Rainbow Stocking Report - PDF file
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Windsor Nature Discovery
Anderson Ranch Reservoir
The reservoir levels are dropping about a half-foot a day. Anglers are reporting fair fishing for trout, mostly from boats but some anglers are catching trout from shore fishing the steeper banks first with worms, marshmallows, or some type of artificial bait like Powerbait. Trollers are using small pop gear, small Rapalas, or spinners. The kokanee are also still biting but you have to go fairly deep. The smallmouth bass are and up cruising early or late in the day, topwater is working great then, otherwise use plastics.
Arrowrock Reservoir
The reservoir levels are starting to drop to over a foot a day so that could affect shore fishing especially. If you go try fishing the steeper sandy banks with worms, marshmallows or some type of artificial bait like Powerbait. Trollers should use small pop gear trailed by small spinners and tipped with shoepeg corn or maggots. If you can find the kokanee they are running 14 inches or better. The smallmouth bass are cruising the shore, try plastic jigs and crankbaits. The only trouble with fishing here are the pike minnows, they are everywhere.
Big Wood River
The Green drake and caddis are filling the early and late afternoon sky! That means the river is in prime fishing shape, and many anglers are reporting some great fishing. The lower river flows are still a wee bit higher than normal, but above the East Fork confluence the river is much more fishable. The Drake's are still not in great numbers here so the best fishing has been from Bellevue north to East Fork.
Boise River
The river flows have settled to about 1300 cfs. which messes up some wading opportunities but there is still a lot of places you can fish. Fish are being caught in the deeper pools and riffles using caddis flies and PMD's for fly casters, or bait and spinners for bank fishermen.
Brownlee Reservoir
The reservoir levels are around 7 feet from full. Bass fishing remains fairly good mostly using plastics, but topwater can be a lot of fun early mornings or late in the evening. Try fished from just off the bank to twenty feet off the steeper rocky banks, points, and shelves. Crappie fishing has been fair but the fish are small this year. The perch fishing is so-so, but they're catching a lot of catfishing, especially in the shallower stretches in the upper section near Steck Park.
Cascade Reservoir
Folks are starting to catch a few trout trolling and they are still catching some nice sized perch up to 14 inches bait fishing from boats. Try using cut bait and worms. Bass anglers are still catching fish but they're not as big as this spring and you have to work a little harder to find them, try using spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics, and even topwater. All of the boat ramps are available.
C.J. Strike Reservoir
The crappie fishing is starting to slow a little with our warm weather. The fish are still there; you just have to look a little harder along the steeper banks and bluffs in the Bruneau Narrows. Anglers are still catching some decent sized trout both out in front of the dam and below the spillway. Anglers are also reporting catching perch using cutbait and worms. Bass fishing is still fairly good throughout the reservoir using topwater early, then fishing lipless crankbaits, and plastics during the day. Folks are occasionally catching a few bluegill, and a lot of catfish, especially below the dam. The sturgeon fishing below the dam remains fairly good, but only when the turbines are running.
Crane Falls Reservoir
This little reservoir is starting to moss over, but anglers are catching a few planted rainbows, a few smaller bass, and the bluegill fishing is still reasonably good, especially late in the evenings. Little poppers or foam spiders cast up against the reeds and over the submerged aquatic vegetation works great. The bluegill are not huge, but a 7-inch bluegill on a light action spinning rod or fly rod is a lot of fun.
High Mountain Lakes and Streams
While many of Idaho's lakes are accessible by now, but the trail may still be a little rough so go prepared. Also some of the streams in the higher elevations may still be running a little high but should be fishable soon. It should be a banner year for fishing in the high country so grab your gear and take to the mountains. All you need is a light action spinning rod, a casting bubble, and a few small hoppers, ant or other attractor pattern flies and you're in for a real treat. Of course bait will also work, but you better check the regulations, some high mountain lakes are limited to single barbless hooks only.
Horsethief Reservoir
Anglers are still catching a few rainbows, and a few nice browns using floating Powerbait, worms, or spinners from shore but the fish are moving to deeper water so you have to get in a good cast. Sheep Creek Specials, Stayner Ducktails or good ole' olive and black Woolly Buggers work great for fly casters, especially from float tubes. Trollers are catching fish using spinners and pop gear like Ford Fenders.
Lake Lowell
Fishing for bass is fair but the water levels are almost 11 feet down so the fish are having a hard time finding any remaining shoreline structure. Some anglers are finding fish off Gott's Point, and off the Equalizer at mid-lake, but be careful due to shallow water levels when fishing this area. Anglers are mostly tossing spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, or slow dragging plastics along the remaining structure to catch fish. Some anglers have reported catching some nice sized crappie, and bluegill and catfish should be improving as well. NOTE: Remember bass fishing regulations permit the keeping of only two bass per day, none between 12" - 16" inches, from July 1st until December 31st.
Lucky Peak Reservoir
The reservoir is fairly full and should remain at that level for awhile. Bank fishing for trout has been fair but go early because after the sun comes up the bite is over! Anglers are also still catching a few rainbows and the kokanee fishing is still fairly good with fish up to 14 inches being caught trolling with small pop gear. Try tipping your trailing spinner with maggots and shoepeg corn for the best results. All of the ramps are available. The smallmouth bass up cruising, try plastics during the day, but buzzbaits and spinners are a good bet if you can get past the Pike Minnows! Remember the boat traffic picks up midday so I would make this an "up early out early" fishin' trip!
Magic Reservoir (north of Mt. Home)
The trout fishing has been fairly good lately, with anglers catching fish both from shore and trolling around the inlets. Anglers are mostly using Rapalas to catch some nice sized rainbows and a few browns while bait fishermen are mostly using worms to catch trout from shore.
Mann Creek Reservoir (north of Weiser)
The reservoir is still fairly full but an algae bloom is getting worse. Anglers are still catching a few trout from shore using bait and worms, but the key is fishing near the inlet from a boat on the south side of the reservoir. If you like fly casting, an olive and black Woolly Bugger or olive damsel nymphs are still working fished deep over the creek channel. Boat anglers can also catch trout using small pop gear, spinners, and flies.
Middle Fork of the Boise River (above Arrowrock Reservoir)
The river flows are still a little above average and the cold snowmelt has limited any bug hatches so the fishing hasn't really taken off yet. However, the fishing should be dynamite once the caddis flies come out, the hoppers show, and the water clears and warms just a little.
Mt. View Reservoir (Duck Valley Reservoirs)
In spite of the warmer weather folks are still catching planters up to 14 inches on Mt. View, and Lake Billy Shaw is also still putting out a few fish up to 20 inches. However the moss is starting to become a factor and may soon take over. If you're a flycaster, take plenty of olive, brown, and burgundy colored Woolly Buggers and leech patterns. If you're a bank fisherman, you better have plenty of fresh worms, marshmallows, some Powerbait, and maybe even some shoepeg corn.
Owyhee Reservoir
Bass fishing is still fairly good with anglers catching limits of fish in short order, but they have to find the right structure and fish the right time of day. Try using chartreuse and white spinnerbaits, or crawdad, or green pumpkin colored plastics off rocky main lake points, steep walls, and underwater islands early or late in the day to catch fish. Anglers are still catching a few fairly nice crappie up to 12 inches using the ole' red and white jig in and rock walls, points off coves, and creek arms throughout the reservoir. As with most places right now, the fishing is best during low light hours. The only ramps out of the water are at McCormack Park and the Leslie Gulch ramp.
Owyhee River
The flows are steady at just below 230 cfs.. Our continued hot weather continues to help bring out the bug hatches but it's also slowed the fishing, especially midday. Try caddis imitations and PMD's in the evening, and there are some good midge hatches in the morning as well.
Paddock Reservoir (northeast of Payette)
The water temperatures are continuing to warm up and the algae is showing up here as well, and the fishing is starting to suffer! You can still find fish but you better fish early in the day or late in the evening.
Sage Hen Reservoir (west of Smiths Ferry)
The reservoir is fairly full and anglers are catching recently stocked trout from shore using worms and marshmallows. If you like fly casting, an olive and black Woolly Bugger, olive damsel nymphs, and Sheep Creek Specials work great! Boat anglers can also catch trout using small pop gear, spinners, and flies, or anchor up and bait fish.
Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir (south of Buhl)
Anglers are still catching rainbows, a few walleye, and a few bass. Try bait for trout, crankbaits and drift rigs for walleye, and plastics for bass. This is the time of year that a lot of walleye anglers like to fish at night; at it sure is a great way to beat the heat!
Snake River
Anglers are catching bass and catfish throughout the river. Try your best stinkbait for cats, crawdad or minnow colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and plastics to catch bass. Nighttime is a good time to fish for cats.
South Fork of the Boise River
The flows have jumped again to just above 1700 cfs. which is a little over the average for summer time flows. In spite of the rising levels the fishing has not been too badly effected, but unfortunately at these levels it makes wade fishing much more difficult. If you have a boat, or not, and can go try fishing larger stonefly patterns, caddis flies, both emerger and dry, and as always take plenty of midge or brassie nymphs in size 16-20. Pink Cahills are also showing.
Our fishing reports locations vary each week, but if there is a new lake, stream or river you would like to see on our fishing reports, . For more Fishing information in the Southwestern Region of Idaho and throughout the state, e-mail us at: askus@idfishnhunt.com
