Fishing report: Last call for Idaho bass fishing
Fishing conditions are changing across southern Idaho. Fall weather is starting to cool water temperatures and water levels have been dropping rapidly in many of our rivers, lakes and reservoirs. We still have a way to go before ice fishing season arrives, but it might be time to start altering your fishing patterns and throwing on a couple extra layers! Here are some ideas for your next fishing trip:
BASS
This might be the last call for good bass fishing in 2020. Bass are warm water lovers, and their metabolism slows to a crawl when water temps get too chilly. The good news is their semi-hibernation is usually preceded by a feeding frenzy to stock up on calories for the winter.
My most recent outing was on Lake Lowell, just before it closed to motorized boat traffic. We struck out on crankbaits and other retrieve lures, but found fish stacked up in a clump of trees and smashed them on Texas-rigged soft plastics. It was a good reminder for fall bass fishing — if your initial strategy doesn’t work, keep switching things up until you find the bite.
Another good tip for catching fall bass is to slow things down. You may find fish — Snake River smallmouth, in particular — still willing to chase crankbaits and swimbaits. But sooner or later, bass will become lazy, so slowing down your retrieve or fishing with low-movement lures like drop-shots, bottom-bouncing jigs or the Ned Rig is a good way to coax fish into eating.
TROUT
Fall trout fishing continues to be excellent in many of our local fisheries. The Payette, Owyhee, Wood and especially the Boise River systems have been producing good catch rates and lots of quality fish, mostly rainbows along with occasional big brown trout. I recommend releasing all brown trout this time of year, as the fish are getting ready for their annual spawn.
Spinners, Rapalas, flies, bait and small jigs will all catch fish, depending on conditions. Trolling or bank fishing in lakes and reservoirs can also be productive. Arrowrock, C.J. Strike, Cascade, Horsethief and Warm Lake are a few places at the top of my list. Rainbows again comprise most of the catch, but a brown, bull, brook or cutthroat trout might take you by surprise. I recommend using a worm and marshmallow or Power Bait from shore, or trolling with pop gear, spoons or Rapalas between 1 and 1.5 MPH.
STEELHEAD
Steelhead season is picking up, and while fish counts aren’t awesome, catch rates have been decent. Anglers on the Clearwater River are averaging between 12 and 20 hours per fish caught, while the Snake River downstream of the Salmon River — the most popular stretch of river to date — has catch rates just a shade under 20 hours per fish. The Salmon River is also open, and some friends of mine provided a solid report of several steelhead caught, several more lost and a couple bonus Chinook salmon. There are open seasons for harvesting Chinook on many stretches of river. Check the Idaho Fish and Game website for the latest updates.
Tight lines!
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.