Summer fishing is in full swing across Idaho. Opportunities abound for species like bass, bluegill and catfish, while conditions are improving for chasing trout in rivers, streams and high mountain lakes. Here are some updates from around the state, including some exciting stocking reports from the McCall area:
PAYETTE/ LITTLE PAYETTE LAKES
For the first time since 2014, Idaho Fish & Game has stocked Kokanee salmon in McCall’s Payette Lake. The recent load of 400,000 fingerling Kokanee is the latest step in an effort to balance the fishery’s populations of Kokanee and Mackinaw trout — two species with divergent, loyal followings in the fishing community.
“Payette Lake management is a tricky balancing act, because Kokanee are the primary forage fish for lake trout,” said Jordan Messner, Southwest Regional Fisheries Manager for Fish and Game in McCall.
The annual number of spawning Kokanee declined from more than 40,000 in the mid-1990s to less than 1,000 a few years ago— likely due to predation by Mackinaws. As the Kokanee population crashed, lake trout quality has suffered as the fish don’t have enough to eat. I saw that firsthand this winter, as we caught 20-inch Mackinaws that didn’t even weigh two pounds.
Over the past two years, Fish & Game removed about 1,400 lake trout from Payette in a twofold effort to improve fish quality and boost Kokanee populations. It appears to be working, as the most recent Kokanee run saw 3,000 spawners. With any luck, resuming Kokanee stocking will help push those numbers even higher.
While many Mackinaw anglers are unhappy Fish & Game is removing lake trout, Messner says Fish & Game is focused on removing smaller lake trout, and fish quality is starting to improve as a result.
Just down the road, Little Payette Lake recently received 600 adult smallmouth bass, which were transplanted from Oxbow Reservoir to maintain a trophy-level fishery. Late summer is a great time to catch bass at Little Payette—I caught 10 fish over two pounds during a recent camping trip there—as the fish turn on a little later because of the higher elevation and colder water temps. As a bonus, you might even catch a tiger muskie!
BASS
I’ve been beating this drum for a few weeks, but there is no end in sight to quality bass fishing in 2020. Fish in our region have finished spawning, which means they are on the prowl for small fish, crayfish, frogs, bugs and anything else they can fit in those bucket-sized mouths. Soft plastics—namely a Texas-rigged worm or crayfish—have been the most productive lures on my recent trips, although I’ve also caught fish on swimbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures. Popular fisheries like Lake Lowell and C.J. Strike continue to produce, but don’t overlook smaller lakes and ponds for quality bass fishing (and smaller crowds).
CATFISH
As I recently wrote, catfish are one of the biggest, toughest and most underrated species in Idaho waters—and summer is a great time to catch them. On my last trip to the Snake River, I tossed out some fresh cut bait (the best catfish catcher, in my opinion) and caught three big channel cats in short order, including a 30-inch monster. I have also caught cats on jigs, soft plastics and crankbaits while targeting bass or panfish. Here’s a pro tip for the summer months: when the Mormon crickets move in, gather a bucketful and hook one up under a bobber. You’ll likely catch a variety of species, but catfish especially love these big critters. When that bobber goes under, hang on tight!
Going to be stay on the middle fork Payette river
Any tips on lure selection or baits ?
Cabin is on river , just was going to do so wade fishing..
Like to hook into some smallies , but figured mostly trout ??
Hi Christian. Sorry, but this slipped past me and now I am replying too late to help you on that particular trip. Hopefully you caught some fish! The Middle Fork offers good fishing for (mostly) small to medium sized trout. Not many bass in that stretch, in my experience. A small spinner or a live nightcrawler drifted through deep pockets would probably be the best options.
If you want to catch bass in the McCall area, I recommend Little Payette Lake. It is challenging (sometimes very challenging), but the fish quality is outstanding and it’s pretty cool catching smallies in an alpine-type setting. A boat is very helpful (be careful with your motor–lots of submerged trees and stumps), and I recommend swimbaits or topwater plugs. You might want to use a wire leader, too, as the lake is home to some pretty big, toothy tiger muskie.
Thanks for reading, and tight lines!
I was fortunate enough to stay in a beautiful home on Payette lake for three weeks in September.. I fished constantly for trout from shore and from a kayak using salmon eggs, power bait and spinners and did not have a single bump or bite in all that time. The locals all told me the same thing, “forget about fishing Payette Lake, it is barren!”
Despite this, I read promotional literature for McCall, ID about Payette Lake being one of the fabulous fishing sites around the city. How about some honesty here and just tell people the truth about the fish population at Payette Lake and then steer them to nearby spots that actually have fish present?
Hi James. Thanks for your comment. I definitely can sympathize with tough fishing at Payette Lake. It is a specialty fishery, with the opportunity for those big Mackinaw trout, along with occasional Kokanee, lots of pikeminnow, and not much else. In my articles, I have always tried to be accurate in that depiction. The same goes for Little Payette, which has big smallmouth bass (that’s where that picture accompanying the article was taken) and of course the big tiger muskies. For diehard anglers, these lakes present a fun challenge to hunt trophy fish. But they are certainly not the types of lakes that produce big numbers of trout, etc. I’m sure literature purporting such information would either be outdated or just a misinformed attempt to attract tourism.
For my money, fish the Payette River or high mountain lakes (summer only) for better action in the McCall area. I do have a soft spot for Little Payette, too. It is a challenge, but it’s rare to catch a bass under two pounds, and it’s a gorgeous place to fish (and of course there’s always a chance of hooking a 40-inch muskie).
Thanks for reading and tight lines!!