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Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
October 29, 2024

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Great spot if you’re targeting panfish right now! Trout fishing with bait from the banks by Black Sands and by the air force ramp has been good using Powerbait and nightcrawlers. Trolling Flicker Shads, Salmo Hornets and just old school wedding rings are catching multiple species for trollers. Crappie are bunching up and can be found on just about any offshore hump - around 15-25’ is where I’d be looking. One of our awesome customers swears by our hand ties crappie jigs! I might try to get a few more tied up this week!! For the bass, it’s been on, off, on, kind of on, off and then on again 😂! If it were me, I’d have a topwater walking bait like an old school spook or Reaction Innovations Vixen, a Tungsten Finesse Jig (the blue craw color has been on lately), a senko on a drop shot, a Rat-l-trap in a craw color (see pics below) and a beaver style bait or Zoom speed craw (green pumpkin orange) on a Carolina rig.

Boise River: Lower flows but fishing well. Because of the lower flows, I’d recommend simplifying your presentations keeping them as natural as possible. Simple split shot and nightcrawler rigs, earth toned Ultralight Heavyweights jigs and Dynamic Lures HD Trout lures will get bit! I wouldn’t be surprised at all if a soft bead get bits as well…

Brownlee: Harmful Algae Bloom Warning In Effect. As of 10/21, water levels were at 2050 - UP 2’ from last week. Nice to hear about a few more shallow bass this week! I’d have a lipless with me like the Booyah One Knocker Royal or a Rat-l-trap in the xxxxx color. I’d have a senko on an Idaho Rod and Reel tungsten wacky jig, a Tungsten Finesse Jig in the all brown color with a Damiki Air Craw trailer and a craw style crank that hangs out around 10-12’. Brownlee is tough for me to not have a 3.3 Keitech Electric shad or perch and a drop shot with a Roboworm. Catfishing has been excellent! Lots of shallow cats right now feeding on crayfish! Crappie have been biting and some real giants are being caught! Main lake points, humps and cove mouths are where I’d be focusing my time. Lots of suspended schools from what I am hearing. I love Keitechs for those fish! 3” Easy Shiners with purple on them are my goto’s.

Snake River: Been fishing well for bass but based on what I am hearing, it’s not hot all day long and there are a lot of fish staying in 7-10’ of water - especially with the sun straight overhead. Shop manager Brian fished the river this week and had a good day junk fishing…Tungsten Finesse Jigs, the IRR custom purple jerkbait, wacky jig senkos, tubes and Z Man Baby Goats on Ned’s. Catfishing has been frustrating for some. For those targeting them but struggling, I am getting reports from the bass anglers that they are seeing several cats up really shallow and accidentally catching a few on crayfish style baits.

Wilson Springs: Just a few reports trickling in from Wilson. Sounds like Powerbait and a little hook with a piece of Nightcrawler will get the job done. As per usual…

Lake Lowell: Some decent reports from bank anglers fishing along the Caldwell dam. Wacky rigs and chatterbaits seem to be the hot baits. Good customer of the shop had a great day on the Yum Dinger in the Sinful Shad color on a wacky rig. For those that missed the newsletter from a month or so ago, that bait has been a “Lake Lowell secret” of mine for a while 😉

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: Perch are eating! Trout are chomping! Bass are being moody terds at times 😂! Nightcrawlers and small plastics on jig heads near the bottom will catch the perch. Try the Ned rig trick mentioned a couple weeks ago in Hook Points! Ned rigged Z Man Finesse TRD on the bottom with an eighth ounce head, then another hook or two 8 to 24” up the line with nightcrawlers, small hair jigs or your favorite panfish plastic. For the trout, get out in 20-30’ of water and troll Flicker Shads and Salmon Hornets 80 to 100’ behind the boat. For the bass, they’re looking for food so we gotta figure out the route and pattern they’re using to do that. I like perch and rainbow trout colored baits right now. Jerkbaits and Vixens or Spooks can handle the shallow searching. Keitechs, a 1/2oz lipless and other cranks can be used to help search and for deeper, bottom oriented baits, I might go with a Carolina rigged fluke and an IRR Tungsten Finesse Jig. Early I’m gonna try shallow (might sneak a spinnerbait on the boat), then as the temps rise and sun comes out, see if they move out a bit deeper. I wouldn’t be scared to keep looking shallow all day. They might now be up there all day but they will at some point.

Horsethief Reservoir: No report.

Owyhee Reservoir: Fishing well for all species. For the bass, try a deeper diving crankbait like a Strike King 5 or 6XD and a lipless. I’d have a 3/4oz jig as well! Crappie fishing reports have been spotty but good. Sounds like fish are still a little deeper than I would think they are but very reliable reports of fish in 25-35’. Sounds like good schools up by the gulch but plenty of fish to be caught below the elbow and around the airport. Lots of schools of 8-10” fish back in some of the coves as well. Pick your favorite crappie bait and keep an eye on the wind…couple really breezy days coming up.

Owyhee River: No report.

Duck valley: From the TRIBAL WEBSITE:

September 17, 2024 –Colder temperatures dropping down has increased the fishing activity, less than two weeks ago the temperatures were in excess of 70 degrees, and current readings are registering 55-60 degrees, quite a significant drop. All three reservoirs have been productive to anglers; however, moss build-up has congested many off-shore fishing spots. Open water lay further away from the shore in some areas.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: No report.

Lucky Peak Dam and Lake - WallaWallaUSACE | Boise ID

Lucky Peak Dam and Lake - WallaWallaUSACE, Boise, Idaho. 3,635 likes · 640 talking about this · 1,128 were here. Striving to deliver operational excellence in flood risk management, responsible...

www.facebook.com/LuckyPeakLake

RAMP LEVELS AT LUCKY PEAK!!

Arrowrock Reservoir: Some kokes being caught. Careful getting in as it is only 24% full. Fish are on top and Kokabow dodgers in pink with pink and orange hoochies seem to be the hot colors. You’re probably going to catch a bunch of 12-13”rainbows as well. One report of a kayak Kokanee angler catching several small smallmouth every time he’d troll too close to the banks.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: We got kokes biting! Alan with Kokabow Tackle let me know that he’s catching fish on top and with water temps at 56ish degrees, they’re happy and feeding! Not giants, but they are plentiful. Kokabow dodgers and spinners/hoochies in Oranges and pinks are awesome and I love white and silver when they’re up on top! Decent bass reports as well. Not huge bass but plenty of 1-1.5 pounders. Try a Z Man Finesse TRD in coppertreuse, a tungsten finesse jig caught a customer “100 bass before the jig fell apart” and a senko and a drop shot would be with me for sure.

Local Ponds: Some really good bass being caught from the ponds though the reports are that they are tough to catch. Glide baits for the really good ones closer to dusk might be the ticket! Trout have been stocked everywhere and can be readily caught with Powerbait and Nightcrawlers. Small trout spinners are good options as well and can really help you cover water fast.

Shop News - Idaho Rod and Reel Link Rods, Daiwa Certate Raffle Winner, Jig Tying Competition, Bulk Tungsten Orders, IMPERIUM (what is it!!??), Halloween for the Kiddos!

LINK ROD UPDATE: Pre-ordering for the next run of Idaho Rod and Reel Link Rods IS LIVE and rods are being sold. The pre-order price will be $124.99. These rods are built on High Modulus custom blanks manufactured by Idaho Rod and Reel. These blanks ARE NOT AVAILABLE anywhere else! New FOR THIS RUN OF RODS - CORK HANDLED VERSIONS! Models available include: 7’3” MH, Fast Casting, 7’1” M Fast Casting, 6’7” M Jerkbait Casting, 7’1” M Fast Spinning. These are made by a guy that works his butt off for others that work their butts off. The Link rods make it possible for everyone to have a tournament quality custom rod. Or two. Maybe three. 4? Is 4 too much? Nah…5. That’s the right amount. Unless you need 6… 🤣!
Congratulations Crystal Barrios! You were our Daiwa Certate and Idaho Rod and Reel Spinning Rod drawing winner!
DATES CHANGED!! Hey Jig Tyers! Let’s have some fun and show off your skills! JIG CONTEST!! Each participant can enter 2 jigs. We will be accepting jigs on 10/22 thru 11/8 and voting will begin shortly thereafter! We will have a display area in the shop set up and customers can vote on their favorites! We will also post and give you a shout out on our social media platforms! Voting can be done in the shop only and one vote per customer, per visit, per day is allowed. Prizes will include Idaho Rod and Reel product, gift cards and Apple Air Pods! MORE INFO TO FOLLOW!
BULK TUNGSTEN ORDERS! If you are an angler that uses Tungsten as religiously as I do, we will be offering a one time bulk ordering opportunity. We will have an ordering sheet available in the next few days. Get ready for next season and save a ton of money - some items as much as 40% off. If we are able to order enough as a group, on top of the stocking orders for the shop, we can all benefit!
Bring the kiddos by on Halloween for some free goodies!
COMING SOON! Fall Bass Fishing Classes!
LADIES ONLY CLASSES COMING SOON! Can’t wait for you to meet our newest instructor!! She has years of experience with multiple species and techniques!! Excited to have a 100% Ladies Only Class coming soon!
Keep an eye out for something new…TACKLE TALK TUESDAYS coming soon!
IN STOCK NOW: Yamamoto Senkos, Mini Flukes, Aero Jig Steelhead Jigs, Daiwa Bait Covers, Daiwa Exceler 4000 Sized Spinning Reels for Steelhead fishing, Wiggle Warts
Imperium…COMING SOON!
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

Lake Pend Orielle

Technically Speaking...

Float Rigs!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Did you know…

Successful or not, hunters and anglers must stop at check stations

Whether or not you harvested an animal, hunters and anglers must stop at all Fish and Game check stations. The goal is not to inconvenience you, but to get information and learn what's happening in the field and also answer questions, collect samples for chronic wasting disease, and then quickly get folks back on their way.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/successful-or-not-hunters-and-anglers-must-stop-check-stations

Sucks this is even a thing…

F&G seeks information about four separate cases of mule deer left to waste near Council

Fish and Game conservation officers are asking the public for information regarding four separate cases of mule deer being shot and left to waste near Council. Anyone with information that may be helpful in these cases is encouraged to call the McCall Office at 208-634-8137, the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999, or report online at idfg.idaho.gov/poacher. Callers can remain anonymous, and a reward is being offered for information that leads to a citation.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/fg-seeks-information-about-four-separate-cases-mule-deer-left-waste-near-council

What is Damiki?

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

Check this rig out