Idaho Fish Report

You'll find good to excellent fishing for many species right now.


Kokanee salmon: Closed -- All kokanee caught from September 10 through November 30 must be immediately released. Sheep Creek, a tributary stream near Manila, is also closed to fishing.

Rainbow trout: Most anglers report good results. Spoons, jigs and crankbaits, along with common trout baits such as worms, are working from the shore and from boats. We've received reports of small schools cruising the shoreline and good fishing off rocky points, inlets and in the backs of some of the bays. Rainbows are also being caught in deep water, when anglers are fishing for lake trout.

Lake trout: Anglers report good to excellent fishing. Schools, small groups and singles can be anywhere, although most are still being taken in deeper water. If you find a group, try holding your position and drop a vertical presentation such as a jigging spoon (chartreuse) or a three-inch tube jig (white). Tip your lure with a small chunk of sucker meat and vary jigging activity until you learn the fish's behavior. Also, try trolling through or just above the school, usually around 45 to 75 feet deep. Try different crankbaits or brightly colored spoons. Deep trolling right on the bottom with small, white crankbaits or flatfish is also working well, especially if you're going after big fish. Keep your limit of small, tasty lake trout to reduce competition and help both the lake trout and kokanee fisheries. Please remember that Linwood Bay is closed to nighttime angling (sunset to sunrise) from Oct. 15 through 6 a.m. on Dec. 13. The closure is in place west of a line from the easternmost point of the south shore of Linwood Bay (mouth of canyon) to the easternmost point of the north shore of Linwood Bay (Lucerne Point).

Smallmouth bass:Fishing has slowed, and the bass are moving to deep water. Smaller fish are now more than 20 feet down, and the larger fish are even deeper. Try using darker crayfish colors in just about any kind of bass lure, including flies, grubs, worms, crankbaits and spoons. If they are not hitting, try going smaller and working your lure down close to the bottom.

Burbot: Reports indicate that fishing is starting to pick up. Pick a spot in late afternoon, so you can see your area and figure out where you want to go when it gets dark. Start fishing before sunset in 50 to 75 feet of water and move shallower as the night progresses. Burbot will hit during the day, generally in deep water (around 75 feet down), but they become more active during the twilight and evening hours when they move into shallower waters (approximately 20 feet down) to forage. Some will follow channels and move into water that is less than 10 feet deep. Try fishing along the rocky shores, points, cliffs and the old channels. Fish the bottom or just slightly above it. Use just about anything that glows (including spoons, tube jigs, curly-tailed jigs, minnows or jigging spoons) and tip your lure with some type of bait. (Cut bait, like sucker meat, is recommended.) Another good option is to use a worm with a marshmallow placed about 6 to 10 inches above the weight. Place your lure or bait within inches of the bottom and recharge the glow frequently. It is common to catch a fish immediately after re-glowing and dropping a lure. You'll help the Flaming Gorge fishery by harvesting as many burbot as possible. There is no limit on burbot.