After a cold and early start to the ice fishing season, it has turned into a fairly mild winter. From the Treasure Valley, the only viable ice fisheries within driving distance are Magic Reservoir to the east and a quartet of lakes to north up the Highway 55 corridor. Those are the focus of this…
The Dam Fools Ice Fishing Derby is set for Saturday, Feb. 20 on Magic Reservoir. Hosted by the West Magic Lake Recreation Club, the tournament will award cash prizes for the longest and heaviest fish in both perch and trout categories. Registration is $10 per angler, per species. Registration begins at 4 p.m. Friday at…
Tackle Tom’s sporting goods shop will host its annual Cascade Cup tournament February 13 and 14. Contestants can compete as individuals or teams of two for $10,000 worth of prizes, including a Snowdog machine. Prizes will be awarded across multiple age groups and species categories, including trout and perch. The $1,000 reward for a three-pound,…
Hardwater fishing is in full swing! Ice fishing is a unique and awesome Idaho adventure that can lead to some memorable catches. As of this writing, the following lakes have safe ice across southwest Idaho: Lake Cascade. Home to famed jumbo yellow perch, rainbow trout and usually a few surprises, Cascade is perhaps the most…
I recently had the good fortune of landing in the Idaho state record book. I was ice fishing at Grasmere on December 12 when I caught a 20-inch, 2.27-pound Lahontan cutthroat trout. It is an honor and a blessing to catch such a beautiful fish! Lahontan cutthroat are very rare in Idaho—they are only found…
It has been a chilly holiday season thus far, but those bitter mornings and frosted windshields do come with a benefit—we have safe ice on several fisheries, a few weeks ahead of what we’d see in a typical year. Here are some pointers on where and how to enjoy the early ice. As always, safety…