Fishing Forum

Ran out of cut bait, and wanted to do some catfishing. So I went down to the big hole on the Boise River greenbelt Monday to see if I could spot any suckers. I did see a few, so I came back with my gear yesterday. Unfortunately, the river was in much worse shape.

The water was higher by about a foot, and full of tons of foul smelling floating crud and logs. I tried for about an hour, but even a 3 ounce pyramid sinker couldn't hold the bottom against the current. When I kept getting snagged, I gave up.

I did have some chicken livers and shrimp with me, plus a bunch of worms I picked up out of the parking lot at my apartment complex when it rained all night a few days ago. So I decided to head for Swan Falls.

I got there at around 7 PM, and fished all night below the dam. First I set one pole out with shrimp, and drifted a worm hoping to catch some bait. Hooked up with something big on one of the drifts that peeled about 30 yards of line off before spitting the hook. Never did see what it was, but I figure it was either a cat or a carp. There were tons of those ugly brown things jumping everywhere.

Then I caught a baby bullhead on the shrimp. It was about 8" long, and how it managed to impale itself on a 4/0 circle hook, I'll never know. It wasn't his lucky day. Since I wasn't getting much action on the worm, I switched both poles to my new cut bait.

Apparently big channels like bullhead. I caught two I'd guess around 10 pounds between 12:00 and 2:00, and lost another that felt pretty big too. I switched one of the poles back to shrimp when I ran low on bullhead chunks and caught a squawfish, which I saved for bait. Then the bite quit until just before dawn. I caught two more about 3 pounds right before sunrise. I need to buy myself a scale one of these days.

Overall, a pretty good night's fishing. Hope the Boise River clears up soon, though.
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Nice report. When you say below the dam are you at the boat ramp area or farther down?

I like to spice up my cut bait (sucker or squaw) with some shrimp flavor. Get a tub of Twin Chicken Shrimp Paste from the asian markets. Scoop out 3-4 tablespoons and put in 1 gallon zip lock. Pour in 2-3 teaspoons of shrimp oil, I use Mikes, and knead together. Then add the cut bait and knead some more to get it mixed up. I like to prep a couple days before I fish but you can fish with it right away. It works fantastic and is cheap. Oh and I skin my cut bait, some people leave skin on but my catch rate is higher when I remove the skin.

Tight lines!

Rod
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I was just upstream from the boat launch area. There's a little path on the left side that leads to an open area with a little beach. I like to cast out where the current meets the slack water. That way there's enough current to carry the smell of the bait downstream, but not so much that the sinker won't hold bottom.

I'll have to try that recipe sometime. I always leave the skin on when using cut bait. I find it stays on the hook a lot better with the skin on. If you get a hit but the fish doesn't get hooked, 9 times out of 10 the bait is still on.
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I fished down there Saturday 6-12. Fished about 1/2 mile down from dam. Caught 10 Small mouth all were to small (11"-11 1/2") nothing other then that.
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How was the river running?
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It was real good. Not fast at all.
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Planning on heading here Friday night to try and hit some cat. freezer is bare.
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Hope you get some big ones. Let us know how you do. I always have my best luck there from dusk until around 2 AM. So far I've been down there twice this year, and while I haven't gotten very many, the ones I have gotten have overall been very nice, between 8 and 12 pounds.
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Hope that holds for me.
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was down there lat night till early this am. caught two one 12 lbs and 26" and anouther 8 lbs. Lost others. Weird thing was I caught a raindow on chicken liver. Not a bad one 14".
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right on...was down there below the damn tuesday hitting the bass and crappie...hooked into a couple fish that i never saw that took me into my backing and finally broke off. Figured either a big carp or cat...
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That 26" 12 pound cat must have been a fat one. Ron
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Probably a female full of eggs. They spawn a lot later than most warmwater fish. Usually mid July.

Any tips for catching crappie out there below the dam? I've never caught one there.
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I have seen plenty of cats full of eggs, never a 12 pound 26" one. Must have been a toad. Ron
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i flyfish and they were taking leeches and nymphs...

I imagine start throwing on jibs and put them down about 8-9ft and you should find them...
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It was a fat one. No eggs in it
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