Idaho Fish Report

The surface water temperature was 55 F on Oct. 31. Fishing has improved as lake trout are spawning and coming near to shore areas. Fishing has also been very good for cutthroat trout. With cooler lake temperatures, both cutthroat and lake trout can be found in shallower waters. Anglers are catching fish while shore fishing and jigging and trolling from boats. The best spots for boat anglers have been off the “rockpile” near Ideal Beach, or from the Utah State Park Marina northward to Fish Haven. Boat anglers have also had success on the east side, from Second Point northward to the South Eden delta, off Cisco Beach, and off the Idaho State Park. Anglers are catching fish trolling with flatfish and jointed minnow lures in bright colors (yellows and oranges) off Cisco Beach in 20-80 feet of water using downriggers or lead-core line. Try to keep your lure close to the bottom, or in some cases, digging into the bottom. If you're fishing for lake trout from shore, the best locations are off the Utah State Park Marina, North Beach Jetty and along Cisco Beach. If you're casting, try large spinners (#5 and #6) such as Mepps, Vibrax and Roostertails. If you're fly fishing, try large sculpin patterns or large, articulated bunny fur leech patterns.

As the lake trout spawn winds down, the fish will begin feeding and jigging from boats for both lake trout and cutthroat trout should improve. Good spots to try are off the "rock pile," First Point, Second Point and off the rock piles just north of the Utah State Park Marina. Try fishing water between 30-80 feet, and keep moving until you find active fish. Use a ½- to 1-ounce jig with a 4- to 6-inch tube, twister tail or swimbait tipped with a piece of cisco or other fish bait. Let the jig bounce right on the bottom, lifting it up about 12 to 18 inches and then dropping it back. Many of the strikes happen when the lure is falling back to the bottom, so pay attention to your line. If you notice the lure/line stops sinking, set the hook and hold on!

Boat launching is available at the Utah State Park Marina, First Point and Rainbow Cove ramps. The Cisco Beach ramp is open, but four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended if you launch there. Reminder: The trout limit is two fish. There is no longer a fin clip regulation for cutthroat trout, so you can keep any cutthroat trout up to your two-fish limit. Lake trout take a long time to reach a large size. While large lake trout are legal to keep, many anglers are encouraging other anglers to release them. If you plan on releasing fish, try to land the fish quickly and then get it back into the water without any delays. You may want to consider using a 'descending device' that allows you to release fish into deeper, cooler water.