Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Trout fishing has been really good at Strike. Trolling will be your most productive way to catch them but from the bank has been good. From the boat, it’s been the usual suspects: Salmo Hornets, Flicker Shads and Kokabow dodgers and baits. Darker purples and blacks have been good. From the bank, nightcrawlers and powerbait. Don’t forget about the river area below the dam - spinners and jigs under floats can catch fish here. Sturgeon fishing reports have been very good - several anglers reporting trips with multiple fish. Cut crappie seems to be the best. Perch and crappie have been biting and most anglers are picking those up with small crankbaits and soft plastics. You can find crappie shallow this time of year so don’t forget to take a peak closer to the banks. Bass fishing has slowed just a bit for some but they are still biting. Blade baits, lipless cranks, paddle tail swimbaits and the Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Football Jigs are working. The IRR Tungsten Finesse Football Jig + Strike King Rage Ned Bug = Fish in the boat. So pumped to be selling a bait that is catching so many fish!!

Boise River: Good fishing in the river for both trout and steelhead! 250 Steelies were dumped last week with 250 MORE being put in the river on Wednesday, 11/22. Pick up a couple of Aerojigs, Coon Shrimp and some floats and go be a part of this! See the drop locations below. You do need a Steelhead permit if you are wanting to keep one. Barbless hooks not required for Steelhead in the Boise River ONLY!

• Glenwood Bridge

• Americana Bridge

• Below the Broadway Avenue Bridge behind Boise State University

• West Parkcenter Bridge

• Barber Park

Brownlee: Harmful Algae Bloom advisory HAS BEEN LIFTED for Brownlee and Hells Canyon Reservoirs. Water levels are 2065.6 - unusually high for this time of year. Bank fishing can be very good at these water levels. It is not uncommon this time of the year to see crappie right up next to the banks. Any small plastic will put a few in the boat for you. A couple of my favorites are the Ultralight Heavyweights jigs, Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimon and darn near anything from Bobby Garland. Bass fishing is excellent. Try a Carolina Rigged craw or fluke, a Strike King Rage Swimmer in the Green Pumpkin Pearl Belly and KVD Magic colors and try a Strike King Rage Ned Bug or Rage Ned Craw with the Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Football Jig.

Snake River: Good fishing on the river right now for sturgeon and bass. Sturgeon have been on cut bait and below the dams. For bass, throw a jig, a swimbait or a Neko rigged senko. Not all the fish will be deep just yet…big ones still hunting in the shallows 😉 

Wilson Springs: Lots of fish being caught here as the water has cleared up and stocking has increased. Ultralight Heavyweights jigs and powerbait would be my 2 picks.

Lake Lowell: Same report as last week! Cover as much water as you can…cast, cast, cast, move. Cast, cast, cast, move…try a weightless fluke or a Neko rigged senko.

Lake Cascade: Bass fishing has been solid at Cascade but I expect it to start getting a little tricky with the real cold weather setting in up north. I’d be dragging a Carolina rig around…slowly. The trout fishing has been decent for those trolling. Try Salmos, Mag Lips 3.0’s and Flicker Shads. Perch fishing has been decent as well - being caught the same way as the trout - on the troll. The Salmo Hornets and Flicker shads should help you dial them in - then when you are on ‘em, Keitech 2.8 on a 1/8 or 3/16oz head.

Owyhee River: No report.

Owyhee Reservoir: Sounds like the crappie are still biting but you might need to look around a bit for the schools. Again, if it were me, I’d start my search pretty shallow - moving off the bank in 10’ increments. I love the Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimon here. Reports of a few smallies being caught but they were by guys trolling small Strike King Mr. Crappie crankbaits for crappie.

Duck valley: From the Tribal website:

Weather in the valley has been mild this week, but looks to change over the weekend.  Anglers have been finding success along harder to access areas tucked alongside heavy vegetation.  Water clarity is superb this week as mostly open skies in the forecast cast light further into deeper water, where the trout have been spending more time.  All reservoirs are showing a moderate to high fishing response with no areas restricted by ice, however, there is a light ice accumulation on the Northern end of Sheep Creek Reservoir, all other surface areas are open.  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, the algae is expected to clear up with the seasonal temperature drop.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: 16% Full. Fishing has been really good. Kokanee and trout are being caught trolling Kokabow Dodgers and Lures. Best bet is to have a good selection of colors and just keep experimenting until you find a color that is consistently getting hit. My go-to dodger to start with is the Intimidator Tail Feather and the Black Eagle Squid. Customers have been accessing the lake at Spring Shores.

Arrowrock Reservoir: 45% Full. Customer spent a few days fishing from the banks and caught several 10-14” Rainbows using Nightcrawlers and Powerbait.

Anderson Ranch: 85% Full. No Report.

Local Ponds: Very few reports of bass being caught but really good reports for trout. Check the Idaho Fish and Game Trout Stocking Reports for the most up to date schedule. Powerbait and Ultralight Heavyweights Jigs…again 😃 

Shop News - Black Friday-ish Deals, New Baits, Food Drive and I Need Your Help!

• Shop will be open this week Monday thru Wednesday and Saturday. We will be CLOSED Thursday and Friday.

• Black Friday Deals! 10% Off Storewide all week. Idaho Rod and Reel 2Pc Spinning Rods are $50 (these are custom rods designed by me personally and include a Medium AND Medium Light tip - one of our best selling rods) and…

• Get here early Saturday morning for door busting deals on awesome products like Daiwa reels, Senkos, Z-man Plastics and SOOO much more. Shop will OPEN AT 8AM and close at 4PM!!

• Our Annual Holiday Food Drive has begun! Bring in any canned and/or non-perishable food item and I’ll trade you an Idaho Rod and Reel Black hat. One of the missions of Idaho Rod and Reel is to serve the community that supports the shop. We’d love to have your help with this one!!

• Idaho Rod and Reel will be taking a percentage of our sales from now until Christmas to provide families that are struggling right now with Christmas presents and other needs. IF YOU KNOW OF A FAMILY THAT COULD USE A LITTLE HELP, PLEASE COME AND TALK TO ME!! IF YOU’RE FAMILY COULD USE SOME HELP THIS YEAR, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COME AND TALK TO ME!!

• We will start taking orders for the Christmas Mystery Tackle Boxes NEXT WEEK! We will have “HINT” cards in the shop that you can leave lying around the house so your loved one can accidentally find it and get you what you actually want 🤣 - these should be available next week.

• Cold Weather Bass and Steelhead Classes are in the works!!

• IDAHO ROD AND REEL “LINK” Rods and Signature Jerkbait Rod. So we didn’t get the link live…apologies!! Just taking a little longer to get the new system up and running. As a reminder, anyone that pre-orders a Link or Sugnature Jerkbait rod will receive ALL of the their Senkos in 2024 at 25% off - that saves about $2/bag. ALSO!!! If you purchase a reel at time of pick up, you will receive 10% off and I will put line on the reel for free. We are supposed to have these BEFORE CHRISTMAS. What a cool and unique gift idea.

• 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 Z-Man baits IN STOCK! Evo Chatterbaits, Flashback Mini Chatterbaits for the Trout and Panfish guys, Chatterspikes

• Strike King Scounbugs and Ned Craws in stock!

• IMA Glide Flukes 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

In Case You Need It 😄 

Technically Speaking...

Good one!!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

Steelhead Stuff!

We have these in stock!

Current Trout Stocking

Steelheaders!!

New in the Shop

Z-Man EVO Chatterbait

Z Man Flashback Mini

Z Man ChatterSpike

Strike King Rage Ned Craw

Ima Glide Fluke

Catch Spotlight

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

Scott with another good smallie…and that jig looks familiar 😉 

Cody with a really nice one!

This is why you hire this guy to be your guide! Cody Ard is just simply one of the best!