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Hook Points

Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Ryan Chris
September 15, 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: Definitely worth fishing right now for multiple species. Crappie/perch bite has been really good. Crappie seem to be a bit all over the place. Guys catching them up against the banks and others out in 25’. That’s normal for this time of the year! Perch seem to be in 10-20’ and on the bottom. Customer reminded me to tell everyone that the faster moving schools on the bottom are usually the perch and to catch them he throws 1/4oz Cipher heads on the 2.8” Crush City Mayors! Catches a few bass that way as well 😉…Trolling for the crappie still seems to be the most common method but the guys that I know of that are sitting on the schools and casting into them with Mayors or Keitech Easy Shiners are really putting a ton of fish on the boat. Have I ever mentioned that the IRR Underspin jig heads work for crappie?? I couldn’t remember… 🤣 😆! If you want to catch a mixed bag of panfish - Ned rig on the bottom, drop shot hook 12” up with a 3” Easy Shiner…you’re welcome!! Bass fishing has been excellent for 1-2.5# fish. The IRR jig is absolutely on fire as well as 3.3” Keitechs in Electric Shad, Tennessee Shad, Sexy Shad and Black. Drop shot with a Roboworm or Strike King Dreamshot and you are going to get bit! The topwater bite is decent! Try a Whopper Plopper or Rico. There have been a few reports of fish on jerkbaits and cranks and one customer told me to tell everyone that the price tag on the Clutch Swimbaits are TOTALLY WORTH IT!! Neds and senkos - from the bank! Use the EWG Neds and you will snag up WAYYYY less!

Boise River: Very good reports this week. Simple too!! Dynamic Lures HD Trout…bunch of colors in stock and they are all getting bit! If you are new to the river, start at the bridges and go exploring.

Brownlee: Down 1/2’ to 2055-ish. Algae warning is in effect. SPRING RAMP UPDATE: Ramp is OPEN! Good friend of the shop Justin let me know the docks are IN the water. (Thank you Justin!! We have several folks that need a dock to be able to get in their boats and fish!!) Great place to fish right now! I don’t know of much that is outfishing the IRR Tungsten jigs and guys are buying 5-10 at a time! Throw on a UV Speed Craw, Karate Craw, Salted Ned Roll ( 😉 ) or a double tail grub and you are going to have one heck of a day. I’d have a Hula Grub and a Baby Brush Hog ready to go as well. I’d have a couple of minnow baits on me as well - take a look at the Keitechs listed in the CJ report and add to that a Mooch Minnow from Crush City. Put it on a Cipher Head and get your camera ready - you’re gonna get bit and you should brag about it! Crappie are biting and again according to Justin, they are big!! Fish are in 15-40’ - typical early fall stuff - and aggressive!! See his pics below!

Snake River: Fishing very well - some grass to deal with and pay attention to flows in some areas. Bass and BIG CATS being caught frequently. Cats are fairly shallow, hunting and eating everything from bass lures to cut bait. The bridge pilings are excellent places to look for cats. Bass are chomping IRR jigs, drop shots, Neds and Whopper Ploppers!

Wilson Springs: Couple reports this week!! Crappie jigs, Dynamic Lures HD Trout and small pieces of nightcrawler worked for a couple of customers this past week! Not a lot of crowds either!

Lake Lowell: Still fishing really well for most of ya!! Couple weeks before the lake closes so get out there and have some fun. There are fish out in open water so not everything needs to be up to the weeds. In the open water, try a 3.8 Keitech or a Brush Hog on a Carolina rig. Up in and next to the weeds, keep on throwing those Crush City Craws, Reaction Innovations Kinky Beavers and Brush Hogs. No reason to put that frog away just yet either! You can throw that 3.8 Keitech on a belly weighted EWG hook and fish around those weeds as well…sneaky sneaky!

Cascade Reservoir: Good reports for perch and trout. Just ok for bass but I am thinking that’s about to change. For the perch, lots of guys are having success in 10-15’ and plenty of bank anglers catching them close to the shore. Keitech Easy Shiners, Ned rigs and small 3/8oz lipless cranks are catching them. Rainbows are being caught in the coldest water you can find - trolling purple cranks and perch colored Flicker Shads. From the bank, the more you can move and the more water you can cover the better. These guys school and orient to each other - they can move quite a bit!! Bass have been a little tricky but they are certainly available and the reports are picking up. Carolina rigs with 5” flukes, IRR jigs, Keitechs in the 3.3” size and topwater are what I have heard about getting bit. Fish reported in that 10-20’ range. I’d add a Ned rig and a drop shot rod to my arsenal and I’m a huge fan of fishing around the perch schools - the big schools.

Horsethief Reservoir: No Report

Owyhee Reservoir: Starting to pick up a bit and the bass are big! Not on fire - don’t want it to sound like you’re about to luck into a 100 fish day of 5 pounders but for the size of fish being caught, I’m ok with putting in the work. Topwater bites have been hit or miss but definitely something I would have rigged up. Couple good catches on an IRR Hand Tied Spinnerbait on a windy day and senkos, shakey heads, Keitechs and Mayors have caught some fish and the ol’ jig still the winner! Crappie are everywhere! If you are on the bank, start right by the dam and work through all the bank accessible areas up to the last ramp. Underspin!!!

Owyhee River: No Report

Lucky Peak Reservoir: No Report.

Arrowrock Reservoir: No report.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: No report.

Payette Lake: No Report.

Salmon and Steelhead Report by Cody Ard!

Nothing new to report. Sounds like its still fishing pretty tough! Fish are on their way though…

Local Ponds: No Reports this week,

Wearing IRR Swag is a Good Idea this Week…!!, Idaho Rod and Reel Week at the PICKLE!!, 15% UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR!, New Rods

Idaho Rod and Reel hats, shirts and sun hoodies can get you some stuff this week!! Check it out below!
WEDNESDAY THRU SATURDAY is Idaho Rod and Reel week at the NEW SMOKY PICKLE in Nampa!! Wear ANY Idaho Rod and Reel apparel item and take 20% off your entire meal!! This is a brand new, incredibly delicious BBQ restaurant located at 112 13th Ave. South in Nampa!! The food is incredible, the people are amazing and I think you are going to LOVE this place!! Brisket has been known to sell out!! Join me in supporting this brand new, Locally Owned, NAMPA BASED RESTAURANT!!
NEW ROD GIVEAWAY!!! We have a NEW VERSION of our MEDIUM LINK SPINNING RODS shipping in a few weeks. WE ARE GOING TO GIVE ONE AWAY!! Catch a fish wearing any of the new Idaho Rod and Reel apparel - tag us on social media or send me the picture - and you will be entered to win the rod!! If you do tag us on socials - MESSAGE me as well to let me know you did! Sometimes we don’t get notified…
BUY ANY IDAHO ROD AND REEL APPAREL and get entered to win a VIP Card that gets you 15% all purchases at Idaho Rod and Reel from now until the end of the year!
Check out the new hats!! We have 4 new styles in stock with 2 more on the way!
Expecting Link Draggin rods to be delivered this week!
I have a prediction that this fall will be one of the best seasons for fishing that we have had in a very long time! The water levels, fish sizes, bait availability make me think that this will be the BEST SEASON TO CATCH A PB IN A LONG TIME!! We have some plans to help you with that…
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.}