Boise River Fishing Spots (2024)

FAQs

Where is the best fishing spot on the Boise River? ›

Located between Anderson Ranch Dam and Danskin Bridge, the South Fork of the Boise River boasts a stable population of rainbow trout, whitefish and bull trout. Hike through the lush forests and you'll have a good chance of spotting an eagle.

The Boise River offers miles of fishing in one of the finest urban trout rivers in the country. Wild trout and stocked hatchery rainbow and brown trout are abundant.

This section of river provides a unique and popular urban fishery. From Middleton to the confluence, the species assemblage shifts to more warmwater fishes, including Smallmouth Bass and Channel Catfish.

Visit nearby state and county parks. The next time you plan a family outing, head to a state or county park in your area. Many of these parks have fishing ponds, public piers, or are located on a waterway where bank fishing is permitted.

All Waters Open All Year

Except as modified in Panhandle Region Special Rule Waters.

Species Present: Rainbow trout to 18 inches, bull trout, cutthroat trout and whitefish.

The South Fork's most desirable and heavily fished water begins at the base of Anderson Ranch Dam and extends downstream about 26 miles to Neal Bridge. Below Neal Bridge, the river is managed under general regulations. The river loses its identity a few miles below Neal Bridge, where it becomes Arrowrock Reservoir.

Just like most areas in Idaho, fishing can be done spring through fall, but August and September tend to offer the best conditions for anglers.

During the day, smallmouth bass are most active first thing in the morning from dawn until mid-morning and in the late afternoon from 3 hours prior to sunrise until dusk. These reduced light periods afford bass a tactical advantage over prey like shad and crayfish which don't see as well during these time windows.

Summer Best Time

Summer bass fishing is the most popular time to fish for both largemouth and smallmouth bass as the warmer water temperatures make each species more active and easier to find. The best time to fish for bass in the summer is typically early morning or late evening when the water temperature is cooler.

Where is the best smallmouth fishing? ›

Famed destinations such as Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and Sturgeon Bay have reputations built on years of spectacular fishing. For fall angling, though – and as great as those places are – it's a lesser-known big-water smallmouth destination that shines brightest.

During the summer, the best lures for bank fishing include deep-diving crankbaits and various plastic worms ranging from six to ten inches. When the bass moves into the shallows in the Fall, load up on topwater plugs, spinnerbaits, buzz baits, and squarebill crankbaits.

Anything further than about 45-degrees out from the top of your head means that unless it is flat calm, perfectly clear and the fish is high up in the water will it see you, if at all, and then very likely on the very edge of their peripheral vision.”

While many boat anglers prefer their medium-heavy rods to be longer, I tend to max my bank fishing rods out at 7 feet. You'll often find yourself around thick, wooded areas with extremely tight casting windows, so even a 6-foot, 6-inch model is a great choice.

The best time to go fishing is typically either early morning or late evening when food is abundant and fish naturally feed. Within an hour of sunrise and an hour after sunset are the times when fish are likely to bite the most. Fishing for some species of fish is much better at night than during the day.

For many anglers, jigs are considered the best lures for river fishing near the mouth of a river, in areas of slower current, and near shorelines for walleye. 1/4 to 1/8-ounce jigs will work well in most situations. You can use up to 1 ounce in areas of stronger current.

However, the deepest point on the river is located at the Boise River Nr Parma Id with a gage stage of 8.7 ft. This river is monitored from 5 different streamgauging stations along the Boise River, the highest being perched at an elevation of 3,257 ft, the Boise River Nr Twin Springs Id.

Major rivers that run through the Forest with great fishing include the the North, Middle and South Forks of the Payette River; the North, Middle and South Forks of the Boise River and the South Fork Salmon River.

According to the IDFG Web site, the Boise River Greenbelt is annually stocked with 42,000 "catchable" (8- to 12-inch) rainbow trout.

The Arctic Grayling – which is a type of trout – is not native to the state and is a rare find in most places in Idaho. However, they are stocked in several backcountry mountain lakes.

Is a 20 inch trout big? ›

Any trout measuring in the mid-teens is a respectable fish. I think that's fair. And anything eighteen inches or over is “big.” Trout that have grown to over twenty inches are what we call a Whiskey, and twenty-four-inch wild trout are Namers — following Troutbitten tradition, you have the rights to name that fish.

Madison River, Montana & Wyoming

Yet these rivers sport wild populations that don't hesitate to bite. The Madison is perhaps the most famous of them all, with prolific hatches and great fly fishing. Flowing out of its headwaters in Yellowstone National Park, the Madison pushes 6,000 trout per mile.

Trout mostly eat insects.

Nearly all insects that trout eat originate from beneath the surface of the water. Nymphs and larvae can be found in nearly every river. Trout use these as their main source of food.

Visit the stunning River Test: a world-renowned trout-fishing spot kept pure by its chalk stream. Or, spend the day at Testside and Longstock Park Lakes, the premier stillwater trout fisheries stocked with estate-reared rainbow and brown trout that's open year-round for fly-fishing.

Just minutes away from the Idaho Angler, the Boise River is a great tail-water fishery where visitors and residents can spend a half-day fly fishing for stocked and wild rainbow and brown trout.

The Moray Eel

One of the most dangerous fish in the sea, the Moray Eel is vicious when disturbed and will attack humans. The jaws of the moray eel are equipped with strong, sharp teeth, enabling them to seize hold of their prey and inflict serious wounds.

Many inexperienced anglers specifically fish for crappies due to their abundance, medium size, and the likelihood of having one bite your line. Of all the fish on this list, crappies—especially black crappies—are the easiest fish to catch and worth pursuing if you are new to the sport.

Another good opportunity to fish is on cloudy days since overcast skies cause fish to cruise for food more than on bright days. Light rain is also one of the best fishing times, especially because it washes insects and bait into the water, creating a feeding binge for fish.

Night Time Gives Fish a Sense of Cover

Whether you are in saltwater fishing for sharks, flounder, redfish, trout, or in freshwater fishing for catfish, bass, crappie or any other species, you are more likely to catch bigger fish by night fishing.

What time of day is best to fly fish a river? ›

Afternoon - Early Evening

In the summer, fish may start to slow down if it's hot outside, but if it's not super hot, the fish will likely stay active. This can be the best time of day to fish in the fall, winter, and spring. In the fall and spring, hatches will often reach their peak around this time of day.

The Most Popular Game Fish in the U.S.

Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth) Panfish. Trout. Catfish/Bullhead.

Fishing Line Type #1: Monofilament

A monofilament line is a single strand line and is not constructed of multiple filaments like braided line. Monofilament, like fluorocarbon, is made by extrusion.

The most important thing to remember about fishing by the moon is that periods of a full or new moon tend to be the best, provided that the weather and water conditions are stable.

Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are very popular smallmouth lures when fish are active. Burning these baits along rock piles and weed edges is very effective. These are better options for deeper water, from six feet to as much as thirty feet or more.

Another favorite night bait is a 6- to 7-inch ribbontail worm on a 3/0 hook with a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce weight. Brumbaugh is partial to the Berkley Power Worm, but has success with other worms, too, as long as the bait has a swimming, ribbonlike tail.

Most lake smallmouth bass are caught in early spring or late fall. Soon after ice out in the spring and while the water temperature warms, smallmouth move from deep to shallow water. This usually happens between mid-April and mid-May.

A 15-inch bass might be an average four-year-old, a fast growing three-year-old or a slow growing five-year-old. A big bass, say five pounds, might be anywhere between six and 16 years old.

For smallmouth bass, you need to work on your deepwater techniques. Use a Tokyo rig or Drop shot on a long braided line to put a rubber crawfish on the bottom. Walk it along and wait for them to attack. Use bait creatures that should be on the bottom—in addition to Crawfish, frogs and even lizards can get good results.

What depth should smallmouth fish be? ›

In some places, deep can be 15-20 feet; in other places it can be 40-60 feet. What determines how deep the smallmouth are is the depth of their dominant forage. With exception of the spawn, smallmouth always go where their main forage is.

Anglers do well year-round for Smallmouth Bass with any bait that mimics crayfish, their preferred prey. Techniques that produce trophy Smallmouth Bass include fishing nightcrawlers, soft plastic baits, and top water lures in the summer months.

Between Anderson Ranch Dam and Danskin Bridge, about a 10-mile section, a dirt road parallels the river and provides almost unlimited wade access. This is where most of the South Fork fishing occurs and, at times, it can be overwhelmed by anglers.

A good example is the area right where a riffle drops into deeper water. Trout will often rest in the slower current below the drop-off, eating insects that are swept over the edge. Other good locations are the insides of river bends, points jutting into the current, and indentations along the bank.

Snake River. Hells Canyon is awesome in every way, the best year around fishing in Idaho. The Snake River offers consistent water temperatures to give it great winter Steelhead fishing. Choose early Fall for Steelhead, Bass, Sturgeon and Fall “King” Salmon on the same trip.

Lake trout fishing prefers cold deep water lakes, and it's crucial to get your bait or lure to the depth the trout is feeding. During mid-spring, fish at a depth of 20-30 inches. In late spring, fish at a depth of 30-45 inches deep.

Large bass and trout are often conditioned to hold in places that are difficult to reach—under an undercut bank, under a weed mat, under an overhanging tree branch, at the bottom of a deep hole, or behind a rock in fast water. All these places offer both feeding opportunities and shelter from predators.

The best time of day to fish for trout is during the early morning hours. To be more specific, fish from dawn until about two hours after sunrise. The next best time is late afternoon, from about three hours prior to sunset until dusk.

For catching trout, many anglers turn to natural baits. Nightcrawlers and other types of earthworms are an excellent choice. Salmon eggs, mealworms and locally available baits can also be very successful and often are similar to food sources in the environment.

Henrys Lake in eastern Idaho is famous for it's blue-ribbon trout fishing and is home to native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, as well as rainbow/cutthroat hybrid and brook trout. Trout grow quickly at this productive lake, and often reach trophy sizes.

What is the rarest fish in Idaho? ›

Anadromous sockeye and eel-like burbot (also known as ling) are exceedingly rare in Idaho — you could fish 10,000 hours and never encounter one.

Generally speaking, the peak of the steelhead run is usually December through February. The tactics used to catch them vary too. Salmon eggs are an ever-popular bait (the steelhead run comes immediately after the Chinook salmon run, and steelhead know how tasty and nutritious salmon roe is).