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I am heading up to the Cabin in Island Park for Memorial day weekend and planning on fishing Henry's lake on Saturday and Monday. I am hoping to break my 7 ( I've lost count) year drought this year at that lake. Just wondering if anyone else is going up and if anyone wants to share any secrets to help get the skunk off my back this year!!!!!
I've read BSflies book for the 3rd time this week and have all his go to flys ready to get wet. Not sure what my deal is with that lake but I think the fish smell me coming. Maybe I'll have to bag the flys this year and try trolling!
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[black]Henry's can be very frustrating and rewarding lake. Guys that catch fish consistently at Henry's are versatile and persistent. I’ve had many days at Henry’s that I’ve gone 4 or 5 hours without catching a fish. If your not catching fish with what you’re doing, try a different part of the lake or try a different technique. [/black]
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[black]I wouldn't be surprised if the trolling pattern that I have found effective the last couple years isn’t as effective this year. I don’t think trolling will be as good of a technique for big hybrids this year. I think some of the patterns that were effective at Henry’s 5-10 years ago will start to be more effective the next year or two. On the opener I don’t think bait fishing will be as effective as trolling or fly fishing. Bait fishing may become much more effective a couple weeks later. On the opener I’m going to be trying to get the fish on a reaction bite instead of a hunger bite. Fishing in less than 15 feet of water will be much for effective than fishing deeper water. I’ve caught a lot of fish out of Henry’s in places that aren’t 5 feet deep. This year I'll be looking at 7-15 feet of water first. [/black]
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[black]I could be wrong, but I think the extra snow pack will make the water a little off color for this years opener. Henry’s is going to be very crowded on Memorial Day weekend. The rivers in eastern Idaho have been runny high and stories of big fish are going to steer many fishermen to Henry’s. [/black]
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[black]F&G have been sampling the fish population in Henry's lately with gill nets. This will give us an idea of what the population trend is looking like. [/black]
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[black]I have been wrong many times in the past. About three years ago I said that trolling is not a good way to catch big fish at Henry’s. That hasn’t been the case the last couple years.[/black]
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[black]Hopefully BSflies will post some info about Henry’s during the next couple of weeks. [/black][black]BSflies will have the best information on the out look for the opener at Henry's.[/black]
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Greetings,
The lake is full of water and of fish. Last Saturday I went up and helped Damon gill net the lake. They are averaging 12 fish per net per night with 7.5 being cutts, 2.5 being hybrids and 2 are brooks. That is a good mix and there are a lot of large fish there.
The ice left the lake last Tuesday, a week ago, and the fish are still stacked up on the shore. They should scatter some in the next two weeks, but they should still be close to the shoreline.
Usually the best fishing for me in the early season is around the A-Frame Bay in 12 to 14 feet of water. Then I would have to say the Cliffs are a very good bet. You should fish about 200 yards off the shore there. Any small springs or seeps into the lake will have some fish by them.
Since the snow flies are the first hatch there, I would be using Electric Black or Beadhead Electric Black, Purple Showgirl, Mity Mouse and chronomid patterns.
Good Luck to all of you - I will not be fishing on opening day - I usually don't. I wait until Monday after the crowds have gone and I can work where I want to.
Bill
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The lake is generally stained on the early spring fishing on Henrys Lake and will be again this year. It will usually clear after about four weeks after ice out.
The gill nets along the Cliffs had the most brook trout in them, but there is usually a nice group of brooks at the Stump Hole just west of Wild Rose early in the season. The hybrids usually like the area off the A-Frame Bay in 14 feet of water.
The gill nets are not designed to catch and hold large trout. I have never seen any hybrids over 30 inches in the nets, but have seen them this year during the spawning run in the Hatchery. The largest brook trout that we saw was about 17 inches long, but there are brooks over 20 inches in the lake.
Remember most of the large fish are sterile ones and do not get involved in the spawning run. They will be scattered around the lake in small groups. My advice is to move often and look for rising fish to get a few of the large ones.
By the way, there are fish in Henrys Lake Outlet for the first time in several years. I may fish there early Saturday morning and then go out on the lake and interview a few fishermen for an article.
In Friday's Island Park News, they will run a story by me about the the gill netting and predictions on the season. Check it out online at ipnews.com.
Best of Luck,
Bill
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Brian and Bill,
Thanks for the information and advice. It is all appreciated! Hopefully it will pay off this year and get rid of my skunk. I can't hardly focus at work I am so excited to get up there!!!! Thats good news that the outlet has fish in it this year. It can be so good sometimes and other times nothing!
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