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Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

News, Tips, Tackle and More

Ryan Chris
May 27, 2024

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Similar report to last week - steady fishing for just about everything. The biggest change would be the increase in smallmouth catches. Lots of 1-2.5 pound males being caught in less than 15’ of water on tubes, neds and small swimbaits. Crappie are being caught in the narrows, around the hump out from the Airforce ramp and up river in deeper areas close to banks that have trees and bushes hanging out over the water. Pick your favorite plastic and add a crappie nibble. Sturgeon fishing above and below the dam has been good! Cut bait and a BKK hook - done!

Boise River: Flows are closer to 1450 cfs and water clarity is not too bad! River is fishable right now for sure. Bank access is ok in areas but the higher flows do make things a little trickier. Casting lures will be your best bet and help you cover as much water as possible.

Wave Cam — Boise Whitewater Park

www.boisewhitewaterpark.com/waveshaper-cam

Brownlee: Inches from full and fishing really well. Crappie, bass and catfish are all biting right now. Catfish will hit any number of cut baits, dyed chicken and even my dang jerkbait! 🤣 Crappie are around steep banks but shallow. We set several customers up with 2.8 Keitechs and almost all reported great success. Bass fishing has been really good with swimbaits, Tungsten Finesse Jigs, Carolina rigged beaver baits and ned rigs.

Snake River: Flows have come down a bit and the water clarity has improved. Catfishing and bass fishing have been improving because of it. Cut baits for the cats and swimbaits for the bass! Topwater might be something to consider in the morning 😉

Wilson Springs: Stocked and fish have been caught. Try a single salmon egg, a ultralight heavyweights jig or a just powerbait and nightcrawlers. A downsized Carolina rig is a go to for small pond trout.

Lake Lowell: The lake is on right now and lots of fish are being caught. Lots of reports of fish in the trees, weeds and open water - means these fish are in all phases of the spawn. I’d have a topwater, a swimbait with am underspin and a flipping bait. For be that is a beaver, tube, Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig or Kinky Beaver. The ol’ Trench Hawg might be on deck too.

Cascade Reservoir: Bass fishing still remains difficult but have been hearing some better reports as of lately. Playing around on the bottom is probably the best bet for consistency so that’s tube jigs, Ned rigs and Carolina rigs. Perch fishing remains very steady - best results coming from trolling and scanning your electronics for schools. The 2.8 Keitech is a cool option because it can catch multiple species…

Horsethief Reservoir: Good customer trolls a green wedding ring - AND THAT’S IT 😄 Swears by it at Horsethief…

Owyhee Reservoir: Crappie are biting and not far from the banks. Pick your favorite plastic and a crappie nibble and that’s about it. Bass fishing is decent. Look close to the banks and experiment with cranks, lipless and Texas rigged soft plastics.

Owyhee River: Back on the report! Water levels have come down quite a bit and fishing is back on! Going to be a lot of insect activity and I expect the river to fish well for a while now.

Duck valley: REALLY good reports from Duck Valley last week and with decent weather ahead, I think that will continue. Powerbait from the banks around the dam. If you’re trolling, weeds are starting to get tall but still open water. I’d be trolling shallower diving cranks and jerkbaits. For the fly guys, seal leeches and scud patterns have been producing.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: All three lakes are fishing fair…depending on who you talk to. Lots of pressure and warming water is starting to push fish down. One customer reported marking and catching fish at 50’. Likely, the plan should be to start shallow early and start moving down 10’ feet at a time as the sun gets higher..

Arrowrock Reservoir: See Lucky Peak Report

Anderson Ranch: Still good bites and good sized Kokanee. Pinks, chartreuse and oranges have been good. Don’t forget the NW Rod Bender Corn!! Check out the Idaho Fish and Game Article below. Bass fishing has been ok as well! Hearing rumors of an ok morning topwater bite as well as some good catches on Neds and Keitech curly tail grubs.

Local Ponds: The bass bites are early and later in the day. You can see males on beds in several ponds - lots of guys sending pics of bass close to the banks. The trout fishing in several ponds remains good as fish and game are still stocking. Free fishing day is coming up so expect the stocking to continue!!

Shop News - New Summer Bass Fishing Class, Huge Restocking this Week!, An Overlooked Bait and Free Fishing!

9 Brands being restocked this week from Yamamoto to Mad Katz Rods to Berkley Max Scent to Gamakatsu!
Summer sun and post spawn are coming!! Summer Bass Fishing Tactics - Class will be held in the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center on Saturday, June 8th from 10am to Noon. This class will be taught by former FLW Professional Bass Angler Cody Murray. Sign up at idahorodandreel.com - click on the “Classes” tab, add to cart and checkout!
CRAPPIE and TROUT fishers…custom rods built just for you coming SOOONN!!!
I SCREWED UP AND FORGOT!!! I WILL MAKE SURE I DON’T THIS WEEK!! Custom hand tied Swim Jigs will be available this week! Watch our social media platforms for availability as these go really fast. Premium skirting material, painted heads and Gamakatsu hooks - hand tied by Ryan with Kevlar thread…these are a premium product.
We will have our first Good Fish and Good Guppies meetings and activities in June! We have been waiting for materials to show up and have just had so many issues getting things produced and delivered on time. It still has not arrived!! I don’t care…moving on without it!!
FREE FISHING DAY IS SATURDAY JUNE 8!!
Rods…something very cool is coming 😉
The Keitech Flapper Grub is a VERY UNDER UTILIZED bait! It is awesome on a jig head or as a jig trailer. See them below.
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

How to Read CHIRP

Technically Speaking...

More thoughts on COLOR

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Go Catch ‘EM!

Great fishing awaits for Memorial Day weekend and beyond

Fish and Game is stocking 410,000 catchable rainbow trout in May, with nearly as many more to follow in June. Those are the two biggest stocking months because Fish and Game hatchery crews want there to be plenty of fish for anglers to catch throughout the state and it tends to be some of the best fishing conditions of the year.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/great-fishing-awaits-memorial-day-weekend-and-beyond

Bait Mod

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

Save your EXPENSIVE LURES!

Chinook Harvest Report

Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing Update 5/21/2024: Rapid River Run, Hells Canyon, and Clearwater River Fisheries

idfg.idaho.gov/article/spring-chinook-salmon-fishing-update-5212024-rapid-river-run-hells-canyon-and-clearwater

Can't Wait!!

Free Fishing Day!

Catch the Fun on Free Fishing Day June 8

Saturday, June 8 is Idaho’s Free Fishing Day and Idaho Fish and Game invites anglers, residents and nonresidents, to celebrate the day by fishing without a license. Learn the joys of fishing at two local events: Salmon - Kids Creek Pond, 10 a.m. to noon and Stanley - Sawtooth Kids Pond, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/catch-fun-free-fishing-day-june-8

Not fishing related….but this is good on SO MANY THINGS!

Some Notes on Anderson Ranch Kokanee

Anderson Ranch Reservoir kokanee fishery showing signs of improvement after 2020 lows

The 2020 kokanee season in Anderson Ranch Reservoir proved to be one of the worst on record, with dismal catch rates and poor overall fishing conditions. Fast forward three years to 2020 and the 3-year-old fish that generally make up the fishery in Anderson Ranch Reservoir weren’t there for anglers to target. However, since 2020 the kokanee fishery has shown consistent signs of improvement.

idfg.idaho.gov/article/anderson-ranch-reservoir-kokanee-fishery-showing-signs-improvement-after-2020-lows