American Falls

[smallmouthchaser]

I'm a Utah guy going to school in Pocatello and my buddy and I wanted to go to American Falls Reservoir. I don't have a lot of experience fishing up here at all. I usually like to fish more fore warm water species, but my buddy likes to fish for trout, so any advice about American Falls or any other lakes that are close would be greatly appreciated. I know Devil's Creek is close, but I've heard that's mostly planters so I kind of would like to stay away from there. Anyhow, any advice on where to go and what works is greatly appreciated and lemme know if you guys need any hints on the lakes down in Utah.
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[Jigz]

SMC,

You and I must be opposites I'm an Idaho boy going to school in Utah. I still fish a good bit in Idaho and American falls was once one of my favorites. Do you have a boat or tube or will you be shore fishing?



If you can get a boat: Traditionally, good spots are trolling along the dam and the cliffs, just follow the other boats, theres usually plenty up there. We used to troll leaded line 2 and one half to 3 colors deep, but in the spring they should be shallow enough without it, especially if the flies are hatching.

At certain times of the year we also find the smath mouth bass by the tower floating out there (it might be high and dry right now for all I know.) Low water has really changed things there for the worst the last few years and I am really out of touch with current conditions. But the place still holds fish. The best advice I can give: there are many older retired folks living in and around American Falls that know that place like the back of their hand and check the water out every day, ( I'm not kidding sometimes they just go to look and don't even wet a line) but fortunaly they are friendly and willing to talk about it! Go to the boat dock by the dam and ask a few questions. They can put you on some fish.

If you're stuck to the bank you might try fishing the river a few miles below the dam, there a few good spots I could point you to. Look up Eagle rock and Gifford springs. both can be fished from shore with some good results.

If you like fly fishing, look up spring creek as well. It has some bigs ones in it.

I'm not much help, but thats what I know.



Jigz
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[BrianID]

Welcome to the Idaho board. It is good to see a few more guys posting on the Idaho board.

American Falls Reservoir has been only 3% full after the irrigation season three years in a row now. A few years ago 4lb, 5lb and larger rainbows were common in American Falls but not as many fish have carried over the last few years because of the drought. I fished American Falls a couple different times last year for smallmouths without any luck but I will still put in at least a couple hours fishing for smallmouths there this year. In 99, 00 & 01 I had some decent smallmouth fishing days on American Falls. If the reservoir didn't get so low every fall it would be one of the best smallmouth places in the state. My best luck has been on rocky structures but I have also caught smallmouths on wide open mud flats.

If you want to know American Falls current level click on the link below.

http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm

If you are looking for smallmouths you could driver over to Milner Reservoir. It is just over an hour west of Pocatello. There are is a fishable population of smallmouths by Massacre Rocks and there are also a few isolated populations of Smallmouths on the lower Bear River system.

There are some decent populations of largemouths in most of the small reservoirs around Malad and Preston. If your friend wants to fish for trout and you want to fish for bass you may want to fish Weston Creek Reservoir. If you get board of fishing at Weston you could stop at Devil Creek Reservoir on you way back to Pocatello and pick up a few planter trout.
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