Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Still getting very consistent reports from CJ in regard to bass fishing. Smallies are going to be your more consistent action and can be caught shallow or deep. The shallow ones will likely be near some moving water source and can be caught on flukes, drop shots, keitechs and crankbaits. The deeper bass will be near drop offs, humps and always a good idea to look for bait when searching for offshore smallies. I’d have a Strike King Dream Shot or Great Lakes Finesse Drop Worm on a drop shot, a Great Lakes Finesse Juvy Craw, an Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Jig (only a few left in stock 😐️ ) and a Carolina rig with a Zoom Speed Craw ready for these deeper fish. Ambassador Jeremy says that he found bass from the bank to about 20+ feet out. Crappie fishing has still been decent. Plenty of fish in the narrows and in the Bruneau. Expect to find them in 15-25’ of water. Ultralight Heavyweights jigs, Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimons, Keitech 2.8 Fat Swing swimbaits and 2” or 3” Easy Shiners are all great choices to catch these fish. I love trees that hang out over the water when I crappie fish in the middle of summer…

Boise River: The Boise is fishing really well. Lots of questions about how to catch a big brown…couple things about Browns: in the summer, they like deeper pools and areas that they can get out of the sun a bit. That can be undercut banks, overhangs, weed lines, etc. With fall coming (their spawning season), they start to get very aggressive and this is the best time to catch a big one. I personally leave them alone later in the fall as they are on redds and spawning but that late summer, early fall is a great time to find a giant that is thinking about spawning but not ready to go just yet. I fly fish most of the time for trout and when I target big browns, I only have one box with me and it’s full of streamers. Streamers are baitfish immitators…so the equivalent in conventional tackle for me is going to be hard baits like the Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Lucky Craft Pointer 65’s (personal favorite), jointed Rapalas, and other small to medium sized crankbaits and jerkbaits. PLENTY of big trout are caught on 4” and larger baits!

Brownlee: 17-18’ from full at 2059’- slowly dropping and still a bit smokey. Fishing great for small to medium sized bass. Excellent for catfish and decent for crappie. For the bass, Ned rigs have been very effective. Try a TRD Craw on a Tungsten EWG Ned Head and you’ll have consistent, relatively snag free action all day. Good customer reported a “record day” using the new Missile Baits Micro D Bomb on a drop shot! Love that idea and I’d have a 4.5” Hologram Shad Roboworm with me as well. To target bigger fish, you need current and/or depth. Both is the holy grail! Catfishing has been excellent and most baits are working. Including the bass baits I mentioned above - if you know you know 🤣! Cats are predators - set your baits where the baitfish are and you’ll get bit. Long points are really popular baitfish holding areas…give those a look. Crappie have been in smaller schools and as deep as 25’. Most will likely be suspended - safer from bottom and structure hugging predators this way - so not a bad idea to look in 30-40’ of water for them - likely you’ll see them hanging out in 15’-25’. Check out bait recommendations in the CJ Strike report above.

Snake River: Very consistent producer in the hot summer months. Couple reports of a few off days but for the most part, fishing well. Drop shots, Ned Rigs and Texas rigged craws or beaver baits like a Reaction Innovation Smallie Beaver will take care of your sub surface work and no way I’d be out here without a Whopper Plopper or popper! Catfishing has slowed a bit for some. A fair amount of grass in the water can make it hard to keep your line in one spot for very long as it will snag it and drag it…but that’s just the game. Keep that line tight and as high as you can - the more line that is off the water, the less the grass can snag. Deeper water and eddies are the tartget for cats right now.

Wilson Springs: No actual fishing report other than we heard that most of the ponds are really “gross” 😆…I’m going to take a driver over there this week to see for myself.

Lake Lowell: 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: Sounds like the bass fishing has been a bit tough this last week. Probably not where I would go for bass right now. If I did go, I’d be looking for deeper water and rock piles or stumps - and I’d throw a Carolina rig with a Zoom Trench Hawg…and then probably wish I was at Brownlee 🤪 Perch fishing has been fair on Flicker Shads, Shad Raps and split shot rigs with nightcrawlers fished near the bottom. Look around rocks if you’re struggling to find them!

Horsethief Reservoir: One report this week from Horsethief - customer caught several small trout over by the dam from his float tube trolling a sinking fly line and a mohair leech. Said there was a lot of grass. He did see a couple of bank anglers catch a couple but not many.

Owyhee Reservoir: OK reports for crappie fishing. Fish are all over the place - meaning you’re probably going to be moving around a bit. I am hearing reports of shallow fish in 5-10’ of water around steep banks and then out in 15-25’. For the shallow fish, try swinging a Keitech Easy Shiner down through them. For the deeper fish, I still love Keitechs but love a Jigging Rap in this situation as well. For the bass, get a crankbait in your hand and get to work! Not a bad idea to have a topwater and a wacky rigged Senko as well.

Owyhee River: Fishing really well! Tough to beat a HD Trout or Lucky Craft Pointer 65 right now. Don’t ignore the slow deep pools…especially around where they start to dump in to a rapid…

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: Still a few reports trickling in from Arrowrock but most were for bass. I did get sent a few pics for Kokanee and most of those fish were pretty red. For those asking, most start chasing them again in October. The bass catching is awesome at Arrowrock - the size is not 😃! But you will get bit and they will happily eat a topwater!

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: No bass fishing report this week and while I am sure there are still folks out chasing Kokes, it is definitely winding down.

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

• LADIES! Let’s do it again!! Join us Wednesday, August 7th for ROUND 2 of the Fishing Fundamentals Class! Class will start at 6:30pm and go until 8:30pm. Food, drinks, fishing and fellowship! Registration will be live at idahorodandreel.com SOON! If you were unable to attend the first class - NO WORRIES! YOU CAN STILL ATTEND!! Please register online at idahorodandreel.com

• 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!

• 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.

• We had a great time at the Payette River Bass Masters Youth Tournament at Lake Lowell!! Congratulations to Colton Bicandi for winning the Junior Division and for Tabor Lewis for winning the Youth division! See Pics below! If you are interested in getting your child in to tournament bass fishing - CONTACT US!! Common misconceptions are that your kiddo has to be an absolute pro bass angler, you have to have an expensive bass boat, you need 28 different rods and TONS of money. YOU DO NOT! The local clubs have GREAT opportunities for ALL young anglers!

• 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!

• Lots of new products in the shop and coming! Great Lakes Finesse Drop Worms are in stock, Bubba Fish Scales will be here this week, Fully stocked on rod sleeves and so much more.

• New X-Zone Finesse Baits in Stock on Wednesday! See Images Below!

• New Zakk Royce Catch the Fever Sturgeon and Catfish Rods on their way! See Images below - we will have a limited number available.

• Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Jigs are ALMOST COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! We hope to have more in the next week or so!

• ZOOM WINGED FLUKES ARRIVING THIS WEEK! VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES!! FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

• 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!!

• MASSIVE Trout Lure Restocking!

• 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

Clever…

Technically Speaking...

Drop Shot Knot! Great Rig For ALL Species!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Say Something! I did…

This is an Awesome HERO Story!

How to Launch a Boat by Yourself

Current Trout Stocking

Late Summer Tactics

Salmon Reports

Late Summer Cats!

Late Summer Crappie

Lots of Ways to Catch a Fish! This is One of My Faves!

Using Google Earth to Help You Catch Fish!

Sturgeon Fishing in BC

New in the Shop

Great Lakes Finesse Drop Worms in Stock!

Zoom Winged Flukes in Stock This Week! LIMITED QUANTITIES!

Catch the Fever Zakk Royce Rods - Spinning and Casting In Stock Soon - LIMITED NUMBER WILL BE AVAILABLE

X-Zone Finesse Baits in Stock on Thursday!

Catch Spotlight

Submit your own entry to be featured in Hook Points to: [email protected], Subject: Catch Spotlight

Guess who didn’t miss a week of fishing!! COLBY!! Big ol’ brown!

Apparently our resident pro bass angler ain’t too shabby with a fly rod either!

Lance with a really good Lowell bass!

Brian doing his best Lance Pitcher impression…

If I could sum up why I love this sport so much in a picture…

Mike with a MISSOURI bass! Get home safely brother!

Dennis went out trolling for kings…and caught one of these little fellas instead!

Dennis with a BIG red one!

Looks like Lisa had some success!!

Jeremy keeping his streak alive and catching his new PB smallie this week!

Boone getting in on the action! (Did you notice the subliminal product placement?)

Congrats Tabor on your FIRST PLACE FINISH!

Congrats Colton on your FIRST PLACE FINISH!