Idaho Fish Report

The reservoir elevation has increased 4.5 feet to a current elevation of 6,010 feet, and is forecasted to come up another 18 feet by midsummer. Currently, all of the launches are open, but there is still some ice in the main lake near Buckboard, Confluence and Sage Creek. Ramp docks have been placed, but courtesy docks are still not installed.
Lake trout: Recent fishing reports indicate that lake trout fishing success has been variable in the open water. Start looking for fish in 50-80 feet of water; try shallower waters early and deeper waters later in the day. If you're not marking fish, move. If you're not catching marked fish, change up your presentation. Good lures to vertically jig are jigging spoons such as Crippled Herrings, jigging raps, blade baits and 3.5 inch tube jigs in 1/4- to 3/8-ounce weight and tipped with a small piece (size of your thumbnail) of sucker or chub meat. White, glow and chartreuse are good colors to start with. This is a great time of year to target lake trout, specifically small ones that are overabundant. Please help the resource by harvesting some of the overabundant lake trout under 25 inches (limits apply). This size class of fish makes exceptional table fare. Kokanee salmon: Opened to harvest on Dec. 1 but there have not been many recent reports. Some anglers have had success trolling close to the surface in less than 15 feet, using traditional kokanee gear such as dodger/squids and small spoons. Rainbow and cutthroat trout: Fishing is really picking up, especially for quality-sized fish. Try fishing close to shore and near inflows using small jigs in earth tones, tipped with a small amount of bait like Gulp maggots or worms. If you're using more than one rod, jig one and deadstick the other with a bait presentation. Trout will commonly hit either option, but may show more preference to one technique. Smallmouth bass: No recent reports. Remember the limit in Utah is three fish and catch-and-release only in Wyoming. In Utah, please minimize harvest of the larger bass, considering that they're older, slow-growing fish. Burbot: No recent reports, but they are still active. Burbot fishing will be good on the north end once the ice comes off, allowing for safe navigation. Target burbot at night along rocky points and shorelines in 10 to 40 feet of water, using glow-in-the-dark lures like Yamamoto grubs, Radical Glow tubes, Ned's Bait Box plastics and Northland Buckshot spoons. Tip the lure with a small piece of sucker/chub meat, recharge the glow frequently, and jig or deadstick the presentation a couple inches from the bottom. Please remember all burbot must be killed