Hook Points - Idaho's Fishing Newsletter

Fishing Reports

CJ Strike: Some good reports, some not so good reports and even a couple of ON FIRE reports for CJ. I personally fished CJ on Saturday and had a decent day - nothing crazy but we were able to get fish to bite and found a couple decent ones. We went a little more finesse than we had wanted to and caught fish on Senkos, Zoom speed craws and Zoom super flukes. Fish were anywhere from the bank out to 20-ish feet. I often get asked how and where to catch the largemouth at CJ - the common comment being that it doesn’t really look like a largemouth bass reservoir (same can be said for the river). The best advice I can give you is that while I understand what you are saying about the appearance of the OVERALL reservoir, there are areas that look like largemouth water. Spend some time playing around in those. Crappie fishing has been decent with fish being located in 10-25’ - and not necessarily far off the banks. In the narrows, play around areas with substantial tree growth on the banks with your favorite plastics. Mine (as everyone pretty much knows 😃 ) are Big Bite Baits Swimons and Keitechs in the 2-3’ Easy Shiner or Fat Swing versions. Definitely with a crappie nibble! I have not received a report of trout fishing or Sturgeon this week. As warm as the water will start to become, both species will tend to move less and seek out cooler, possible moving water if possible.

Boise River: Flows are down and it’s time for the river to start to fish well! Dynamic Lures HD Trout lures really start to shine now - they only dive 2-3 feet which makes them difficult to snag and the action they have really moves good fish to eat. If I were to list what I’d have with me on the river at all times, it would be the following: Dynamic Lures HD Trout, Lucky Craft Pointer 65’s, Berkley Power Nymphs, Ultralight Heavyweights 1/16oz Jigs and a Rapala Countdown Minnow.

Brownlee: Roughly 6 feet from full and fishing tough…sort of. Plenty of good bass fishing at Brownlee, and for the most part they have been eating - but the main complaint has been size. Lots of smalls…Brownlee smallmouth move around quite a bit looking for cooler water so that usually means looking for rivers, creeks, current and flowing water or depth. That is not to say that all the fish move - but no doubt some good ones do. Spend some time on a map looking for areas with creeks, look for areas with some current and have a deep fishing method ready to go if you can’t find those first two features - I personally love a Carolina rig with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver, Nikko Craw, Zoom Speed Craw or 5” Zoom Lizard. Crappie fishing has been dealing with the same issue - schools aren’t necessarily difficult to find, but the fish have been a bit smaller. From the banks, you’ll need a strategy to cover water and depths. Slip floats a two pole permit can be a great way to do just that. Use a crappie jig under a float to do some semi-passive fishing at a certain depth while you use your another rig to cast and retrieve your favorite baits. From the boat, spend time around downstream sides of points and around steeper cliffs as opposed to broken rocks. As with the bass, areas with incoming water should be explored.

Snake River: The river has been a very consistent performer for small to medium sized bass - with the occasional big fish surprise! Here’s what I’d have…Idaho Rod and Reel Tungsten Finesse Jigs (without question), a Topwater Popper, a Trixie Shark and Fluke or a Keitech. A great friend of the shop recommended shallow cranks and wacky rigging and mentioned the ramp at Walters is a bit silted in right now. Catfishing has been really good! Cut baits, nightcrawlers and kool-aid dyed chicken.

Wilson Springs: Only report is that there is quite a bit of grass in the water.

Lake Lowell: Decent reports from the guys that are moving and covering water. Fish have been a bit all over the place. For me, I’d be throwing a swim jig, a Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig and a Buzzbait or a Frog!

Cascade Reservoir: Bass fishing has been a little up and down but a good days effort will result in fish. Keitechs, a Neko rig, a topwater and a flipping bait around the docks…for the perch, get around the rocky points and start trolling. I was at Cascade this weekend for the Idaho Bass Nation Youth State Championship and spoke to a few perch anglers at the boat ramp around Sugarloaf. They mentioned they had just been trolling around the island all day with Shad Raps and a nightcrawler rig and had a great day.

Horsethief Reservoir: Lots of fish being caught at Horsethief right now. Trolling small cranks and Flicker Shads around the dam is always a great idea. If you’re a fly guy, this is a great destination. Trolling a seal bugger or damsel pattern is a great idea!

Owyhee Reservoir: Fishing steady right now for just about everything. Crappie have moved off shore and can be caught in 15-25’ - deeper in some cases from what I have heard. Start looking in coves for them - especially shaded ones and work your way out to the mouth. You’ll find a school in there! Customer had a great day with the Chartreuse 2” Keitech Easy Shiner and as it was there first time using them - claimed to have found their “new favorite crappie bait!”. Another customer had a great day with a small fluttering spoon that they had tipped with a little nightcrawler. For bass, start in around the banks with a topwater and a flipping bait. The deeper fish have been smallies and a Carolina rig with a trench hawg is not a bad idea. Ned rigs and squarebills are good options as well.

Owyhee River: SAME REPORT AS LAST WEEK BECAUSE ITS STILL ON POINT! Trout fishing has been really good at the O. For the fly guys, blue winged olive emergers and zebra midges…for the conventional tackle guys, jointed rapalas, shad raps and Berkley Power Nymphs under a float.

Duck valley: No change in report from the Tribal Website but we have a few first hand reports. For the fly guys, fishing has been on fire with leeches, scuds and damsel nymphs - the trick being to keep your fly trolling just above the vegetation. From the bank, long casts are required to get out over the shoreline weed growth but with successful casts - fish are biting nightcrawlers and powerbait rigs.

Lucky Peak Reservoir: Guys fishing LP are exploring 20-50’ with pinks, oranges and black to see if they can get the kokes to go. Sounds like how good it is depends on the day…that means ya just gotta go and see what happens!! Never know unless you go!

Arrowrock Reservoir: I’m still getting reports from Arrowrock that limits aren’t exactly easy but that the fish are big! A good customer of the shop is really set on throwing pink dodgers with BLACK or dark hoochies. 30-50’.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir: Mixed reports for both Kokanee and bass. For bass, the fishing seems to be the best in the morning with topwaters, neds and senkos. A new angler and friend of the shop is IN LOVE with the Great Lakes Juvy Craw. For the kokanee - look around 25 to 30’ early and then plan on fishing 40-50’ as the sun warms things up. Purple, Orange and Chartreuse dodgers have been working great!

Local Ponds: Quality of the fishing is completely dependent on the pond right now. Most are pretty overgrown right now. Some kind of vessel will definitely give you a better chance. For bass ponds, try topwater early and mix in flipping baits and senkos as the sun gets hot. For the trout ponds, try trolling shallow jerkbaits and cranks. Again, the Dynamic Lures HD Trout is a great choice for just that.

Shop News - Drawings, Hours, Upcoming Classes

• I want to personally thank each of you for supporting this shop. I hope you know how much we love our customers and are going to continue to do everything we can to help you catch fish and to serve this community.

• We will be drawing our grand prizes for our CUSTOMER APPRECIATION MONTH on Wednesday July 3rd!

• Idaho Rod and Reel will be CLOSED ON THURSDAY THE 4th and back open on the 5th!

• We just returned from the Idaho Bass Nation High School State Championship as Cascade! Idaho Rod and Reel was very grateful to be able to provide rods, reels and tackle as prizes for the winners and contestants. We want to personally thank professional angler Cody Meyer for providing the first place prizes - rods signed by him that he personally fished on tour! Congrats to Eli Meckert and Grady Churchfield, your High School State Champs and Max and Gus Epler as Champions in the Juniors division! I’ll keep you posted on their journeys to NATIONALS! If you would like to be a part of this next year - COME TALK TO ME!!

• Idaho Rod and Reel will be at iCast in July! We want to stay up on the current trends and find some new and exciting products to bring back to Idaho. We will take pics and shoot some video!

• Jordan Rodriguez with Tight Lines 208 will be teaching his Panfish School class July 11th from 6pm to 8:30pm at the Idaho Rod and Reel Learning Center. Cost is $50 and comes with a tackle bag with the Panfish baits you will need to be successful. Sign up at www.tightlines208.com.

• RANDOM DRAWINGS ALL MONTH!! FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA!!

• Mystery Tackle Boxes will be Available this week!! These are $35 and include at least $50 worth of tackle. A great way to force yourself to fish something new and a fun way to get some great deals. Boxes for Panfish, Trout and Bass will be available.

• 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 July now! Our materials have been shipped and excited to get going. Better late than never I guess!!

• 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

I can’t get enough 😏 

Technically Speaking...

If you’ve ever wanted to try, I CAN HELP!!

Local and National Fishing News…and other “Stuff”

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Oooops

Cool way to rig a fluke!

Current Trout Stocking

Not fishing related but…you’re welcome…these are delicious

Salmon Reports

One of my favorite places on earth! Let me know if you ever want to go!

Great Catfishing video!

Slab Crappie!

You NEED to try this bait

Tackle organization for your kayak

New in the Shop

BKK Basilisk Worm Hooks - Insane sharp and a great shape for many thinner baits

Guys are absolutely LOVING this scale!

Catch Spotlight

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

He’s Back! Colby continuing the streak with a largemouth!

Brian and company found some good ones! They might have been using the jig…

Isaiah and David found some giants! Good job boys!

Success!! This is a big one!!

Maison with a trout on a lipless! You know, like ya do.

If only it weren’t true.

Grady with Big Bass of the Bass Nation State Championship - 4.36#!

Max and Gus with First Place in the Juniors Divison at the State Championship!

Look at the bass that I let Lance hold!

Randy getting in on the bass action!

Lisa finding a good one on the river!

Zach just catches BIGS!

Jeremy sneaking in an entry today! Great catch my friend!

Mike on a whim - tossed one in off the dock! Paid off…

Sarah with a great catch!!