Idaho Fish Report

Fishing has been slow to fair. The lake was stocked with approximately 80,000 fish this year as part of the process of rebuilding the fishery here. Half of the stocked fish were fry and half were catchable eight to ten inch fish. Fishing is starting to improve with the stockings, but just like after the 2007 die-off, it will take two to three years before anglers are catching trophy sized fish. There are some carryover trout in the lake from stocking a few years ago that are averaging around 23 inches and last fall’s stocked fish are averaging around 15 inches. Fly fishermen are having the best luck with black or olive wooly buggers, leeches, damsel fly nymphs and hares ears. Expect wiper and perch fishing to be slow. Congratulations to Larry Brinker of Las Vegas who caught a 23.5 lb. catfish this week, which is a new water record for Wild Horse. His group of anglers also caught a seven pound cat and a number of 12 to 14 inch trout. The trout were caught trolling spoons in the Hendricks Arm. Smallmouth fishing should start picking up with the warmer weather. No black bass may be kept until next Friday, July 1.