Stillwaters, August 8th, 2024
Many area still waters have been stocked with rainbow trout by IDF&G. Go to their web site to see those included in the Upper Snake and Southeast Idaho Regions.
Still Water
Stillwater, July 31st, 2024
Until the wind comes up, Mackay Reservoir has been good fishing lately through using indicators with midge pupa patterns at the taking depth. Normal drawdown for downstream irrigation is going on, so water level seems to be stable.
Still Waters, July 27th, 2024
There has been a fish kill on American Falls Reservoir where about 250 dead rainbow trout have been found along the shoreline between the boat dock and the dam. Low dissolved oxygen content appears to be the reason. IDF&G personnel are searching the reservoir to determine if further kills are present. Only rainbow trout appear to be impacted to date.
Still Waters, July 24th, 2024
Thoughtful anglers are leaving those impoundments and lakes with high water temperatures alone until summer cools. Temperatures in shallow areas of so many of these are now nearing or slightly higher than seventy Deg. F. Waiting for cooler water helps minimize the stress of being caught then played on the hosted trout population. The higher the water temperature the less the chances of surviving this activity.
Still Waters, July 20th, 2024
The summer doldrums are here unless you know of submerged springs or significant inlets. Your best fishing success here will be early or late in the day. and at these times, look for the taking depth with nymph patterns submerged under a indicator. As with some of our streams, if water warms to around 70 deg. F. consider another place to try for salmonids because being caught and played to possession makes for tough recovery.
Stillwater, July 17th, 2024
Fish them deep unless you know of submerged springs or significant inlets Sand Creek Ponds opened to fishing from flotation devices and boats on July 16th. Speckled dun and damsel fly life cycle patterns work well. Note that internal combustion motors are prohibited.
Flies to fish:
Still Waters, July 13th, 2024
Sand Creek Pond #4
Sand Creek Ponds open to fishing from flotation devices, rafts, and boats on July 16th. Rainbow trout range to trophy size, and a few brook trout are present. Speckled dun and damsel fly life cycle patterns work well. So do fly rod jigs presented in deeper water. Note that motorized watercraft are prohibited.
Fish reservoirs deep unless you know of submerged springs or significant inlets. Early and late in the day are best times.
Stillwaters, July 10th, 2024
Oncoming heat means that fish will be moving to deeper, cooler waters in all impoundments. Best locations to fish in these will be submerged springs and creek mouths. A few high elevation still waters may be best for daytime fishing, such as Aldous, Blair and Horseshoe Lakes, Snow Creek Pond
Still Waters, July 5th, 2024
Hatching Damsels
With hot weather coming up, expect that trout in many of our irrigation reservoirs will be moving to deep waters, and that shallower waters there and elsewhere will feature a growing amount of aquatic vegetation. Such will discourage cast and retrieve fly fishing and make early and late in the day top water fishing best. Finding the “taking depth” will be a best tactic. Do so by suspending such as a midge pupa pattern at different depths under an indicator. Speckled dun mayfly and damselfly activity can be present on many of our still waters and will be a “saving grace” for top water fly fishing enthusiasts. Damsel flies emerge mainly around aquatic vegetation mats and because of their numbers fish key on them.That suggests that their life cycle patterns are useful. Look for damsels having peak hatching activity during wind free and mild weather days.
Still Waters, June 29th, 2024
Twentyfour Mile Reservoir
Twentyfour Mile Reservoir is the last we look at in the series of four southeast Idaho reservoirs IDF&G is managing as trophy rainbow trout fisheries. It is the most remote of the of these reservoirs. A summary of studies performed by IDF&G fisheries biologists is below.
At Twentyfour Mile Reservoir our crew captured one rainbow trout, three hybrids and 18 Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The rainbow trout was 19 inches long while the hybrids averaged 10.3 inches. The Yellowstone cutthroat trout averaged 14.1 inches long. This species’ average length is similar to that of the 2016 gillnetting survey when the average length of Yellowstone cutthroat trout was 14.7 inches. About 14% of the population sampled was legally harvestable, exceeding 20 inches in length. Anglers venturing to Twentyfour Mile Reservoir should also keep in mind that no motors are allowed on this small water body.
Crystal Springs Pond will be drawn down in order to complete adjacent county road repairs.