putting a line or two on top as well as dropping a couple down to that 20’ range. Pinks, oranges and blues were the colors I was told.
Arrowrock Reservoir: Saw a couple of fish coming from Arrowrock. Not many kokes but some good rainbows. My guess is we have fish on top down to 20ish feet but I haven’t heard anyone talk about depths the fish are at.
Anderson Ranch Reservoir: No Report
Local Ponds: No Reports from any ponds this week.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED!, Top Sellers, THANK YOU!
Congratulations to our winners!! Forge Casting and Spinning Rods to Cody Elmore! VIP Gift Cards worth 15% off all qualifying (which is almost everything, trust me!) in 2026 to Martin Villa, Brian Greenbell, Ron Ryan, Richard Peck and Bill Bate and the winner of 6, Idaho Rod and Reel Customs Rods is Jodi Augustus!
WE RAN THIS CRAZY RAFFLE AS A TEASE FOR 2026…Ya, gonna be a crazy year!!
TOP SELLERS WEEK!!! Follow us on social media to see what the most successful products of 2025 were. Wildly popular series last year!!
Just want to take a second to thank you for a few things and express my gratitude. We collected a couple thousand pounds of food, provided dinners and meals to so many, helped with some Christmas presents and were part of so many random acts of kindness. THIS IS THE MISSION OF THE SHOP! Thank you for being a part of our community and for being so giving and caring!!
One of the things that makes us a little different is our commitment to manufacturing high quality products that improve the quality of fishing for our community. Link rods, Tungsten Finesse Jigs, Clothing, the new Forge Rods and more…WAIT TIL YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE COMING IN 2026!! The shop theme for 2026 will be all about PB’s!! Gonna be fun…
INTRODUCING 2 NEW IRR CUSTOM RODS - The very affordable FORGE series of rods are designed with a custom blank designed by and only available at Idaho Rod and Reel. This is a 34 ton blank, beautifully built and designed to handle multiple fishing techniques! Models include a 7’ M Fast Spinning and a 7’3” MH Fast Casting Rod. Rods are priced at $89.99. Pair the casting rod with a Daiwa AIRD Casting Reel and a Daiwa Exceler Spinning Reel and you have 2 combos for less than $200 each that I’d be more than happy to tournament fish with!!
Cold weather is finally here…get that boat winterized and be ready to go next spring! Mention this newsletter and get $30 off on your winterization at J and H Sales and Marine!
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 ENJOYED THIS!!!
Technically Speaking...
Some bait mods worth trying?
Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”
DON’T FORGET YOUR LICENSE FOR 2026!!
Steelhead/Salmon UPDATE!
Local Fish Stocking Reports
Steelhead Dam Counts
Even if you don’t fly fish - you need to see this hatch.
Some local entertainment on public ponds!
Curious how our top baits compared??
If you like fishing, you’ll like this.
Spinnerbait STUFF!
Setting the boat up!
Never heard this before
YUM!!
New in the Shop
Zoom Thick Trick!
Jigging Raps!
The MARINA - Boats available at J and H Sales and Marine
CHECK OUT THIS BASS BOAT!! Under $10K!!! VERY CLEAN CARPET! 200HP Merc
USED but Really Clean Kicker! $2000
Need a trolling motor??? Used but in EXCELLENT condition! If you’ve never had spot lock…you are missing out!!
River Runners!!!! Mint motor!
Check out this LOWE!
STEELHEADERS!! Check Out This River Boat!!
Love this Bass Cat!
Ranger Fish and Ski!
I want this Skeeter…It doesn’t even look like its been fished!! SOLD SOLD SOLD
SOLD SOLD
What a Jet!!! Has everything on it!
Catch Spotlight
Submit your own entry to be featured in Hook Points to: [email protected], Subject: Catch Spotlight
Jon made it! 52 consecutive weeks in the Catch Spotlight!! That’s awesome my man! Being the first to ever do that - I have a prize for you - more a token of my appreciation! Any hat that we come out with in 2026, you get one free! And we have some cool designs coming…Thanks for being a part of what we do around here!!
Great catch Tanner!!
Nice rainbow!! You don’t even look cold Brian…strange winter.
Skyler and Frank had a great day by my standards!!
Ard with another good trout! Non ocean goer this time.
Heck of a catch Scott!!
Great catch Garrison!! Having some serious success from the bank. Proof it can be done!!
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”