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Fishing Reports
CJ Strike: Fishing is not too dang bad at CJ right now. Had a couple of days last week with some poor reports but overall, a good option right now for most species. Crappie reports are all coming from the narrows and from folks trolling for them. It is just so tough to beat Flicker Shads and Shad Raps on our waters! I have not heard anything about the trout fishing but know that the water temps are warm - gotta look deeper and/or around creek mouths if you’re going to target trout. Bass fishing has been really good - they just haven’t been really big. Starting to move into our deeper water patterns - tube jigs, drop shots, Ned rigs and deeper diving crankbaits. We just restocked my favorite tubes from Big Bite Baits. A 4.5” Roboworm is never a bad option and give the Crush City Neds a try. We have several deep diving crankbaits landing this week as we start to get ready for the hot weather. If it shows up - been a weird “summer” so far!
Boise River: Flows are around 2200 cfs. The river is definitely fishable - just be careful. Deep water seams and back eddies are the deal right now. Some of the best places to catch big browns are these seams and eddies - that have tree cover. You know, the kinds of places that like to eat your lures…Little trick…fish floating cranks and toss them well above the overhangs - as the bait starts to go under them, add tension and drive the lure underneath the limbs.
Brownlee: Darn near full - like 6” away…and fishing well. The crappie have moved off the banks and seem to be consistently found between 15-25’ of main lake points and on the downstream sides of coves or around incoming water (creeks). They can be caught trolling for sure - but I prefer to weave around with the boat until I find fish on my sonar. Then drop Keitechs, tube jigs and Big Bite Baits Swim Ons on em! From the banks - move a lot and throw baits that allow you to cover different depths well. I might have 2-3 rods rigged up…with a 2-pole permit, you could throw a float and jig set up (CRAPPIE NIBBLES ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE 😆 ) while casting and retrieving other baits. Learning to count down your baits is a must for a bank angler looking for summer crappies. The bass have been very willing but like CJ - not breaking any records. That’s ok!! It’s still fun to catch them and most spending a full day on the water are reporting a good hand full of 2 to 2-1/2 pounders mixed in. Catfishing is fire! Nightcrawlers and cut baits right at dusk…
Snake River: Most sections of the Snake are fishing well for Bass, Cats and Sturgeon right now. Sturgeon fishing has been better in the evening and suckers and crappie are great bait choices. Cats are being seen shallow and starting to look for smallmouth fry. They may not be sitting in the deep holes that you caught them in during the cool spring. You can catch them with any number of cut baits and nightcrawlers - and no joke, throw a black Keitech. They’ll eat it! For bass, I’m going to rig up a topwater of some sort - likely a whopper plopper (you should try the little 60’s on a spinning rod!!), a ned rig, the Tungsten Finesse jigs and a crankbait.
Wilson Springs: The growing moss is an issue but it can be fished around. Plenty of small trout being caught on the usual suspects - powerbait and Ultralight Heavyweights. Levi loves the Dynamic Lures HD Trout in the pond as well.
Lake Lowell: Fishing has slowed a bit - post spawn stuff happening. Still lots of fish being caught on flipping baits, swim jigs, underspins and topwater. If you haven’t tried it - give a Zoom Trick Worm on either a Shakey Head or just a worm hook with a small bullet weight. Its not something a lot of guys are throwing and I think its a very under utilized technique.
Cascade Reservoir: Bass fishing continues to be a little hit or miss. Ambassador Carson Miller recommends dropshots around the steep rocks. I’d have a topwater rigged up as well - likely a Vixen. The perch fishing has been very good. Flicker shads and shad raps and get on the troll.
Horsethief Reservoir: No report this week.
Owyhee Reservoir: Very mixed reviews regarding the O this past week. Several customers had success with spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits up against the banks with bushes and trees in the water. Others really struggled - even throwing the same stuff. My recommendation is to cover water. Crappie fishing remains hot for both bank and boat anglers. From the bank, fishing around the boat launch areas has been effective. For boat anglers, main lake points and mouths of coves up past the elbow have been full of crappie. Baits have been so varied - I’m not sure it matters. Just pick your favorite and get after it!
Owyhee River: Fishing well. Dynamic lures HD Trout caught several for one customer. Ambassador Jaret recommends brown trout patterned Rapalas. For fly guys - let’s go hopper droppers.
Duck valley: From the Tribal Website:
June 6, 2024 –With summer around the corner, much of the valley is in full bloom. Trophy trout are still reportedly caught in all reservoirs, with many biting Powerbait and metallic lures. An increase in temperature means an increase of insect activity on the water’s surface. This sees the evenings alive with ambitious fish breaking the surface, securing a meal, a common sight across all reservoirs. This warm weather will soon be followed by a gradual drop in temperatures, as the end of next week will see temperature slip into the 50’s and 60’s. It would be wise to bring a jacket when you travel.
The Billy Shaw reservoir has been open to fly fisherman April 1, 2024, with anglers out enjoying the exclusive trophy-trout fly fishing experience from a variety of non-motorized floaters and tubes; the electric-motor only waters are located along the west end of the reservation. Mountain View has been doing really good as well, where anglers are pulling big trout, and pulling daily limits constantly.
Lucky Peak Reservoir: Fishing has been hit or miss at Luck Peak but more hit than miss. Fish are deeper - around 30-50’. Purples, blacks and silver have been working.
Arrowrock Reservoir: Seems to be fishing a bit better than LP and the fish are bigger. Not everyone is catching a limit but even for those that aren’t, the size is worth it. Starting to see more and more recreational boats on the water as the weather warms so not a bad idea to start early and try to be off the water by 11. Don’t forget about the bass here!! Whopper plopper…
Anderson Ranch: Good fishing but slowed a bit - especially during the heat of the day. Best bet is early and then again in the evening. Fish are down deep. Purples, blacks and a really good report on Copper and Orange.
Local Ponds: Pay attention to the bass/trout ponds…when trout get stocked, bass get food! A rainbow trout keitech can help you catch a good pond lunker! Lots of ponds still very fishable for trout after fish and game loaded up for free fishing day.
Shop News - Customer Appreciation Month! Raffles, New Products, Classes!
Thank you to everyone for your support of our little shop!! EVERY purchase from now until the end of the month earns you a raffle ticket into a grand prize drawing of your choice. Available to win we have a Bass prize, a Trout/Kokanee prize and a Sturgeon/Catfish prize. The Bass prize is MY TERMINAL box!! Well - one that looks just like mine…for those that have seen it know that it is full of tungsten weights, premium hooks and jig heads and everything you need to fish around here - all stored in the Plano Edge terminal box. The Trout/Kokanee is a box of the best selling baits in the shop! The Catfish/Sturgeon prize is a rod, weights and BKK hooks.
Jordan Rodriguez with Tight Lines 208 will be teaching a class for KIDS on June 20th from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center. Cost is $50 and that admission covers both child and parent. Sign up at www.tightlines208.com.
RANDOM DRAWINGS ALL MONTH!! FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA!!
Keitech, Big Bite Baits, Yamamoto, Shad Raps and many other restocks this week!
CRAPPIE and TROUT fishers…custom rods built just for you coming SOOONN!!!
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!!
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
Any of these Ideas Any Good?! You Decide…
Technically Speaking...
Rigging the Yamamoto Yamatanuki
Catfishing Rigs!
Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”
Unless Your Name is Lance Pitcher - You Might Need This:
Post Spawn Bass - Yup, that’s where we are…
Current Trout Stocking
Time to go Deep for Kokanee
Salmon Reports
Catching More Bass - Ott Defoe
Excellent Video on Catching Cats from the Bank!
Cool Kokanee Video
Summer Fishing on the Boise River
The Bait You Should Be Throwing Right Now For Tons of Smallies on the River!
New in the Shop
Keitech Noisy Flapper Frog!
Big Bite Baits Scentsation Tubes in Stock!
Lobina Lures Rico and Rio Rico Baits in Stock!
Several New Mad Katz Models in Stock!
Catch Spotlight
Submit your own entry to be featured in Hook Points to: [email protected], Subject: Catch Spotlight
Colby with a last minute entry to keep the streak alive!!
Nick and Luke showing off both ends of the spectrum!
Scott with another Little Yellow and Baby Blue Spiked Cute Fish. That’s the scientific name. I think.
Hunter and his buddy figuring out the Snake River game a bit! That smile…fishing is just so cool!
Eric with his first bass in his BRAND NEW bass boat! Congrats!! Check out those salmon colored Sunglass holders!! Just kidding…those are someone’s arms 🤣
Josh with a great catch!! Congrats my man! I know how bad you wanted that one!
Andrew putting in a little work on a Spotted Bass and Whisker Bass with the Tungsten Finesse PB&J😂
Happy fathers day Will!
Brian with a nice largemouth!
Tracy with a great catch!
Little man showing dad how it’s done! His dad is Lance so…(haha! sorry buddy…twice in one newsletter…it’s just to easy 🤣 )
Travis with an almost 9 Pound cat!! Great catch young man!
Taylor, Josh and Curtis did juuuustt fiinnnee on Fathers Day!
Jeremy is just getting on better and better fish every week!!
Even I got in on the action!! In all seriousness…if you want to catch a bunch of bass, and haven’t thrown the Tungsten Finesse jigs - you gotta try it. NOTHING in the shop catches more quality bass - and I mean that! That jig was specifically designed for smallies and it does an insane job. You can see it hanging out of this fishes mouth!
“I failed my way to success.”