We just got back from Brownlee and had a ball. We caught over 600 crappie that averaged 10.5 inches. That is not a fishermans 10.5 inches but a real 10.5 inches. They weren't big but they were decent. We caught one 22.5 rainbow trout which was a suprise but not as suprising as the kokanee we caught 2 years ago. There were also huge schools of catfish slurping the top of the water. You could see their whiskers sticking out of the water and you could cast into the school and catch them at will. The water was 63 when we left so the fishing will get even better. A white curly tailed jig worked really well when the sun was shining and when it clouded up yellow was magic. We were fishing just up reservoir from the cemetary. The crappie were stacked up on points.
Drew
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wow nice catch, that must have been fun! thanks for the news
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Nice job. I knew I should have went to the Cemetery but instead we went to Woodhead last week. Love them hot showers there. We came home with about 150 or so 10" fish. The fish were stacked but not biting real hard so Avery and the wife had a hard time catching. Weather was crazy so that didn't help. Bass where on fire but I never caught anything real big but probably boated and released 100+. There was a raccoon on the dam face that was funny to watch. You could pull up by the east buoys and whistle and he would come out of the rocks looking for a handout. Avery thought Dad was cool because he can call in raccoons. (there another one in the narrows at CJ that does the same thing) It was a fun family outing. Here's a few pic's.
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Those are some great pictures! I can't wait until that huge year class of 10-11" fish are another year or so older. Imagine catching that many 12-14" crappie. WOW!!!
Drew
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Looks like a great outing. makes me really want to get out more often than i do. Thanks a lot for sharing the pics as well.
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I think I just figured out where my next trip is going to be. I fished around the cemetary a few times last year but haven't been yet this year. This is an impressive haul - thanks for the update.
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did you really need 600 crappie?
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We seen that coon waiting in the rocks a month ago. He just sat there stairing at us until a dang fish slip out of my fingers. [
] He was all over it.
Great report by both of you. I do love how them cats school on the surface. First time I seen that I thought they were carp, so I casted a crankbait into it, boy was I surprised when I started hooking cats. Cats on a crank, fun fun.
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Crappie, being the cyclic fish that they are need harvest at times for their own good. There was a huge year class that is about 4 years old right now and they need thinned out. If not they will eat the forage, which includes their own fry and fingerlings and you have poor survival of future year classes. I didn't need 600 but I will enjoy them and I also know that harvesting crappie (at times) is the best thing for the crappie.
Drew
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Very nice fish! Glad you had a good time. That really makes a trip the length of yours worthwhile.
Where is the cemetery? Is it closer to Steck or Woodhead?
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It is about 8 miles north of Spring Recreation Site. You get off I-84 at Farewell Bend and take a right at Huntington and it will be the first and last boat ramp and campground on the right before the pavement ends.
Drew
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Crappie are yet another species that can stunt easily. They are extremely prolific. I'm not extremely familiar with Brownlee but if memory serves it is a huge reservoir. Waters that large will only benefit from harvesting species like crappie, yellow perch, and bluegill. Congrats on all the crappie. Delicious eats. I think the south Louisiana boys have it right when they call them a sac-a-lait (bag of milk).
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Great pics. This is making me a little
since my annual oxbow trip is probably going to be cancelled. My son made an All-Star baseball team and we have tournaments that weekend. In addition my wife was a little over zealous when we planned the trip knowing she would be 8 1/2 months pregnant. Now we are thinking it probably is not a good idea to be 30 miles down a deep canyon in the heat of the summer in that condition. So your pictures will have to suffice this year.
Windriver
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Hey, where is this Brownlee place anyway? I live in Rexburg and would love to get into some warm water species. Since I am from Illinois originally, I miss those days of catching the catfish and crappie.
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It's on the other side of the state, on the border between Idaho and Oregon.
There's probably spots where you can catch crappie and catfish that are closer to Rexburg than Brownlee.
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Crap. That's far away. Probably too far for a fishing trip.
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Glendale and twin have some crappie. CJstrike has a lot from what I hear. That would probably be the best place for consistant numbers. It's hard to beat Brownlee though. My kids are still talking about last years oxbow trip...
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Very nice pics thanks for sharing [cool]
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EZOP.. I was told to climb over to this board and contact YOU.. I hear you know a LOT about Brownlee.... so I'm here and need your help. I an taking my husband down for the first time we have ever been there and dont have a clue about the place. We will be staying at woodhead park... unless there is another place around the northern end somewhere. So we wanted to target catfish, but heard crappie is great there. so now what to do.
Can you message me? best time of year for what kind of fish.. thanks.. I know my husband will appreciate it too
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Welcome to BFT.
I haven't heard too much good on Brownlee yet this year as it is currently being drained down for spring high water.
See this post:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...ead#unread
Good luck, and you might consider checking on Oxbow too.
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