Rainbow trout seem to be the only fish biting in eastern Idaho. Is that going to change?

Weather predictions were not bully to spell sportfishing connected Ririe Reservoir past Tuesday, but I talked my friend Craig into going anyway. We’d fished nan week earlier and caught a few, and we wanted to deed nan “hot” spot again.

The area astir nan Juniper Boat Ramp was a small rough. We went up into nan Narrows and though nan h2o was muddy, we still gave it a try.

For a mates of hours, we went fishless, dodged galore snowfall squalls earlier deciding to telephone it a day. As we were approaching nan Powerline area, nan upwind died down and we saw a flock of Western and Clark’s grebes diving for food. We besides noticed nan h2o was a batch cleaner present and decided to effort again.

Ririe Reservoir is afloat and was unsmooth past week during nan storms that deed nan area. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

We had not trolled much than 100 yards earlier we had our first hits of nan day. We some landed a rainbow trout astir 17 inches agelong – capable for dinner. We continued fishing, landing 12 bully trout successful nan adjacent mates of hours for nan astir successful time of nan season. In each our trips this spring, we person not caught a azygous kokanee, our favourite food to drawback connected Ririe. We person seen mini schools of fish, but nary ample schools that usually bespeak a schoolhouse of kokanee.

As we were leaving, Bob Johnstone, nan Juniper Campground host, told america he hasn’t heard of immoderate kokanee being caught location this outpouring and that nan perch sportfishing hasn’t been bully either. But if you for illustration sportfishing for trout, moreover nan slope fishermen are doing well. Early this spring, nan trout sportfishing was besides slow, but arsenic nan h2o continues to warm, it should nutrient well.

I called nan Drift Lodge Fly Shop Thursday day and visited pinch nan manager, Luke. He said nan crystal is almost gone disconnected Henrys Lake, pinch conscionable a small connected nan southbound broadside and nan sportfishing is great. He reports alert fishermen are doing well, moreover from statement successful nan areas astir nan vessel ramps. It’s important to retrieve that Henrys Lake is only unfastened for drawback and merchandise until May 25, erstwhile it opens for a limit of 2 food per day.

“The Department of Fish and Game person started their gillnetting study connected Henrys,” Luke said. “They are reporting nan numbers of food are up, and nan size is besides up truthful far.”

On Ririe, we are uncovering nan trout are mostly shallow. If we spell heavy to effort for those we tin spot connected our electronics, we get very small action and find nan champion sportfishing is astir 10 to 15 feet beneath nan surface.

We troll astir 1.5 to 1.8 mph pinch leadcore line, letting retired 2 to 3 colors (about 40 to 60 feet), pulling a flasher and trailing a jig tipped pinch a sliver of sucker meat. We find that utilizing a ample portion of bait will get america hits, but it is reliable to hook nan fish.

Effective lure set-up for Ririe Reservoir — conscionable adhd a sliver of sucker nutrient aliases different bait. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Hopefully nan outpouring upwind will settee down, allowing america to food much comfortably and will let nan h2o somesthesia to lukewarm up a spot much connected Ririe. Many of america are hoping for a occurrence to person immoderate kokanee show up successful nan catch, but we are not expecting it. Most fishermen had a reliable twelvemonth connected Henrys past play and are hoping this twelvemonth will beryllium better.

Be observant successful each your outdoor activities. I still spot cervid and elk being killed connected nan roads, truthful beryllium alert and alert of your surroundings.

Winter crystal sportfishing apparel were basal to bask sportfishing connected Ririe past week. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com

Henrys Lake is almost ice-free and has been bully sportfishing arsenic nan crystal melts. | Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com