Rainbow Stocking Report - PDF file
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Windsor Nature Discovery
Anderson Ranch Reservoir
The reservoir levels continue to drop as boat anglers continue to catch a few trout, a few more kokanee and enjoy improved bass fishing. The kokanee are schooled and running anywhere from 10-30 feet deep but once you find the right depth they're eager to bite. The fish are averaging about 12 inches. Try trolling with small pop gear and Wedding Ring tipped with Shoepeg Corn will catch both trout and kokanee. The smallmouth bass are also biting fairly well along the rocky shoreline; plastics and crankbaits will catch fish, maybe even topwater early and late in the day.
Arrowrock Reservoir
The reservoir levels continue to drop but that's not stopping boat anglers from catching a few trout and a lot more kokanee. The kokanee are still schooled and running anywhere from 10-30 feet deep but once you find the right depth they're eager to bite with most of the fish are averaging about 12 inches. Try trolling with small pop gear and Wedding Ring tipped with Shoepeg Corn or try trailing the new UV Signature Squid from Rocky Mountain Tackle Company to catch both trout and kokanee. The smallmouth bass are also biting fairly well along the rocky shoreline especially early in the day and towards evening; plastics and crankbaits will catch fish, but don't hesitate to try topwater early and late in the day.
Boise River
The river flows have dropped again and really getting better for wade fishing. There should still be a few Chinook salmon available to catch, and trout fishing in general should really improve. Try salmon eggs, dry flies or small spinners to catch trout, but a big juicy night crawler or dark colored leech fly pattern might catch just about anything even a big ole' salmon.
Big Wood River
The river flows are finally low enough for some great fishing. The bugs are popping up all over the river and the fish are hungry, what could be better than that. From about midday through the afternoon the fish are the most active for taking dry flies, but evening fishing this time of year can be very productive and exciting, with PMD's and Caddis coming off everywhere. Some of the best flies to use include, #12-16 Parachute Adams, #12 Green Drakes, and orange or yellow Stimulators in sizes # 12-16. In fact if you head for the mountains this weekend these fly choices will work just about anywhere.
Brownlee Reservoir
The reservoir levels are beginning to drop and will be about 8 feet down by the weekend. Anglers are still catching some nice sized crappie off rocky points and deep coves. Lots of smaller bass are also being caught all over the reservoir near the shore, but you need to fish early or go deeper for bigger fish. The bass are mostly taking plastics but you might try a top water plug, or buzzbait early or late in the day. Light jigs for crappie and nasty ole' stinkbait for cats which are also biting fairly well, especially at night. All the major boat ramps are still available.
Cascade Reservoir
Anglers are still catching a few nice perch, but it's the trollers who are having their best luck catching trout. The best way to catch perch is from a boat jigging small fire colored jigs tipped with a worm in about 15-20 feet. Rapalas and small pop gear work best for trout, and even bait fishermen have been catching a few trout, mostly below the dam, using worms or PowerBait. The smallmouth bass are biting plastics, but jerkbaits or maybe even top water will entice fish early or late in the day.
C.J. Strike Reservoir
The crappie fishing has been better but you can still catch fish, and the perch fishing is also slow. Look for crappie to be in 10-20 feet off steeper banks, and perch to be in open water between 12-24 feet. The trout fishing is only so so with hot weather but the catfish are really starting to bite. The bass are also biting fairly well, try crankbaits, jerkbaits, and plastics to catch bass, and Bowker's Catfish Bait or nightcrawlers for cats.
High Mountain lakes and streams
Fishing is in the high country is reaching its prime, both high lakes and streams are in excellent condition. Flows have come way down and most of the backcountry roads are open. There are several ways to go when fishing the back country, flies, spinners even small plugs, but be sure and check for special regulations on any particular body of water you may be fishing, many have some restrictions. Note: If you're not a fly fishermen you can always use a bubble float and fly combo with a spinning rig to catch plenty of hardy trout in the mountains.
Horsethief Reservoir
Bank anglers are still catching fewer trout than boat anglers who are catching more fish trolling small pop gear, spinners and flies. Bank fishermen are still a catching few fish using worms, marshmallows and PowerBait. Fly fishermen are using slow slink lines and Sheep Creek Specials or other minnow or small olive and black colored leech, nymph, or damsel patterns to catch fish. But again, the fishing has slowed some with warmer temps because many of the fish have gone deep and are harder to catch. Early and late in the day are the best times to fish either by boat or from the bank.
Lake Lowell
The bass are still biting, the earlier in the day the better, especially before the pleasure boaters takes over, or wait until evening just before sun down. The reservoir levels are still slowly dropping so the fish are continuing to move out to the available structure. Try pitchin' or buzzin' plastics and tossing spinnerbaits or buzzbaits in and around the open pockets of remaining structure. The catfish are biting fairly well, especially early or late in the day but crappie and bluegill is suffering with hot weather.
Local Ponds
Most of the Treasure Valley's ponds are still producing trout, hungry bass, bluegill and catfish so many of them are good places to wet a line if you can't get out of town.
Lucky Peak
The reservoir is all but full and with stable conditions, both weather and water; boat anglers are catching kokanee and some trout. If you go, try trolling small pop gear trailed with either a Wedding Ring tipped with shoepeg corn or a scented Signature Squid by Rocky Mountain Tackle. You will still need to adjust your fishing depth to locate fish depending on the time of day you're fishing. The smallmouth are mostly taking plastics, but don't hesitate to throw a top water plug in the backs of coves in the evening. All of the boat ramps are available.
Mann Creek Reservoir
The reservoir is still fairly full but continuing to drop. Bank anglers are not catching as many fish from shore as boat anglers are trolling, but if you don't have a boat try using bait like Powerbait, worms or marshmallows to catch fish and go early or stay late. Boaters are trolling a little deeper with small Rapalas, spinners or also flies. Fly fishermen should use small olive colored nymphs and Woolly Buggers on sinking lines. The bass are deeper during the day now that the water has warmed up, but on cloudier days or early and late in the day they will still be up cruising the shoreline.
Middle Fork of the Boise River
The flows are still a little above normal and while some anglers are reporting catching a few fish its still not as good as it will be soon. A few hoppers are showing up but until the flows come down the best fishing is yet to come.
Mt. View Reservoir (Duck Valley)
Not much has changed, fly fisherman on Mt.View still have the edge. Not too many bait anglers but the few that are fishing manage to catch some fish in spite of the weeds starting to get bad. Black leech patterns with a flashy tail seem to be fly fishermen's choice. A recent creel survey put the catch rates at about 3 fish per hour. Sheep Creek is fishing as well for bass fishermen and trout fishermen, one angler recently harvested a 4.14 pound bass. Fishing was slow for fly fishermen recently and only so so for bait fishermen. Lake Billy Shaw anglers reported higher catch rates as well with fish up to 20-inches being caught. If you want to check the latest conditions call the Shoshone Paiute Tribal Office - Toll Free: (800) 761-9133.
Owyhee Reservoir
Crappie fishing remains slow with warm temperatures although some anglers are still catching a few fish off steeper bluffs and big rocky points and under docks using small jigs. Folks are still catching bass; especially early or late in the day because once the sun gets up the bass are a lot harder to find. Try fishing plastics like Senko's or spider jigs from 5-15 feet off big rocky points, rockslides and islands during the day. First thing in the morning try a top water plug like a Pop R, Chug Bug, or Devils Horse. Special Note: If you decide to fish off any boat docks up the reservoir, other than the ones at the various campgrounds, remember, they are private docks. You should always treat them with respect and never pull, push or drag them into shore so you can fish from them. All too often well intentioned anglers drag private docks onto shore so they can fish and then leave them to become high a dry by the time their owners return finding their docks virtually worthless, sometimes for years.
Owyhee River
The flows are still running about normal between 180-200 cfs. Anglers are still catching most of their fish on caddis and PMD's, but don't hesitate to try streamers early or late in the day. Smaller sized flies in either dry or emerger, cripple, and spinner patterns are all working, mostly in the afternoon. Fish the open pools with the dries, or add an emerger as a dropper, and try cripples or spinners while fishing the riffles and tailouts into the pools.
Silver Creek
The Trico's are starting to show, and with other bugs in air this is a good time to try your hand and some challenging dry fly fishing.
Snake River (C. J. Strike all the way to Oregon)
Fishing for bass continues to be fairly good up and down the river, and its especially good for cats at night right now. If you go try crankbaits, spinners and crawdad or minnow colored plastics for bass, and crickets, nightcrawlers, or Bowker's Catfish Bait for the cats.
South Fork of the Boise River
The flows dropped recently but are still running just above normal at around 1600 cfs. The fishing has been fairly good, especially now that salmon flies are being found throughout the canyon along with caddis and PMD's.
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
