Magic Valley Region of Idaho Report

Silver Creek (click image for detail)

RIVERS AND STREAMS

The Magic Valley hosts several well known stream trout fisheries including: Silver Creek, Big Wood River, Little Wood River, and the Upper South Fork of the Boise River. Silver Creek, Big Wood River, and Little Wood River provide fishing opportunities for rainbow and brown trout. The Upper South Fork of the Boise provides angling for rainbow trout and fall kokanee. Fishing techniques commonly used on stream fisheries in the region include fly fishing, casting small lures, and drifting bait. Summer fly fishing enthusiast often take advantage of dry fly fishing opportunities using various mayfly, caddis fly, and terrestrial insect imitations. Those casting lures use various spinners and spoons such as panther martins and rooster tails. Night crawlers and power bait are commonly used by bait anglers.

LAKES AND RESERVOIRS

Numerous reservoir fisheries are also found throughout the Magic Valley. Reservoir fisheries offer fishing opportunities for a variety of fish including: rainbow trout, kokanee, brown trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, bluegill, crappie, and channel catfish. Popular reservoir fisheries in the Magic Valley Region include: Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, Oakley Reservoir, Magic Reservoir, Little Wood Reservoir, Anderson Ranch Reservoir, Lake Walcott, and Milner Reservoir. Angling techniques vary by fish. Trout and kokanee anglers commonly troll spoons, spinners, flies, or pop gear, fish worms and power bait on the bottom or suspended from a bobber, and fly fish using a variety of flies representing fish, midges, leeches, mayflies, and other aquatic insects. Walleye and Bass anglers typically use a variety of plastic baits, crank baits, spinner baits, and jigs. Natural baits such as nigh crawlers and crayfish also work well. Perch, bluegill, and crappie anglers typically use small jigs, spinners, or natural baits such as night crawlers. Catfish are typically caught on natural baits or prepared stink baits. Reservoir fisheries are closely tied to water levels. Drought conditions in the past and present years have caused severe draw downs in many of the regions irrigation reservoirs. Reservoir conditions are not expected to improve this year. Late summer boating access on regional reservoirs may be limited and fishing conditions may be poor. Some adjustments have been made to fish stocking allocations throughout the region in response to poor reservoir conditions. Mountain lakes, primarily located in the northern portion of the Magic Valley Region, provide excellent opportunities for secluded angling opportunities. The regions mountain lakes are stocked with rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, golden trout, and grayling. Access to many of the mountain lakes remains difficult until July and August due to snow cover.