When heavy rains pounded the Treasure Valley last month, I saw a Facebook photo of a guy fishing from an inner tube in a flooded parking lot. He was joking, of course, but the spirit of the photo underscored an often overlooked truth\u2014no matter how great or small, just about every body of water in Idaho has something swimming in it.<\/p>\n
We Idahoans are fortunate to have an abundance of world-class fishing destinations at our fingertips, from blue-ribbon trout streams to unique opportunities to catch salmon, steelhead and sturgeon. But some of my favorite fishing memories have come from small, off-the-beaten-path streams and lakes that you won\u2019t find on the Cabela\u2019s whiteboard.<\/p>\n
When I was a kid, I remember taking my Mickey Mouse pole down to a tiny slough in my grandparents\u2019 subdivision. A cranky neighbor scoffed at the notion of there being any fish \u201cin that mud puddle\u201d but, to his surprise and my delight, bluegill after bluegill attacked my Mister Twister.<\/p>\n
I learned a valuable lesson that day, and unlikely fishing destinations have continued to serve me well. I\u2019ve found 20-inch trout in a stream you could jump across, five-pound largemouth bass in little-known city ponds, and all manner of shapes, sizes and species of fish in irrigation canals.<\/p>\n
The trick to catching big fish in small waters is finding them. Most anglers keep their favorite spots under wraps, but that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t discover them on their own. The next time you camp at a lake, take some time to explore outlet or inlet stream. On a weeknight, get out of the house and get a line wet in a local pond or canal. Or plan a hiking trip to a mountain lake\u2014the tougher it is to get in, the better the fishing is likely to be!<\/p>\n
Well-known fishing spots are popular because they are productive and easy to access. And if you follow the crowd, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll catch some fish. But it\u2019s the dusty trails less traveled that often lead to the fishing memories that last a lifetime. Tight lines!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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