Fishing report: Catch big mackinaws at Payette Lake, Kokanee at Anderson Ranch

A new month brings a multitude of fishing opportunities across southern Idaho. To our north, ice fishing season continues on Cascade, Horsethief and Payette Lake, while Kokanee trolling season has arrived on the Boise River reservoirs. Mighty sturgeon are stirring in the Snake River, too, and it won’t be long until local ponds are teeming with freshly-stocked trout.

Here are a few ideas to get your March fishing adventures off on the right foot:

Payette Lake (Ice Fishing)

It took until mid-February to build fishable ice on Payette Lake, and if the spring-like weather continues, it may not last much longer. But overnight lows have been well below freezing in McCall, so the short window for ice fishing Payette remains open for now. My advice is to go on foot (no snowmobiles!), use caution and stick to popular areas like the marina in town. Thanks to deep snow and a mild winter, much of the lake is inaccessible and likely unsafe for fishing.

I ice fished Payette over President’s Day weekend, and my group caught four Mackinaw trout along with a big pikeminnow and a huge Kokanee salmon. We found Mackinaws in 60 feet of water using large white jigs tipped with cut bait. The fish we caught were in the 18 to 20 inch range — nice fish, but not big for lake trout. Mackinaw are a challenging quarry, but they can grow up to 40 inches long in Payette. Plan for a quality over quantity, and bring heavier gear than traditional ice fishing tackle. Using a flasher helps, too.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir (Kokanee)

As of this writing, boat launches are ice-free at Anderson Ranch, and anglers are already enjoying some decent trolling action for Kokanee salmon. Flashers trailed by white and pink hoochie jigs or wedding rings tipped with shoepeg corn are the way to go. Kokanee typically run shallower in cold water, so I’d start looking for fish in 10 to 20 feet. Rainbow trout and landlocked Chinook salmon are common bycatch for Kokanee anglers. Try trolling a larger, flashy lure just underneath the Kokanee schools to target Chinook, which average about 20 inches but can grow much larger. Anderson Ranch is also a quality smallmouth fishery, but I wouldn’t expect bass to be active yet.

Snake River (Sturgeon)

I’ve been hearing good reports from sturgeon anglers on the Snake River. Below Swan Falls Dam near Kuna, downstream of C.J. Strike Dam in Bruneau or the stretch of river that runs through the Hagerman Valley are good places to look for these prehistoric giants. Target deep pools and eddies and fish heavy gear with a large weight, a big, barbless circle hook and some cut bait. Trout, sucker, herring and squid are popular bait choices. It’s typically easier to find and land sturgeon from a boat, but you can catch them on foot — in fact, Idaho Fish and Game recently created two new access sites for sturgeon anglers in the Niagara Springs Wildlife Management Area near Bliss.

A Fishing Class That’s Trout of This World!

I’m offering a brand new fishing class, Trout of This World, on March 31 at the Hilton Garden Inn Boise Spectrum. Idaho anglers catch more trout each year than any other species of fish, and this in-depth class will give you the tools and know-how to catch more and bigger trout all year round. From trophy rainbows and giant browns to beautiful cutthroats and monster Mackinaws, this class has you covered!

Learn more and register on my website, www.tightlines208.com.

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.