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S.E. Idaho Small mouths Map

Posted on: April 03, 2007

By Dave Langston

With unusually warm temperatures in the 70’s, small mouth bass are coming to the net and anglers in the know are cashing in on fish upwards of five pounds. From Eagle Rock downstream to Lake Walcott, small tributaries and back bays are bringing in bass looking to gorge themselves on crawfish and minnows after a long winter. The warm weather also has some of these bass in a pre spawn mode sending them into a feeding binge.

“Right now is when you can find a trophy to put on the wall. From pre spawn until the spawn bass are fattening up and are very aggressive,” says Pocatello angler Herb Sweeney. “We have done very well at the Cold Water exit and boat ramp just before Lake Walcott and also Gifford Springs. But anglers can expect good action in any of the traditional spawning areas as of this moment,” he adds.

Gifford Springs is only accessible via dirt roads behind Lamb Weston in American Falls but it is well worth your time to pull out a map and find the route. “Directions to Gifford is tough, there are too many dirt road turnoffs to explain how to get there. You’ll have to get out a topo map to find it,” says Sweeney. Small mouths will be congregating in the back of the bay near the springs and rocks. “We hauled in eight bass over four pounds last year in a single day at the springs,” says James Butler of Pocatello. “This is a honey hole I hate to let out of the bag, but man it is to good to keep quiet,” he adds. Butler is right, this has been a favorite of anglers in the know and most don’t want to share this spot due to the large population of bass over four pounds. “I strongly suggest catch and release to preserve this fishery,” says Butler and Sweeney. As of this writing the water level is down and makes fishing a bit tough but any day expect levels to rise. Dick Scully fisheries biologist for Idaho Fish and Game says he would expect the levels to rise for the spawn. “As the season progresses expect levels to rise, when Lake Walcott hits it’s carrying capacity they will release water and so will American Falls bringing the levels back up,” he says. Scully also says with the current warming trend fish should be on the bite earlier than expected. Late March and April should be a top bet to cash in on this bronze back bonanza. Good bets to catch a limit are soft plastics and crank baits. I have been using a Creek Critters pumpkin seed grub with a chartreuse tail. This is a custom-made grub and they can be reached at www.creekcritters.com. Also, Maniac custom lures produces a 3” chartreuse/holographic grub that has been dynamite worked slowly through rocks and pebble flats. They can be reached at www.maniaccustomlures.com and ordered in bulk for the season. Rapala, Rebel and Reef Runners in a crawfish color are top bets year round for crank bait fishermen.

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About Dave Langston

Outdoor writer Dave Langston resides in Chubbuck. He grew up in the Midwest and south fishing and hunting across the country.

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