Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Mixed reviews on the bass fishing this week from CJ Strike. Some are on them and some aren’t! My advice would be to move around quite a bit. These fish are roaming and looking for bait to feed up for the cooler months ahead. When you do find them, you should have several to catch. Try cranking the 45 degree banks (especially when it’s windy), drop shotting around the points and dragging tubes around the flats. You can use a Keitech as a search bait in all of these areas as well. Try a ¼oz head on a 3.3 Fat Swing Impact in Perch and Crappie patterns. Trout fishing has been decent from the banks and for those trolling. Powerbait and nightcrawlers from the bank and small crankbaits and Kokabow dodgers and hoochies from the boat.

Boise River: The river is fishing really well right now. Idaho Rod and Reel Ambassador Ulyses had a very successful trip to the river using Ultralight Heavyweights and Nightcrawlers. A good friend of the shop, Gage Medico tipped me off to a great bait for the river…we’re bringing them into the shop and will let you know when they get here!

Brownlee: Harmful Algae Bloom advisory in effect for Brownlee and Hells Canyon Reservoirs. Water levels are 2055 - UP 3 feet from last week. Brownlee is fishing really well. I spent Saturday on the water with my son and two of his friends and we caught both crappie and bass almost at will. For the crappie, we used Ultralight Heavyweights jigs tipped with Berkley Crappie Nibbles and for the bass we used Senkos, Strike King 3.25” Rage Swimmers (significantly more durable than the Keitech’s), 4.5” Orange Crusher Roboworms and a fluke on a Carolina Rig. Lots of decent Channel Cats being caught on cut bait from the banks.

Snake River: Catfishing has been really good from the banks on cutbaits and chicken and kool-aid. The main complaint is the usual one…grass everywhere. Look for faster moving sections of water around bends and fish the inside part of the bend as most of the grass will get pulled to the outside part. The bass fishing has been excellent. The Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Football Finesse jigs continue to be so successful! A Keitech, a jerkbait and a Great Lakes Finesse Snack Craw on a Ned head will get you bit as well.

Wilson Springs: Fishing well. Hearing reports that it has been crowded on the warmer days and with there still being some weeds/moss on the water, that can make it tough to get your bait in an effective spot. Get there early if you can to try to avoid that.

Lake Lowell: Good fish being caught from the bank. Stephen K, a great friend of the shop has been catching them on swim and finesse jigs that he learned to tie at our jig tying class. I set a customer up with his first Neko rig last week and he sent me pictures of 3 fish in about an hour!

Lake Cascade: Lots of big Perch being caught. A good friend of the shop was bass fishing with a 2.8 Keitech and found a pile of good perch around a rocky point. Had so much fun with them that he stopped bass fishing for an hour or so! Bass fishing has been decent. Try jerkbaits and even a topwater if there is a little chop on the lake. I’d have a lipless rigged up and a jig for dragging around the offshore rock piles. Never a bad idea to have a Carolina rig laying around…

Owyhee River: Fishing really well. Fly guys need to have small BWO’s, zebra midges and I’d have a craw pattern in the box…for those fishing with spinning gear, small crankbaits and jerkbaits - Aaaaaannnnndddd Ultralight Heavyweights jigs…

Owyhee Reservoir: Crappie fishing is excellent and the size of them has been really decent! We have lots of ACC Crappie baits in stock and a good selection of Bobby Garland baits. My favorite is the pile driver. Being a slightly larger bait, it seems to catch the larger crappie and even a few nice bass! Bass fishing has been consistent. Drop shots, skirted jigs and crankbaits have caught fish that I know of.

Duck valley: From the Tribal website:

All reservoirs are showing a moderate to high fishing response with Mountain View doing exceptionally well this week, as the recent restocking of rainbow trout into Mountain View and Sheep Creek has significantly increased trout activity. Mountain View activity has been moderate to high, and Billy Shaw lake has been productive with the trophy-sized rainbow trout favoring nymphs, elk hair caddis, or The Sheep Creek Special. Sheep Creek has been challenging. unfortunately, some anglers are finding areas in Sheep Creek a bit slow due to the presence of algae on the west end near the dam, algae is expected to clear up with the seasonal temperature drop.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: 13% Full. No report this week.

Arrowrock Reservoir: 34% Full. There are Kokanee being caught! Pink has been a successful color. Both guys that reported catches were expecting to just catch trout but landed a few Kokanee in less than 15’ of water. It’s not a bad time to catch bass on Arrowrock either. The low water consolidates them and they pile up on the rocky points and flats. Neds, dropshots and small jigs are what I’d bring with me.

Anderson Ranch: 84% Full. No report this week.

Local Ponds: Pond fishing has been good! For trout, look at the Fish and Game stocking reports and head out with small Carolina rigs and powerbait. For the bass - I’d be throwing weightless baits. For me, that would be senkos and flukes.

Shop News - Crazy Deal! Classes and New Website

• If you fish SENKO’s - you’re going to want to check this out. Buy a rod and reel valued at $75 or higher by November 30, and you will get your Senkos in 2024, for 25% off…LET ME REPEAT!! Get a new rod and reel and you get your 4 and/or 5” Senkos 25% off - for an entire year! I am going to apply this deal to anyone that pre-orders a shop rod as well. That’s about $2 a bag and if you fish as many as I do - you’re going to save some money!

• I have been catching a lot of fish on the Ol’ Carolina rig lately. Look in the “What I Fish” section below to learn about my setup. If you have been struggling to catch bigger bass and you haven’t spent much time with a C-rig in hand…check it out.

• We are completely re-stocked on Panther Martin and Blue Fox Trout Spinners!

• IDAHO ROD AND REEL “LINK” Rods and Signature Jerkbait Rod. If the link to purchase isn’t live this week, I’m going to punch myself in the face! Many of you are very excited about these rods and so am I!! Here is the deal currently: Pre-Order your rod(s) and you will receive 10% off any reel at time of rod pick up AND I will spool that reel up for free. You will ALSO receive ALL of your 4-5” Senkos in 2024 for 25% off. It is the mission of the shop to get you out on the water and enjoying that as much as possible!! Being able to provide a rod of this quality at this price and a deal like this does just that in my opinion.

• We are getting ready to launch the new website and point of sale system in the shop. Please bear with us as we work through the bugs!!

• DISCOUNT BINS!! New BAITS ADDED AND NOT MANY RODS LEFT!!

• New ACC Crappie rods in stock

• I’d love to hear from you about products that you would 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 Sharpen a Hook

Technically Speaking...

Lipless Cranks for Bass RIGHT NOW

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Snake River Update

Steelhead Report

Current Trout Stocking

Trolling for Kokanee and Trout

Fall Crankbait Fishing

New in the Shop

ACC Crappie Stix Rods

What I am Fishing Right Now

Probably not fished as much as it should be, the good ol’ Carolina rig (C-Rig) is still a great way to catch fish. I use it to figure out what structure might be on the bottom and it just plain gets bit. Here’s what I use to set one up:

• 7’6” Fast Action, Heavy Power Ark Tharp Series Casting Rod

• Shimano Curado K Baitcasting Reel

• 20# Fluorocarbon main line, 12# Fluoro or Mono leader

• 3/4 or 1oz Lead or Tungsten weight, glass bead and crane swivel

• Hayabusa WRM957 Offset Worm Bend Hook

Catch Spotlight

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

Congrats Mona!!

Great catch Craig!

Mike with another good one!

Stephen catching one on a jig he tied!