Heat, heat, and more heat has been the story so far for July. But despite the triple-digit temperatures, there are plenty of good fishing options. By focusing your trips on early mornings, and/or fishing at higher elevations, you can mitigate the heat wave and catch plenty of fish. As you plan your upcoming trips, here are some ideas to get you started.
Horsethief Reservoir (Trout)
This mountain reservoir near Cascade provides a nice getaway, with temperatures 10-15 degrees cooler than the Treasure Valley. I took my family camping here over the Fourth of July holiday, and we caught plenty of 12-to-15-inch rainbow trout and a couple nice bonus Kokanee. Trolling 10-to-20 feet down using wedding ring-style spinners and hoochies tipped with worms and corn was the most productive strategy. Spinners, flies, worms and Power Bait are also reliable fish catchers at Horsethief, a no-wake lake that’s ideal for small boats, canoes, kayaks and float tubes. There is decent shore access, but it can fill up quickly on the weekends. The campgrounds are very nice, and all sites are first-come, first-served. Warm Lake, located about 20 miles further down the Warm Lake Highway, offers a similar mountain setting and good fishing for rainbows, along with brook trout, bull trout and small Kokanee.
Snake River (Bass, Catfish)
The Snake has settled into its typical summer pattern. Plenty of smallmouth bass and channel catfish are being caught, and neither species is particularly bothered by the heat. The biggest obstacle to fishing right now is weed growth. Topwater plugs and crankbaits are good choices for smallmouth if you can manage it. If weeds don’t allow it, try a soft plastic swimbait, worm or crayfish rigged weedless. Finesse jigs and small spinnerbaits also do a decent job keeping the weeds off. For catfish, soak natural baits like cut bait, shrimp, Mormon crickets or chicken livers. Deep, slow moving channels and eddies are best, and check your line occasionally to limit weed build up.
Alpine Lakes (Trout)
July marks the start of alpine lake season in Idaho, and with the heat, most high lakes are accessible by now. The Gem State has hundreds of mountain lakes to explore—from the Treasure Valley, the nearest clusters of lakes are found in the mountains above McCall, Cascade, Idaho City and in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Cutthroat trout are the most common alpine catches, along with rainbows, brook trout, bull trout and rare finds like golden trout, arctic grayling and tiger muskie. The fishing season aligns perfectly with the growing season for alpine trout, so catching them usually isn’t too complicated. My alpine tackle box includes spinners, Rapalas, jigs and flies, especially dry patterns like hoppers and ants.
Boise River (Trout)
Flows have receded to fishable levels, and anglers are catching some nice rainbows and browns along the river. For spin anglers, I’d have an assortment of spinners and crankbaits like the Rapala Shad Rap, along with some bait to drift (either worms or shrimp). For fly anglers, nymphing is the best bet. Hare’s ear, pheasant tail, copper john, perdigon and midge patterns are good to have on-hand, and swinging a streamer through deeper current seams might entice a big fish. The river is still moving pretty fast, so use caution when wading. Fish below Americana Bridge or above Barber Dam to avoid the float tube crowd. Tight lines!