Fish and Game reported that this last week of the season was one of the best for the season. It closed today, so hopefully all of the fish will survive during the winter.
Saturday was hot-hot; not weather, but fishing. I had my best day of the season on Saturday, taking 4 at Duck Creek, 4 at Hog Hole and 19 at Hope Creek. There were only 12 people fishing and all did well except for the boat using bait; they only got one fish.
I probably had my most enjoyable day fishing that I have had in 50 years of fishing the lake. I boated a 33 1/2 inch hybrid at Duck Creek, a 31 inch hybrid at Hope Creek and landed nine fish over 25 inches. What a day!!!! I also broke off another huge fish well over 30 inches at Hope Creek. You would go 30 minutes without a fish and then get 6 in 6 casts or 3 in 3 casts or 4 in 4 casts. It was fun - but cold as it was snowing most of the day and scaring off most of the other goblins.
Here is hoping for a great water year - as it has started out to be.
Good Luck and be safe.
Bill
[signature]
Posts: 3,842
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2003
Reputation:
0
It is humbling to share an office with the BS master. Bill has been very helpful in laying a trail of crumbs for me to follow on the road to fishing heaven. Everytime I hear Bill's report next to my report I am reminded that "there is no free lunch". He has explored every rock and weed in Henry's Lake for many years. I just hope that my flyfishing shoulder lasts that many casts.
Oh by the way... I caught a 22" female brookie, a 15" male brook, a 25" cutt, and a 20" cut. The 25" cut pulled out a lot of line. I can not imagine what a fish over 30" feels like. I hope I do not have to wait long as I plan on fishing Henry's hard next season.
Good Luck to all. I plan on coming down for a trip when the ice comes.
Windriver
[signature]
Posts: 1,281
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation:
0
Thanks again for the report. Now I'm regretting that I never made it up to Henry's this October.
Bill, do you think winterkill is a going to be a problem? Which do you think is more of a problem the low lake level or a late ice off?
Personally I wouldn't be surprised if a large % of the fish at Henry's winterkill. Considering that the lake is only 67% full right now, the dissolved oxygen levels could become too low in most of the lake if there is a late ice off.
[url "http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm"][/url]
[signature]
Brian,
Even though this spring the Fish and Game reported a small winter kill, I thought that it was normal deaths from spawning. About 80% of the fish that spawn die from the stress of spawning. The last major fish kill was in 1992 when it was wide spred throughout the lake.
I am not worried about a fish kill on Henrys Lake for several reasons. #1 - We have had a month of horrible east winds that have ripped a lot of weeds out of the lake and there are windrows of weeds all along the west and north shorelines. That will help with some of the rotting vegitation and the depletion of oxygen this winter. #2 - Many of the areas which are full of weeds did not have any this season and we did not have any algea bloom this year!!! None at all. #3 - The lake is rising very very fast right now. During October we got 6.2 inches of rain and the lake has risen about 3% in the last week. If you will call up the graph compared to last year, this October and historically, you will see that in the next two weeks, we could be equal last year. Just keep praying for rain before the snow comes. #4 - I will start worrying when the ice gets 3 feet deep. We have never had winter kill when the ice has been thinner than three feet. #5 - With all the water and no frost in the ground, all the rain that we have should recharge the springs and we should good flows during the winter. #6 - The fish are very healthy and have moved out of Staley Springs which means the water is good out in the lake and they do not have to bunch up over the spring areas. If the fish are bunching up around the springs, we are in trouble - not so this year.
Now for your comment about early ice out. I love it when the ice leaves in April as it gives the fish a chance to scatter, moving them from around the shore where they are hammered by open-day fishermen. Traditionally the opening day fishermen harvest about a fourth of the fish harvested. Some years the Fish and Game will write over 200 tickets for over-limits during that weekend. Not good to harvest all the fish on the first four days of the season!!!!
Right now I am very optomistic about the fishing next season. We probably won't see as many huge fish as we did this year, but we will see a lot of three-, two- year olds early and one-year olds midway through July. I hope those huge fish that we have been releasing will survive the winter and we will have them to play with again.
Thanks for the interest - I hope that I haven't bored you!!!!
Bill
[signature]
Posts: 1,281
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation:
0
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][/size][/font]
Bill,
It is good to hear that you aren't worried about winterkill at Henry's. It is also nice to have you around sharing info with the rest of us.
Do you know any good websites that show reservoir, river or snow levels?
Here's a few of my favorites that you may find useful.
[url "http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm"]http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/burtea.cfm[/url]
[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/rt"]http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/rt[/url]
[url "ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/id.txt"]ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/id.txt[/url]
[url "http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Idaho/idaho.html"]http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Idaho/idaho.html[/url][url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/rt"][/url]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][/size][/font]
[url "http://waterdata.usgs.gov/id/nwis/rt"][/url]
[signature]
Posts: 2,182
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
Bill,
Try logging out of BFT, Go to my computer, internet options, and delete your Cookies. After that type in your browser [url "http://www.Bigfishtackle.com"]WWW.Bigfishtackle.com[/url] and get to the main page, after you are here go ahead and try logging in.
This has happened lot's on the boards and this should fix your Guest problem. If it does not work let me know and I will get the fix for ya!!
[signature]
Posts: 1,281
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2004
Reputation:
0
Bill,
I would guess that it shows you as "guest" becuase you aren't logged in when you reply to my posts.
That would be great to fish with you on Henry's sometime next year. I normally go ice fishing on Island Park Reservoir and other reservoirs in the Uppersnake region several times during the winter and will invite you next time I plan a trip.
Why do you think ice fishing isn't allowed at Henry's?
I've heard a number of reasons but the one that makes the most sense is that the springs make the ice unsafe in spots and there would be too many people falling through the ice.
[signature]
Posts: 529
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2004
Reputation:
0
Hey Bill,
have you fished Island park Res latley was planning on that or the south fork this weekend, I have a pontoon.
[signature]
Brian,
I love to fish Island Park thru the ice as well, but I usually have limited time as I am a wrestling coach which takes most of my Saturdays during January, and February. Last year I spent a lot of time up there during the Christmas break.
Ice fishing on Henrys Lake would probably fish out the lake in one or two seasons. The fish are mostly congregated in three or four areas and they would not be hard to find. These areas are near springs and could be dangerous for fishermen. Another reason is that Henrys Lake is managed as a "trophy fishery" hense the two fish limit. A couple of years ago, the Fish and Game department recommended extending the season from October 31 until November 30. Pressure from the sportsmen caused them to rethink that idea. But the Department went on record as not "setting regulations to insure the safety of the fishermen." Probably the best argument is that it is managed as a trophy fishery and most ice fishermen are "harvest oriented."
I look forward to visiting with you again. Let me know when you might be heading to IP to ice fish.
Bill
[signature]
Everet,
I have not fished IP since Henrys closed as I have been chasing elk. Last fall it was excellent near the dam just off the rock ledges fishing with a Mity Mouse.
Bill
[signature]
Posts: 529
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2004
Reputation:
0
Bill,
Thanks for the advice, if i go i will let you know how it turns out. P.S. were you using a type III full sink
[signature]
Everet,
I was using a Uniform sink II, but the water is a lot deeper right now as they did not drain the reservoir as much this year. I would fish the flats, just above the rock ledge in 8 to 12 feet of water using a Wet Cel II or III line. They should be right around that depth.
Good Luck,
Bill
[signature]
