We\u2019re having a heat wave! Triple digit temperatures have become the norm across our region this month, but fear not! There are still plenty of opportunities to get out and catch some fish. As you plan your upcoming trips, here are some ideas to get you started (and a few might even help you cool off!). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eastern Idaho (Trout) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I recently had the opportunity to fish some eastern Idaho\ntrout streams that I hadn\u2019t visited in over a decade. To say they were good to\nme is an understatement! The east side of our state is absolutely loaded with\nquality trout waters, including awesome opportunities to catch cutthroat and\nbrown trout, which aren\u2019t nearly as common in southwest Idaho. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I fished the Henrys Fork of the Snake River near Island\nPark, as well as one of its tributaries. Action was dynamite, as my partner and\nI landed over 30 nice trout, including several bruiser browns. Zipping small\nRapalas through the current was our most productive strategy, and we also\npicked up a few fish drifting worms. If you\u2019re a fly angler, minnow-imitating\nstreamers would be a good bet, along with caddis and stonefly nymphs, hoppers,\nand any hatching dry flies. When targeting browns, keep their predatory nature\nin mind. Something that looks like a small fish is almost always the best lure\nfor big browns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eastern Idaho is beautiful (and a bit cooler) this time of\nyear, and there\u2019s lots to see and do in the Island Park\/Yellowstone area. I\nhighly recommend making a weekend of it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Owyhee Reservoir (Crappie, Bass) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking for an action-packed fishing trip the whole\nfamily can enjoy? Look no further than eastern Oregon\u2019s Owyhee Reservoir.\nLocated less than two hours from Boise, Owyhee is home to a variety of\nspecies\u2014including an absolutely loaded crappie population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crappie are a schooling fish known for having boom years\nand prolific populations, but they are especially thick at Owyhee right now.\nJust about every rocky point and shoreline has a school on it, and the fish\naren\u2019t finicky. Just about any style of panfish jig will catch fish, and if you\nuse two jigs at a time, there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll double up on crappie. Most\nof the fish are 8-to-10 inches, which is a good size for the frying pan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Owyhee is also known as a trophy bass lake for both\nlargemouth and smallmouth. They are harder to find than the crappie, but a\nsolid effort usually yields several nice fish, and bass over five pounds are\nnot uncommon. Be warned\u2014even large bass lures like crankbaits, soft plastics\nand football-head jigs will occasionally get eaten by ravenous crappie! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fishing Owyhee requires an Oregon license (one-day tags are\navailable), and if you\u2019re launching a boat, you must have proof of a completed\nboater safety class in either Idaho or Oregon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alpine Lakes (Trout) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n July marks the beginning of a short window anglers have\nto fish Idaho\u2019s high mountain lakes. Alpine\nlakes<\/a> are a unique draw for many reasons. The scenery is breathtaking. Most\nlakes don\u2019t get a ton of traffic. And best of all, our window of accessibility\ncoincides with peak feeding season for the fish that call these lakes home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cutthroat trout are a common find in mountain lakes.\nRainbow trout and brook trout inhabit many alpine fisheries, too. More exotic\nspecies are available for those willing to put in the work. Golden trout, bull\ntrout, arctic grayling and even tiger\nmuskies<\/a> can be found deep in Idaho\u2019s mountain wilderness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally speaking, alpine trout fishing is pretty simple.\nSmall dry flies, nymphs, grasshopper patterns, leeches and woolly worms are\nproductive for the fly-fishing crowd. Spinners, spoons, Rapalas, jigs and bait\n(where legal) will catch fish on traditional gear. I recommend packing\na float tube<\/a>, which will give you access to the whole lake and maximize\nyour chances of success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n