Idaho Examiner: Johnson and Lamont Reservoirs"Common Sense News"

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Johnson and Lamont Reservoirs

Posted on: August 27, 2007

By
Dave Langston

Bass fishing has really heated up in S.E. Idaho over the past month. Small reservoirs often overlooked by many anglers are gems that should be explored. Johnson and Lamont both fill the order. Both, located a few miles east of Preston are good bets to put largemouth bass, bluegill, trout and an occasional tiger musky in the cooler.

Lamont has been fishing well over the past month. Cody Witt and his father have done well fishing both but Lamont fished particularly well during early and mid August. “We scored on bass up to 17 inches using rapalas and grubs,” says Witt. The reservoir is a classic setting with wood and weed patches near deep water ledges and points.

Both father and son team also say that big bull bluegills did come to the net striking at rapalas fished shallow. “They bluegills are very active and are striking at anything that comes close to them,” says Witt. Small grubs and micro jigs like Road Runners should do the trick working weed edges adjacent to water in the 4 – 6 foot range.

Tiger musky’s are also on the take but expect most fish to be in the 14 – 19 inch range. “I guess Idaho Fish and Game stocked some of these small fish in here lately, we caught quite a few but they were all small,” says Witt. Traditional bass tackle like crank baits will take tiger’s but make sure you use a steel leader to land these toothy critters.

Johnson reservoir a few miles east of Lamont is also fairing well but local angler James Butler did say the reservoir is very low. “The water is probably 20 feet below the boat ramp at this point,” he says. But with a float tube in hand Butler did manage to land largemouths from 14 – 17 inches on a recent outing.

“It is one of the better reservoirs in this part of the state with virtually no pressure,” says Butler. Rapalas and grubs did bring most of his fish to the net fishing the shallows in the early morning and late evening hours.

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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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