Idaho Fish Report

The reservoir elevation is currently 6,027 feet and the open water temperature is in the 30s to low 40s. Fishable ice extends down to the Confluence in Wyoming. Ice is highly variable this year, so make sure you're frequently checking thickness as you move around.

Lake trout: Recent fishing reports indicate lake trout fishing success has been good. Small lake trout are being caught through the ice north of the Confluence. They're also being caught in the open water, using a variety of techniques like trolling, casting and vertically jigging. If ice fishing, start looking for fish along the main channel in depths of 50-70 feet. Lake trout are commonly observed on the bottom, but will also be suspended in the water column, from 25-40 feet. Suspended fish are typically the most aggressive, too. Good lures to use include jigging spoons, rap baits (like jigging Rapalas or Tikka minnows) and jigs in 1/4- to 1/2-ounce weight or 3-4 inches in size. Good colors include white, glow and chartreuse. Tip the lures with a small amount of bait, like sucker or chub meat. In the open water, trolling crankbaits close to the surface or casting jigs and swim baits near shore can also be productive. Watch the fishfinder for schools of fish holding in deeper water (50-60 feet) as well. Good lures to cast or jig include tube jigs and curly tail grubs rigged on 1/4- to 1/2-ounce jigheads in white, glow, chartreuse and shad. Tip lures with a small piece of sucker or chub meat. Trolling can be effective as well, using small spoons, dodger/squids, and even crankbaits in colors mentioned above. If you're not marking fish, move, and if you're not catching marked fish, change up your presentation. This is a great time to target lake trout, specifically small ones that are overabundant and consume kokanee salmon. Please help the resource by harvesting some of the overabundant lake trout under 25 inches. This size class of fish makes exceptional table fare. For more information on areas and techniques to target lake trout and burbot, visit the Flaming Gorge Fishery Management site. 

Kokanee salmon: No recent reports. 

Rainbow and cutthroat trout: With cold water temperatures, fishing has been good for boat and shore anglers but also through the ice up north. Boat anglers can troll spoons or dodgers/squids at 10-30 feet and about 1.6-1.8 mph. Boat and shoreline anglers can do well casting too. Good lures include jigs or spoons tipped with a small amount of bait like a Gulp maggot or worm. Vibrant colors work well, like chartreuse or pink. 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. With the cold water temperatures, smallmouth bass activity is slow, making them more difficult to catch. Remember, the limit in Utah is three fish and it's catch-and-release only in Wyoming. In Utah, please minimize harvest of the larger bass, considering that they're older, slow-growing fish. 

Burbot: Burbot are getting active with the cold temperatures and can be caught from the ice or boat. Target burbot at night along rocky points and shorelines in 10-40 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.