Twin Lakes

[fast_randy]

I know most local ice fishermen love the NORTH or little lake at Twin, they love those little blue gill. But I like the big lake better. Me and Obifishkenobi fished it by the dam today. The picture from my avatar is a LM Bass I caught there a couple years ago. Today no LM, but we slayed the rainbow. Not exactly fast but steady. We fished in 9 to 17 feet of water and inches of ice. Fat rainbows two to four pounds. Shawn always outfishes me on the ice. He has the force. Lol. But he got 17 and I got 5. I lost a lot at the hole though. They fought hard.

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Shawn.

[obifishkenobi]

I know most local ice fishermen love the east or little lake at Twin, they love those little blue gill. But I like the big lake better. Me and Obifishkenobi fished it by the dam today. The picture from my avatar is a LM Bass I caught there a couple years ago. Today no LM, but we slayed the rainbow. Not exactly fast but steady. We fished in 9 to 17 feet of water and 6 inches of ice. Fat rainbows two to four pounds. Shawn always outfishes me on the ice. He has the force. Lol. But he got 17 and I got 5. I lost a lot at the hole though. They fought hard.

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Shawn.

It was a dead stick chartreuse Gizzy bug under a Kastmaster kind of day, I would jig aggressively then put my rod in the holder and walk away and visit Randy and wait for my rod to get buried then I would run over and pick it up. Surprisingly I didn’t get any on my Jaw Jacker today. The fish where really thick, brite and pulled hard. I caught most of them on my ultra light perch set up. Always a good time fishing with Randy in beautiful country.

[meancuznalfy]

Nice, we caught quite a few like that in that area a couple years ago, hopefully I can quit shoveling my driveway open soon and get out and do some fishing.

[duksnfish]

Are any crappie being caught? It seems those little devils hide in the winter some how even though the lake is full of them. Nice fish by the way. When I wasnt handicapped like I am now, years ago I loved fishing Twin. Almost always had a ball catching fish. A few years there was a time when fishing through the ice for some reason really tapered off, but, I think its back from the reports I always read now. Good luck

[fast_randy]

I herd today on Facebook that they were catching small perch on shallow side. For the life of me I can't understand why the locals drive right past four pound trout to catch 4" perch or bluegill.
By the way, I won't post on FB.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Randy I thought the lakes were north and south and don’t both have a section of dam? I’m assuming you fished the north lake though. Sure sounds like a fun trip, maybe I better buy my season Idaho license this year. I’ve been day permitting it, but that is getting expensive at close to $30 a day after vendor fees. Thanks for the report. Later Jeff

[fast_randy]

Hey Randy I thought the lakes were north and south and don’t both have a section of dam?  I’m assuming you fished the north lake though. Sure sounds like a fun trip, maybe I better buy my season Idaho license this year. I’ve been day permitting it, but that is getting expensive at close to $30 a day after vendor fees. Thanks for the report. Later Jeff

I had to look at the map. I guess we fished the South lake. As far as I know there is just one dam. As I come in from the North you drive up onto the dam first. I have never fished the South side, but I do like to check on it while I'm there. They are both connected by a small creek. 
The fishing for trout here is getting so good. Before I moved to Idaho, I had never caught a trout over 3 pounds. We have Magic, Henry's, Blackfoot Reservoir, Chesterfield and now Twin with over four pound trout. That's just the ones that I have ice fished this year. But I couldn't get to Blackfoot Reservoir because of snow. Me and Shawn fished it this fall and killed them. They will be over five pounds this year.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Randy and if you go around the little mountain to the south of where you were at there is a rock fill dam on the other side of it as well... In the spring early summer those two lakes are connected on both sides of the center island.... Man it's been so long since I've been up there, but that lake was my all time favorite as a kid... I need to get back up there just for sentimental reasons... Thanks for the info... Plus I need some more Papa J's jerky... Later Jeff

[fast_randy]

Thanks Randy and if you go around the little mountain to the south of where you were at there is a rock fill dam on the other side of it as well... In the spring early summer those two lakes are connected on both sides of the center island.... Man it's been so long since I've been up there, but that lake was my all time favorite as a kid... I need to get back up there just for sentimental reasons... Thanks for the info... Plus I need some more Papa J's jerky... Later Jeff

I must be fishing the South side or what I call the deep side. Except for bait, why do they like to catch those tiny fish on the North side?

[SkunkedAgain]

Ok Randy I think you've sold me, I'm buying the season license and I think we'll try it tomorrow. Can you remind me of any special Idaho regulations on twin? Can you use multiple poles on the ice at twin? Any issues taking a snowmobile on the ice to pull your gear? I checked out the Navionics map of twin and wow it's a lot different depth wise than I remember, but I was young and didn't have fish finders when I used to fish it more often... so I guess I didn't know much... Do they charge a fee to park up there in the winter? Sorry for all the dumb questions, just been a while since I've fished there... Where is a good place to park? Thanks Jeff
PS.... If you're going to be around come join us.... Couple BFT'ers will be joining me... I'll have the Clam x-200 with a Ski Doo Summit pulling it

[obifishkenobi]

Ok Randy I think you've sold me, I'm buying the season license and I think we'll try it tomorrow. Can you remind me of any special Idaho regulations on twin?  Can you use multiple poles on the ice at twin? Any issues taking a snowmobile on the ice to pull your gear?  I checked out the Navionics map of twin and wow it's a lot different depth wise than I remember, but I was young and didn't have fish finders when I used to fish it more often... so I guess I didn't know much... Do they charge a fee to park up there in the winter?  Sorry for all the dumb questions, just been a while since I've fished there... Where is a good place to park?  Thanks Jeff
PS.... If you're going to be around come join us.... Couple BFT'ers will be joining me... I'll have the Clam x-200 with a Ski Doo Summit pulling it

Jeff,
There is a good size parking area near the dam to park and un-load your snowmobile and I'm sure you will find  access to the ice for your machine, you can use 5 poles just like the rest of Idaho. I had to cancel my trip to Porcupine and Hyrum today, because of a death in the family I'm up in Idaho. Randy and I are planning on giving Blackfoot a go on Saturday, but he may want to change our plans and meet up with you guys, I will touch bases with him today.

[fast_randy]

Jeff, I want to come fish with you. I don't like to pass up a chance to meet other BFT'ers. And I want to see your new sonar unit.
You will be happy with your season licence. I didn't put American Falls on my list, but me and Shawn did great there this summer trolling for rainbows by the dam. 2 and 3 pounders.

[SkunkedAgain]

Shawn,
Sorry to hear of the death in the family, that is tough stuff, good time to have some beliefs to pull you through... Sorry...

Thank you very much for the info, I thought Idaho was general 5 poles on ice, but I wasn't sure... One thing I can't make out is the limit on fish like bluegill and perch... Are you allowed to keep as many as you want? Not that I keep many, but just curious since it only has trout and bass limits in the proclamation..

That would be really fun if you decide to join us, I think we are 3-4 BFT'ers so far, still waiting on two to confirm and I've heard a couple others maybe interested, so it might be a fun trip... If you get a chance to join us it would be great... My clampet ice train is pretty easy to spot... Thanks again... Jeff

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Randy,
I haven't gotten my 360 transducer yet, (still on back order) but I'm fishing with Shawn (Eylayo) tomorrow and hopefully he will bring his 360 unit so you'll get to see one in action.... If Alan (2knots) is able to make it, I heard Santa may have brought him a new high end camera that I'm looking forward to drooling over... I'll throw in my Marcum to watch what is happening... it's more of a perch tool than trout, but it might help... Anyway I'm excited to get to see you... I think we'll leave Benson just after 6:30 so we should get there a little after 7:15 ish... Not sure but Shawn may have a live scope too.... Sounds like a really fun day... Thanks Jeff

[fast_randy]

No limit on perch or bluegill. Bass is 6 fish combined, none under 14" . 6 trout.

[obifishkenobi]

Shawn,
Sorry to hear of the death in the family, that is tough stuff, good time to have some beliefs to pull you through... Sorry...

Thank you very much for the info, I thought Idaho was general 5 poles on ice, but I wasn't sure... One thing I can't make out is the limit on fish like bluegill and perch... Are you allowed to keep as many as you want?  Not that I keep many, but just curious since it only has trout and bass limits in the proclamation..

That would be really fun if you decide to join us, I think we are 3-4 BFT'ers so far, still waiting on two to confirm and I've heard a couple others maybe interested, so it might be a fun trip... If you get a chance to join us it would be great... My clampet ice train is pretty easy to spot... Thanks again... Jeff

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Randy,
I haven't gotten my 360 transducer yet, (still on back order) but I'm fishing with Shawn (Eylayo) tomorrow and hopefully he will bring his 360 unit so you'll get to see one in action....  If Alan (2knots) is able to make it, I heard Santa may have brought him a new high end camera that I'm looking forward to drooling over...  I'll throw in my Marcum to watch what is happening... it's more of a perch tool than trout, but it might help... Anyway I'm excited to get to see you... I think we'll leave Benson just after 6:30 so we should get there a little after 7:15 ish...  Not sure but Shawn may have a live scope too.... Sounds like a really fun day... Thanks Jeff

Jeff, looks like where having a Randevu tomorrow at Twin Lakes I hear we may have a good number of BFTers there tomorrow, see everyone in the morning.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Randy and Shawn. I’ve had an on and off COVID test for my wife today so we don’t know if she has it or not. One test at home was positive so she went in for the official test and it was negative, so long story but I’ll be a little late getting there, but hope to be there by 8:30. I’ll also stay my distance, I did a home test and was negative so I think I’m ok. But just don’t want to take any chances for you guys. Figures one of my most looked forward to get togethers and something like that comes up. Well I think it will still work, just a little slow. Thanks Jeff

[Royal_Coachman]

My wife and I are planning on going to Twin Lakes tomorrow as well. Probably a bit later than everyone else who is headed up there. Can someone clarify which of the lakes is the better trout fishing? Good luck!

[fast_randy]

RC, the North side or bigger lake is the trout lake.

[theflycache]

RC, the North side or bigger lake is the trout lake.

Any recent update on the ice here? Still wanting to get up that way and time is running out for me before work takes over ice fishing.

[SkunkedAgain]

The ice was about 8”, but it had an inch of good ice and then a liquid layer then about 5” of good ice underneath. It was terribly slick so have cleats. Seemed solid, but the goosh factor made it seem less sound than it was. Just use caution and avoid the open holes from earlier anglers that wore into big holes as the slush drained off through them. Fishing was better at Newton from what I seen. Later Jeff