Fishing report: November is all about trout on Idaho rivers, reservoirs
It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and my first ice fishing column of the season isn’t far off, either. Fall has been good to us thus far, with quality fishing and beautiful weather up until the recent chilly snap. Our local trout populations certainly don’t mind the cold, so they’ll be the focus of this report. Read on for tips and strategies to take advantage of November trout fishing and more!
TROUT
No matter how you like to fish for trout, chances are you can get out and do it right now. River flows are angler-friendly, making it easy to stalk the shorelines with a fly rod (nymphs, streamers and egg-sucking leeches are good bets), spinners, Rapalas or some bait. Look for fish holding in deep pools, current seams and cut banks. If trolling is your game, conditions are good with vegetation dying off and trout patrolling shallow water in search of an easy meal. Pop gear tipped with corn and worms, wedding rings, spinners and Rapalas will usually attract bites at Arrowrock, C.J. Strike, Horsethief and Lake Cascade. Those same fisheries, along with countless local ponds, are also good bets for fishing from the bank with lures or bait (a worm/marshmallow is a tried-and-true combo).
You’ll find mostly rainbows in local waters, and they should be plentiful thanks to recent stocking efforts by Fish & Game and Idaho Power. Fish and Game recently created a new trout fishery, stocking 2,000 rainbows in Bruneau Dunes Lake. Should you catch a brown trout, keep in mind they are spawning and should be released.
PANFISH
Fall fishing for crappie and perch has been really good. The fish are stacked up in huge schools, typically a little deeper in the water column this time of year. On a recent visit to C.J. Strike Reservoir, my group caught a bunch of crappie and perch in 20 to 40 feet of water, although a few fish chased lures up shallower as things warmed up in the early afternoon. Small panfish jigs, swimbaits and Ned Rig finesse jigs were the top catchers for us. Similar results can be achieved catching perch at Lake Cascade or chasing crappie at Brownlee Reservoir. Keeping a dozen or so panfish in the 10 to 14-inch range makes for a perfect fish fry on a crisp fall day!
STEELHEAD
I’m hearing good things from the steelhead crowd, and reported catch rates are as good as I’ve seen this season. Fish are being caught on multiple stretches of the Snake, Salmon and Clearwater Rivers, with some huge B-run fish mixing in along with smaller A-run steelhead and occasional Chinook salmon. The latest harvest reports as of this writing show catch rates as low as 3 hours per fish on the Salmon downstream of Whitebird; 6 to 10 hours on the Snake River; and about 10 hours on the Clearwater from its mouth to Memorial Bridge, as well as the North Fork Clearwater.
Fish are being caught on the typical assortment of roe, jigs and bobbers, streamers, wobbling plugs and Rapala-style jerk baits. Get all the latest details on the Fish & Game website. Bundle up and go get them. 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.