Playing a trout hunch on the Big Wood River
One of my favorite feelings is arriving at a new fishing hole and having an instant suspicion it’s a good one. Over time, experienced anglers acquire a knack for identifying “fishy” spots. And sometimes, they fall right into your lap.
I recently had that experience on the Big Wood River south of Ketchum. My travels took me past a stretch of river I had never fished before, so I tossed an ultralight rod and some trout gear in the trunk. I didn’t have much time, so I made myself a promise — I would only fish two holes.
As I approached my first spot, I stopped high on a ridge to survey the landscape. Right away, I picked out a deep riverbend that looked promising. But by the time I got down to the water, two anglers had beaten me to the punch. Undeterred, I fished downstream and picked up two small brown trout on one of my go-to Panther Martin spinners. After about 20 minutes, my neighbors moved on — and I moved in.
Playing a hunch, I tied on a soft plastic swimbait that’s been smashing bass for me this season. Big trout love to munch on minnows, so it seemed like a solid choice.
I flung my first cast into the deepest part of the channel and began a herky-jerky retrieve. WHAM!! A large trout hammered my lure and launched itself out of the water, peeling line off my ultralight with an audible zing. I survived two more jumps and another long run before finally gaining some line back. I was expecting to see a brown trout, but my dance partner turned out to be an athletic rainbow trout about 17 inches long. This was definitely a wild fish — the huge, white-tipped fins are a dead giveaway — so I snapped a quick photo and watched it swim back to the depths.
Fishing hole No. 1 was a success!
With time running short, I ventured downstream in search of my next stop. As I came around a blind corner, I stumbled upon one of the best-looking trout holes I have ever seen. The water — shin-high for 100 yards in either direction — tumbled off into a 10-foot-deep pool the size of a living room. You simply couldn’t draw up better habitat for a trout.
Keeping a low profile to avoid spooking the fish, I tied on a floating Rapala. Once again, it took just one cast to hook up, as a feisty brown trout blasted the lure seconds after it touched the water — and before I had even begun my retrieve!
After landing and releasing that brown, I picked up a big rainbow on a spinner and another nice brown on a sinking Rapala. Fishing hole No. 2 was even better than my first stop, and as much as I wanted to keep on fishing, it was time to call it a day.
Located just a couple hours northeast of Boise, the Big Wood River is a gem, offering serenity, awesome trout fishing and ideal flows for a fall walk-and-wade trip — especially in this awesome November weather. I definitely recommend it — and if you find a spot that feels extra fishy, trust your instincts and tie good knots. Tight lines!
Note: If you venture over to the Big Wood River, keep the Fish and Game regs close at hand. Rules vary on different stretches of river — several are catch-and-release only and/or require barbless lures and flies.
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.