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Fishing Reports
CJ Strike: Been one of the steady performers of the summer…for steady action on smallmouth right now, tough to beat a drop shot, ned rig and a finesse jig. Try an X-Zone Hot Shot Minnow, Z-Man Finesse TRD and either an Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Jig or a GP Finesse Round Ball respectively. It’s summer so you’re still going to have an off day or two in there. If you have one bad day - no biggie. If you have 2-3, come talk to me! Let’s get you on some fish…Crappie fishing has been a little hit or miss with some guys telling me its pretty good and others not sharing that opinion. What seems to be working is fishing around the narrows in 30’ of water and casting baits towards the banks and letting them swing back to the boat or looking for schools of fish in 15-25’. Productive lures that I KNOW have worked this week - Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimons, 2” and 3” Keitech Easy Shiners on 1/16oz jig heads and old school Beetle Spins! Everything tipped with crappie nibbles. Starting to hear about more trout being caught on the troll over by the dam using Salmos and Shad Raps…
Boise River: Still on fire and definitely a spot worth fishing right now. Nothing has changed from last week and the hot baits are still Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Ultralight Heavyweights Jigs and Lucky Craft Pointer 65’s. Customer contacted me on Sunday to let me know that he had the best day on the river he’s ever had and it was with the pointer 65 in the Purple Rainbow color. My favorite color on baits for a reason…
Brownlee: 20’ from full at 2057’- slowly dropping and still a bit smokey. Reports for the smallmouth fishing have been a consistent “catching tons of fish in the 1-1.5# range…”. A drop shot, carolina rig, a ned and a deep diving crankbait are good options. For the carolina rig, try a Zoom Speed Craw and for a great deeper diving crankbait, come check out the Nomad cranks - they received high praise this week from a few new users! I’d probably have a jig on me as well 😃! Catfishing has been really good and customers focusing on the downriver side of any main lake point will likely find several good channel cats. Crappie have been a little bit tougher to find but some really good sized fish making it worth the effort. Big schools of smaller fish are in 10’-15’ of water but bigger fish are being found deeper and while I usually get some kick back for suggesting these - bigger Keitechs catch bigger fish CONSISTENTLY! Just ask the bass anglers…throwing a 3.3 Fat Swing Impact on a 1/4oz head is not even close to too big…
Snake River: Still producing good numbers of smallmouth - most are talking about fish in the 1-2lb range. Jigs, ned rigs, chatterbaits and a good topwater popper or whopper plopper will get ya bit! Mixed reports on the catfishing with the most productive guys telling me they are fishing deeper with SMALLER chunks of bait…
Wilson Springs: One report this week - “The water is gross!” - no fish caught 🤪
Lake Lowell: SAME RERORT AS LAST WEEK!! Really good fishing at the lake right now - water is low. As such, see the dam closure notice from the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge below:
(8/2/24) Due to low water levels, the boat ramps at the west end of the Upper Dam and at Access 1 are closed as of today, August 2. Visitors can still launch boats at the Lower Dam Recreation Area off Riverside Drive, the east end of the Upper Dam, off Iowa Avenue, and Access 7 on the southwest side of the lake.
I’d have a frog with me, a flipping bait and a 3.8 Keitech on a belly weighted EWG hook or underspin!
Cascade Reservoir: Lots of perch biting! You should be looking for them around the rock piles and around any cover. They can be up against the banks or off shore but they will be associating with some kind of cover. Nightcrawler, small crappie jigs or 2” Keitech easy shiners will work as will trolling with Flicker Shads and Shad Raps. Still not where I would be targeting for bass right now. Just not a lot of positive reports…
Horsethief Reservoir: Good reports for fish down around the dam trolling a variety of wedding rings. Will be some fish around the creek as well…
Owyhee Reservoir: Crappie reports have been few but they have been positive with customers recommending that a 15-20 minute boat ride towards the gulch will result in more success. Sounds like small tube jigs will do the trick. Bass fishing has been good with crankbaits and wacky rigged senkos and 1/2oz skirted jigs.
Owyhee River: Fishing well despite the smoke. For the fly guys, I’d recommend a selection of BWO, midges and caddis patterns…don’t sleep on those emerging caddis patterns as dusk sets in.
Duck valley: No Report
Lucky Peak Reservoir: BEING DRAWN DOWN FOR RAMP REPAIRS. Take a look at this link for updates!
RAMP LEVELS AT LUCKY PEAK!!
Arrowrock Reservoir: No reports for Kokanee this week but a few for smallmouth anglers. Lots of fish - not a ton of big ones. Ned rigs, topwater poppers and drops shots are all you need here.
Anderson Ranch Reservoir: One kokanee report from Anderson this week and it wasn’t great…a few small fish. Definitely time to switch gears and chase another species. Smallies are plentiful here and not usually too tough to catch. Lots of smaller fish but tournament anglers know there are some good smallies to be had here. Try a ned rig, drop shot and a carolina rigged fluke or craw pattern.
Local Ponds: Looks like Fish and Game is going to start stocking the ponds again soo. Keep your eyes on the Stocking Report below to figure out where to go! Many of the local bass ponds are overgrown and mossy - but there are still bass in them and they will eat! Look for open water or throw Texas rigged baits to keep from hooking every piece of grass in the pond!
Shop News - Ladies ONLY Class, How to Catch Your PB Bass Class, Youth Tournament and More
CATCH YOUR PB BASS! A FREE class will be offered to help you catch your best fish of the season. Former FLW Professional Angler Cody Murray will be at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center to teach you the things you need to know to catch a PB this fall! Join us Thursday, August 15th, from 6pm to 8pm. Sign up online at idahorodandreel.com! We will be raffling off the LAST IDAHO ROD AND REEL LINK CASTING RODS - just for those attending!
FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE PB BASS CLASS…WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE SWAG WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY!! TONS OF HATS AND BAITS AUTOGRAPHED BY CODY MEYER to be raffled off - just for attending!
The Idaho Bass Masters will be holding a Memorial and Fundraising bass tournament on August 17th. All fees will go to the family of our good friend John Jenkins who just passed away. Idaho Rod and Reel will provide a raffle ticket for the LAST Signature Series Jerkbait Rod to anyone that signs up and fishes the tournament. Registration can be done at Idaho Rod and Reel.
The Annual Cast for Kids event will be held this upcoming weekend at Black Canyon Reservoir. This is an annual event that provides disabled young anglers an opportunity to spend a day on the water. If you are interested in getting involved - PLEASE CONTACT ME!!
Idaho Rod and Reel and Missile Baits will be joining forces to product a limited edition, exclusive Micro D Bomb color! It will perfectly match a BRAND NEW Tungsten Finesse Jig design. BOTH COMING SOON!
Check out the Idaho Rod and Reel Exclusive GP Jig Color!! Pics below!
In Stock Now: Newly released X-Zone Finesse Baits, Bubba Scales, Shad Raps, Ultralight Heavyweights Jigs, GP Finesse Jigs and Football Jigs, Zoom Winged Flukes, Great Lakes Finesse Drop Worms, Zakk Royce Catfish/Sturgeon Rods, NEW Daiwa Fuego Rods and a certain Idaho Rod and Reel JERKBAIT BACK IN STOCK!! If you know, you know, If you don’t - I’ll just tell you it’s purple, and it catches EVERYTHING.
New Idaho Rod and Reel Hats COMING SOON!!
Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Jigs are SOLD OUT! 3 New Designs and current designs Arriving in the NEXT 2 WEEKS!
CUSTOM COLOR SOFTBAITS ONLY AVAILABLE AT IDAHO ROD AND REEL FROM MAJOR MANUFACTURERS COMING SOON!
Jordan Rodriguez from Tight Lines 208 will be teaching his “Catfish are Jumping” class here at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center on August 22, from 6-8pm. Sign up at tightlines208.com. PEOPLE ARE LOVING THESE CLASSES AND CATCHING MORE FISH BECAUSE OF THEM!!
CRAPPIE and TROUT fishers…custom rods built just for you coming SOOONN!!!
New Daiwa Kage Rods are FLYING out of the shop! These things are absolutely on fire! Just beautiful rods! Come take a look for yourself.
Custom Rods…something very cool is coming 😉
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
My guilty pleasure…I’m mildly embarrassed…no I’m not 🤣
Technically Speaking...
If you tie directly to braid - watch this
Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”
What did I just catch?!
Nice!
New Art!
Check this new bait out!
Current Trout Stocking
For those of you heading out of town to catch salmon!
Salmon Reports
Some of you have heard me talk about this from my research in college!
NOT JUST FOR BASS!!
Not necessarily fishing related but trust me…it’s worth knowing!
The times they are a changing…
Buoy 10 Report
New in the Shop
GP Fishing Company Idaho Rod and Reel Exclusive Jigs!
Zoom Winged Flukes in Stock This Week! LIMITED QUANTITIES!
Idaho Rod and Reel Customs…Custom Purple Jerkbait IYKYK!
2024 Daiwa Fuego Rods!
Catch Spotlight
Submit your own entry to be featured in Hook Points to: [email protected], Subject: Catch Spotlight
I know you were wondering…and the answer is YES!! Colby caught another fish to keep his streak of the most consecutive weeks in the newsletter alive! This dudes a ton of fun…
Thanks Dennis for the nightmares 🤣! They sure look different when its time to spawn!
Check out Brody with a couple of fish he caught on custom baits that he made himself during the kids day at the shop!! This is so cool!! Great job Brody!
Great catch Ayden!!
Missed this one from last week but this is awesome! Congrats Dad and Annabelle!
Lisa has become an absolute GURU with smallies on topwater!! Perfect hook set…
Jeremy with a couple of great pics!
Jon with a HUGE bluegill he caught last week!
Jaret with an awesome Boise River Rainbow!
“Those willing to risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”