Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: The weather was setting up perfectly for CJ to fish well and it didn’t disappoint! However, we have a cold front moving in that is going to stick around for a bit and I would expect it to make fishing a little tricky this week. If we do get a sunny, warmer day this week - I’d try to plan my fishing around that. I wouldn’t be afraid to look shallow for the bass if that does happen - like 5-10’ - but I would have a deep plan as well. I’d have red versions of lipless and diving cranks on the boat. For the largemouth, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits can start to be effective and can be fished both shallow and deep. Lastly, I’d have a 3.3 Keitech or Rage Swimmer on a ¼oz ball head. Most are struggling to find good sized crappie and the conversation around the shop has been about lots of small 7-9” fish being caught. My suggestion has been to fish beneath the big schools of little ones and also to use your electronics to look around for smaller sized schools - they are often your bigger fish. We have lots of new crappie baits in the shop so come in and take a look. Sturgeon fishing is excellent!

Boise River: Great spot to fish right now, especially if you only have an hour or two. Throw a light, 2pc spinning rod in the car and leave it in there in case you are close to the river!! Just a few casts in a nice riffle tail out is all it takes to get in to one! The Dynamic Lures baits have been smashing trout on the river and as suggested in last weeks newsletter - the 9-Mile Goby pattern was VERY effective!

Brownlee: Water levels are at 2053 and dropping. There were good days, great days and TOUGH days at Brownlee last week! Fish are moving and can be found in 2’ and 30’. Sunny days - I’d expect them to be shallow. Your red cranks and favorite jerkbait should work. However, with the colder weather and overcast skies rolling in, would be a good idea to have something that you can throw in 10-30’ of water like a blade bait, Keitech or a drop shot. Bank anglers had some success for catfish this weekend. Again - once this little cooler snap we are about to experience moves through - fishing will improve significantly.

Snake River: Bass are biting and the river can often be a better bet when the weather gets a little meh…boot tail swimbaits, curly tail grubs, drop shots are the soft plastics I would throw and shallow diving jerkbaits and red/orange cranks are the hard baits I would have rigged up.

Wilson Springs: Lots of fish being caught here. Keep it simple…Ultralight Heavyweights Jigs and small powerbait rigs. Throw a simple split shot 12” up from a small bait holder hook and you’re fishing!

Lake Lowell: No report this week.

Lake Cascade: Little bit of slush right now but ice is good in most areas from what I have been able to gather. Fish are biting and they are big!

Owyhee River: Water is low but good fishing has been reported. The new shop manager Brian Purtell was on the Owyhee last week and had good success! For the fly fishers, it will be a midge game but pay attention to see if a few BWO’s start coming off. If they do - throw those in the middle of the midge hatch and see if you have some success. If you’re struggling with fishing the small midges, try the dry dropper technique. Throw and larger dry like a 16 or 18 griffiths gnat with a zebra midge off the back of that - maybe 12’-16 inches.

Owyhee Reservoir: No report this week.

Duck valley: From the Tribal Website: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK!!

February 20, 2024 –  

Mountain View and Sheep Creek are ice capped, veiled with thin ice way less than three inches thick in most areas.

All ice is present in various areas along the shallows at a distance of fifty feet from the shoreline of the main boating docks, are registering less than four inches thick.

Rainbow Trout activity at both reservoirs has been high in areas with safe access.

Various data samples taken suggest an average ice loss of one inch throughout the reservoir since last week due to the warmer daily highs and lows.

Four inches of ice is considered safe for one person, ice thickness measurements are currently less than three inches immediately off the shoreline at all reservoirs.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: Seems like Arrowrock and Lucky Peak are taking turns being the hot lake of the day…water levels are rising and that will not only spread the fish out, but probably create a few days a week where the fish just don’t want to eat. Persistence will likely be your best lure 😄! Good buddy of mine Jim Hintze reported succes with Pink on Sunday and mentioned the ramp at Spring Shores had been blown out of place by the wind.

Arrowrock Reservoir: Road in has been improved but with the rising water, guys were struggling over the weekend. Still fish to be caught but they have a little more room to spread out in! This is when ya gotta be on your A-game! Use your electronics, make sure you know what depth your baits are in and change lures and dodgers often!

Anderson Ranch: Confirmed that at least at Curlew, snow is still on the ramp.

Local Ponds: Lots of trout stocking last week and this week. Your favorite trout pond should be full of eager fish! Some of these local ponds have some good sized bass in them - I’d be giving those a shot - especially on warmer sunnier days. Ponds warm up before larger bodies of water so the bass in these can turn on before other places. Senkos, jigs and jerkbaits might get it done.

Shop News - Spring Bass Class and Rod Give Away!! Youth Program, Idaho Sportsmans Show, Tons of New Product in Stock!

• Come on in and meet Brian! He is the new shop manager and is on staff FULL TIME now! A well rounded fisherman - Brian loves running his Phantom on the river for smallmouth, throwing flies at browns on the Owyhee, long walks on the beach and good book on the couch under a blanket…I think I made that up…but only one way to find out!! Come ask him 🤣!

• Mark your calendars for March 16 to come and learn about spring bass fishing with former FLW pro Cody Murray. Where to fish, when is the spawn, what water temps am I looking for, what baits to throw?? We will be raffling off a rod that Cody Murray considers one of, if not THE best Chatterbait rods he has ever thrown…JUST FOR ATTENDING YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THIS ROD! Spring Stock Up discounts for those in attendance as well…take 15% off all baits purchased the day of the class!! More info to follow…

• Sign up for the Idaho Rod and Reel Good Fish Youth Program is LIVE!! Please visit idahorodandreel.com and select on the Youth Programs tab to sign up! This program is 100% FREE - all expenses are covered by the shop. This program focuses on leadership and self discipline skills that uses fishing and the outdoors as a conduit to deliver the message. Love to have you involved!!

• Please check out the idahorodandreel.com ONLINE STORE! We are adding products daily. Local shipping is very affordable and free on orders over $75.

• We will see you at the Idaho Sportsmans Show this weekend!! We will have some great deals and more information about the Good Fish Youth Program! Thursday and Friday from 5-9pm, Saturday 11-9pm, Sunday 11-4pm at Expo Idaho!

• LINK ROD UPDATE: Spinning Rods - 4 LEFT, MH Casting Rods - 6 LEFT, M Casting Rods - 14 Left.

• Hey Trout Fishers!! The trout area is an area of the shop that we would really like to improve. If you have bait suggestions, I would LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! [email protected] MIGHT BE A SURPRISE GIFT CARD OR TWO HANDED OUT RANDOMLY FOR SUGGESTIONS!!

• Lots of new product in the shop! Over 500 new items! The trout/Steelhead/Salmon and Crappie wall has been expanded! New Evergreen Spinning Rods, Daiwa Salmon and Steelhead Metallia Rods, Okuma Light Trout Rods and so much more in stock now!

• 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

Love this guy…

Technically Speaking...

Pre-Spawn Bass

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Trout Time!

Idaho Fish and Game at the Sportsman Show

How a Jerkbait is Made

Current Trout Stocking

Pond Trout

One of my FAVORITE Smallmouth Flies

Steelhead Update!

I’m Trying This!

New in the Shop

Daiwa Metallia Steelhead Rods

Fishing Skirts in Stock! Over 30 Styles in Stock

Catch Spotlight

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

Cody Ard doing Cody Ard things!

Bronson Pitcher Showing his Dad how it’s Done!

Lance Pitcher with a really nice photoshop job! 😁(He’s gonna kill me one of these days)

The New Shop Manager Brian Purtell on the O!

Levi with a STUD!!

Justin Peterson had to work for this one…WORTH IT!