Idaho Fish Report

Ice is moving up the reservoir, and the U.S. Forest Service has issued a non-motorized vehicle policy banning the use of vehicles on the ice. It is now foot traffic only. Some anglers have been going out on ice in the northern arms, while most anglers are now fishing from boats. Check the ice carefully as it has frozen and unfrozen in irregular patterns. That means thin ice can be just a step away from good ice. Utah and most Wyoming ramps are ice-free, so boats can be launched. Kokanee salmon: Fishing for kokanee reopened on Nov. 30, but there haven't been any recent reports from anglers. Rainbow trout: A few anglers have reported fair to good fishing in Utah and in Wyoming. Spoons, jigs and crankbaits, along with common trout baits such as worms, are working well from the shore, through the ice or from a boat. 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. Anglers are catching rainbows in deep water when they're out fishing for lake trout. Lake trout: Anglers report good to excellent fishing, mostly from boats. Fish can be anywhere, although most are still being taken in deeper waters. If you mark a group, try holding position and drop a vertical presentation such as a jigging spoon (chartreuse) or 3-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 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 for those going after big fish. Keep your limit of small, tasty lake trout to reduce competition and help both the lake trout and kokanee fisheries. Linwood Bay is now open. Smallmouth bass: Fishing is slow. The bass are deep and will stay there until the water warms up. Burbot: Reports indicate fishing is fair to good from boats and slower up the northern arms. Try picking a spot in late afternoon, so you can see your area and figure out where you want to go when it gets dark. Be sure to take lights to find your way back. 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 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 three to six 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.