Southern Idaho is known for mild fall weather, but this latest stretch of 70-degree awesomeness is pretty tough to beat. It looks like warm, sunny fall days will be the norm through this weekend.
Get out and take advantage while it lasts!
Lucky Peak Reservoir (Trout, Kokanee)
Lucky Peak is a great place to fish in the fall. It’s close to town, access is plentiful and there’s usually a decent bite for trout, Kokanee salmon or both. Launching a boat gets tricky late in the year as the water level plummets, but there are still plenty of trollers out, especially in this balmy weather.
Pulling pop gear trailed by flashy lures tipped with corn is a great way to target Kokanee, which typically hang out in 20 to 30 feet of water this time of year. Trout are usually a little shallower. If you don’t have a boat, it’s easy to fish from shore. You might have to hike a few hundred feet down to the water, but trout fishing can be effective using worms, marshmallows and Power Bait on a slip sinker setup.
Arrowrock Reservoir, Mores Creek and the Boise River offer nearby options if the bite is slow at Lucky Peak.
Getting there: Take Highway 21 northeast from Boise. There are multiple access points and boat ramps.
Big Wood River (Trout)
For fall colors and scenic fishing, it’s hard to beat the Wood River Valley. Fly and spin anglers alike can take advantage of friendly flows that reveal lots of great holes and channels to cast to hungry brown and rainbow trout. If you’re fly-fishing, look for baetis, callibaetis and mahogany’s coming off, and carry beetle, hopper and streamer patterns in case the hatches are slow. Spinners, spoons, Rapalas and bait, where allowed, will also attract fish. Keep track of where you are fishing, as rules vary along the river.
Getting there: Head east via Interstate 84 and Highway 20. Some of the best fishing is found along Highway 20 north of Magic Reservoir and along Highway 75 as you head north toward Hailey.
Snake River (Bass, Catfish)
Things are slowing down, but I’m still seeing plenty of bass and catfish caught along the Snake River. Warm weather helps keep bass and catfish active, so we should have at least another week or two of decent fishing. As the water cools, slow down your presentations to entice bass. Slowly working a jig, jerk bait, crankbait or tube will usually attract some attention. Be prepared — bass often don’t hit as hard in cold water, so a take might be very subtle. When in doubt, set the hook. For catfish, slowly drift worms, cut bait, chicken livers or shrimp through deep, slow-moving pockets.
Getting there: Fish between C.J. Strike and Brownlee reservoirs. Popular access points include Swan Falls south of Kuna and Walter’s Ferry south of Nampa.
Snake, Salmon and Clearwater rivers (Steelhead)
I got a firsthand report from the Salmon River last weekend. The group did well, especially considering this year’s low fish counts. Keepers were caught each day and the group landed two monster B-run fish in the 15-pound class. The A-run fish, which average 5 to 7 pounds, were much scarcer than usual. Back trolling with plugs was the ticket on this outing. Jig and bobber rigs, streamers, roe or straight crankbaits are also popular tactics. Fish and Game hasn’t been tracking harvest reports online, but if you do go out, remember to grab a steelhead tag and adhere to the limit of one keeper (hatchery only) per day.
Getting there: Visit the Idaho Fish and Game website for a complete list of fish counts, seasons and rules.
Source: https://www.idahostatesman.com/outdoors/fishing/article220543270.html
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