American Falls Reservoir Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

The use of new technology is helping anglers catch more rainbow trout in lakes. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently the best way to locate trout, especially when they school in deep water. Rainbows are caught trolling, casting or jigging, once located on these sophisticated fish finders. Fly fishing is not covered in this website, but rainbow trout are being caught on plenty of other lures and bait.

SUMMER. As water temperatures climb, Rainbow Trout concentrate in deeper, cooler areas, especially around submerged channels and near the dam. Early morning and the last two hours before dark provide the best action. Once Summer arrived, the warmer water has driven rainbow deeper. They tend to be caught in 20 to 40 feet deep during midday. Trolling the main basin with spoons, spinners and crankbaits, using downriggers or leaded line, and drift fishing with bait, are currently the most productive methods. Later in the Summer they hang out cooler zones, around 35 to 45 feet deep. Trout commonly suspend above the thermocline, over humps, deep channel edges and mid-lake structure. Following drop-offs into deeper water, along structure or creek channels, is a major key to getting bites. Early and late in the day they feed shallower. Anglers fishing from the bank are using nightcrawlers or Berkley PowerBait, with fairly heavy weights on a Carolina rig, to get baits into deeper water.

FALL. Cooling temperatures trigger one of the year's best Rainbow Trout bites. Trout become much more active, feeding heavily in preparation for winter. Fish move into shallower water where both trolling and casting can be highly productive. Cooling water temperatures in the shallows, again draw rainbow trout out of deeper Summer depths. Early in the season, anglers catch them 8 to 25 feet deep on rocky banks, wind-blown points, and flats in the upper regions of the lake. Rainbows also feed on deeper rocky structure, humps, and ledges, anywhere baitfish gather. By Fall, these trout have had a full season to grow, and there are typically some nice size rainbow to be caught. Small spinners, spoons, jigs, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are good choices, as are salmon eggs and prepared baits.

WINTER. American Falls Reservoir can provide excellent ice fishing during winters with safe ice. Rainbow Trout remain active beneath the ice and often cruise shallow flats during early morning and late afternoon. Small jigging spoons, tube jigs and baited jigs are top producers. Once Winter sets in, ice fishing can be very productive. Jigging spoons, and jigs tipped with bait, typically catch nice rainbows out of 8 to 20 feet of water during early ice. These baits work well around the old river channel in the main basin, along rip rap around the dam, and along the edges of channel troughs. Vertical jigging with spoons, jigs and bait, have been the best approach during the early, cold-water season. In January, they often drop deeper, to around 20 feet. Ice fishing for rainbows was decent last Winter, and is expected to be good again this year. Slowly worked offerings are more likely to attract bites during colder water.

SPRING. Spring offers outstanding Rainbow Trout fishing as cold water keeps fish active in shallow water. Freshly stocked trout combine with holdover fish to provide fast action. Trout feed aggressively before and after spawning movements into tributary streams. As the water begins to warm this in Spring, rainbow trout move from their late winter holding spots, to feeding areas in 4 to 15 feet of water. A good number of rainbows are typically caught from mid morning to late afternoon, during the warmest water of the day. Inlets and creek mouths, as well as rocky shorelines and rip rap tend to warm quickly and attract feeding, pre-spawn fish. Shallow flats and rocky structure are also quick to warm in the afternoon sun. Creek mouths, points, shallow coves, and flats adjacent to deep water are popular in Spring. Mid Spring finds them feeding in 3 to 12 feet of water, after they spawn, then working out to closer to 15 feet deep. A wide variety of small spinners, spoons and bait catch most of the fish.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Smallmouth bass fishing is currently experiencing good results using the latest high-tech fish finders and forward-facing sonar. Especially anglers who fish from a boat, are improving their catch rate. Even when fishing is slow, it's easier to catch them when you know exactly where they are holding. The advent of new lures and equipment has also improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study smallmouth movements and patterns, continue to catch nice fish, even without the new technology.

SUMMER. Summer provides very good Smallmouth Bass fishing throughout American Falls Reservoir. Fish hold around rocky points, riprap, submerged rock piles, and the edges of the old Snake River channel. Early mornings, evenings, and windy days produce the best action, while midday fish typically move deeper. During the warmer months, Smallmouth bass typically feed shallow early and late in the day, in 10 to 12 feet of water. They are often caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, minnows and and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. Popular Summer holding areas include rip rap shorelines, as well as rocky points, humps and structure near the thermocline. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 15 to 25 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action.

FALL. Fall is one of the best seasons for Smallmouth Bass as cooling water temperatures increase feeding activity. Bass aggressively chase baitfish along rocky shorelines and transition areas, making both crankbaits and soft plastics highly productive. Once Fall arrives smallmouth move into coves and bays, 8 to 20 feet deep. They thrive in the cooler, shallow water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful when bass are shallow to mid depths.

WINTER. Smallmouth Bass become much less active during winter, holding close to deep rock structure where they feed infrequently. Ice fishing is available when conditions allow, although Smallmouth are caught only occasionally through the ice. Slow presentations near bottom produce the best results. Winter isolates smallies around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. Before, during and after ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 20 to 40 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tempt smallmouth to bite in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly in cold weather, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Smallmouth fishing can be very good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

SPRING. Spring offers outstanding Smallmouth Bass fishing as fish move shallow ahead of the spawn. They feed heavily around rocky banks and gravel flats before establishing spawning beds. Sight fishing becomes possible as water clarity improves. Water temperatures have risen into the 50's, and smallmouth are moving from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They are feeding aggressively in 5 to 15 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, 2 to 8 feet deep and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Some of the better spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 15 to 20 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

SUMMER. Summer fishing for Yellow Perch is very good, especially during the early morning and evening. Schools of perch gather around weed edges, submerged humps, rock piles, and channel breaks. Small jigs tipped with bait are highly effective, while anglers using electronics can quickly locate active schools. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 12 to 30 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 12 to 15 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots. Later in Summer, perch drop into 15 to 20 feet of water.

FALL. Fall is one of the best times to catch large Yellow Perch as cooling water temperatures increase feeding activity. Schools move shallower and often concentrate around remaining weed beds, rocky points, and transition areas. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 8 to 12 feet of water. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. In late Fall focus on 15 to 20 feet deep cover in sheltered bays and coves. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small jigs are ideal this time of year.

WINTER. American Falls Reservoir is well known for excellent Yellow Perch ice fishing during winters with safe ice. Large schools remain active beneath the ice, and anglers commonly catch impressive numbers by moving frequently until fish are located. Winter is arguably the premier season for yellow perch at Boysen Reservoir. Large schools form under the ice and provide excellent action. The cold of winter has driven perch in search of food and stable water conditions. They are typically caught while ice fishing in 10 to 25 feet of water. Excellent during years with safe ice conditions. Small tungsten jigs tipped with waxworms, spikes, or mealworms consistently produce fish. Last Winter, perch fishing through the ice was quite good, and it's expected to be again this year. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Later in Winter, shallow perch are typically caught when they are feeding in weedy areas on flats, in 10 to 15 of water. Other schools suspend 20 to 25 feet deep, over deeper structure changes. Fishing for them in Winter is good using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. These baits work now while ice fishing, and will continue to work once the ice is gone.

SPRING. Spring offers outstanding Yellow Perch fishing as schools move into shallow water prior to spawning. Fish feed aggressively before depositing their distinctive ribbon-like egg masses on submerged vegetation, brush, and woody cover. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers will begin to catch them in 3 to 12 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. They spawn in 2 to 8 feet of water. Later in Spring, they migrate back to deeper water to feed.