Owahee

[joesnuffy]

Have any of you ever fished the Owahee in the spring? I'm going to try and get over there as soon as the season opens up.

 

[Irishrover]

I haven't fished the Owyhee since 1968. We used to fish it for bass and go up to the reservior to catch crappie. But now I hear the the river below the dam its great in the spring for browns (C&R only for browns). I believe the river is open year round, but you might want to check that out

 

[Redside]

I'm going to fish it for the first time this summer. Can't wait. I've been told that June, July, & September are the best months but it's good year round with more dry fly action in the late spring and summer. I have a buddy that fly's in from the east coast once a year to fish it. He's gone 3 times in June and once in September. He said they were all great trips but the September trip was his favorite - less crowded and better temperatures.

 

[GDBrown]

Has anyone fished the Owyhee this year? I talked to my daughter's in-laws and they said it can be great below the dam. I will be over that way during the first week of September so if anyone on the East side of the state wants to fish with me that week PM me and we can make arrangements. Just so I can get to Trillium by Thursday or Friday at the latest.....

GD

 

[GDBrown]

Wow is all I can Say!

Wow is all I can Say!

I started with my ultra light spinning rod with 4 pound test line and a black/Silver roostertail at 8AM and had landed 9 fish by 10:30AM! The smallest is the one I'm holding. After a break for food and rest I put the waders on and loaded up the 6wt with a dry and a nymph dropper and it only took ten minutes to get the first one in the net. They were slurping so loudly you could here it 100 yards from the stream. I was near a perfect foam line that had large fish active all day! I quit at 3:30 after netting six fish all together. I was up to my chest in the water so I didn't take many photos as I wanted to return the fish quickly and not over stress them. the largest was about 24 inches and close to five pounds. Not bad for 4lb tippet! Enjoy the photos.....

GD

 

[idahojeff]

Really, really nice fish. What is a foam line?

 

[GDBrown]

When fishing a river there is often a foam line the delineates a seam in the current. The fish will hold just inside the foam where the current is slightly slower and dart out into the faster water to get food then return to the slower water. These fish were staying in the foam and slurping food the was very abundant. I wanted to do a stomach pump one one but since they were C&R only and pretty worn out by the time I landed them I didn't want to stress them.

GD

 

[idahojeff]

Cool thanks for answering my question.

 

[rippin fish lips]

When fishing a river there is often a foam line the delineates a seam in the current. The fish will hold just inside the foam where the current is slightly slower and dart out into the faster water to get food then return to the slower water.
GD

Hint Hint! Good advise for any of you steelheaders out there!!

 

[OnTheFly]

Gene, you've done alright for yourself this year in the fish department, starting off with that huge Deschutes red side on top water last May.

 

[Sinkline]

.

 

[bigsteel]

way to go gene,those are some beautiful fish,im glad to see you gettin out nailin some fish

 

[brandon4455]

excellent fish gene! i will have to fish there one of these days.

 

[Coastaldweller]

I love the Owyhee!! The lake is full of very healthy large and smallmouth bass and big crappie everywhere. Below the damn is an amazing brown fishery. Idaho anglers tend to hit this river pretty hard but there are still plenty of fish to be caught. In 2010 I went over there with a couple friends and fished it for a week. Had a blast catching TONS of bass/trout/crappie all week long. One flyfisherman just down from me landed a 30 incher. I can't wait to go back!