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I haven't fished many areas outside of Lost River just below Mackay Reservoir and Last Chance as a fly fisher. The family has an annual get-together at Devil's creek for 4th of July as well, but I've barely had time to fish when I've been there.
I found information on Crystal Pond on the Idaho Fish and Game website today, and that it may work out to head there with my young son and a new bait fishing pole I bought for him yesterday.
For the Pocatello area fisher without a boat, what other places are relatively close to take a youngster that are safe and not overfished?
I'll post an update when the day is through and fishing opinion can be made.
P.S. How is Mackay looking just below the damn? I can't find any info for people who have been there in 2011, and its a favorite spot of mine for low traffic and decent fishing.
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Twin Lakes has been fishing well for Trout and the Bluegill should be starting up with this warmer weather . Crystal Springs has not been fishing very well lately .Curt G.
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i have been out to mackay a few times this year already and everytime i went, i was up to my neck in unusually large fish. if you can find some good places that are difficult to get to its a blast. i wasn't able to get anything to take a fly, but the worms were a major hit.
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That's good news about Mackay! I have family in Arco that I like to leave a couple trout for on my way back to Pocatello. They like eating trout more than I do, but I take a couple back for myself as well.
I'd recommend beadhead prince nymphs for fly fishing just below the reservoir, I've done well with them every time I've been there in the past 8 years, but renegades work well too if its warm. Try different sizes of prince. If one is too big, or to small the fish leave them alone. Trip-to-trip and year to year the size seems to matter a lot in success. Copper John's and other beads have treated me best on colder days.
I'll be happy to try out worms, powerbait, or anything else, as long as it works. Its a long drive for a bad outting.
Is it too deep to wade below the reservoir? The water was higher in June than May last year.
Also, my kid was incapable of sitting still for 5 seconds at Crystal Pond, and he spent a lot of time stomping on the dock, so even if there were fish there, I'm sure they were wary. I'm thinking the beach at Mackay might keep him occupied a little better and there won't be a dock for him to stomp on. No fish caught in 3 hours. [frown]
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Welcome to BFT. Thanks for the report.
Windriver
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ya the flow was suppose to be 600 last weekend and i had no problem wading. flows are to be considered in times like this spring with the south fork, but the big lost is nothing. the farmers are pumping out so much so fast that by the time it hits leslie or darlington its not a big problem for wade fishing.
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crystal springs????? is there another one i dont know about because the one I know is closed to fishing year round has been for many many years!!!!
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The one we are talking about is near Springfield Id. It is an old Hatchery and near a current hatchery . If you check the stocking report it will show it on there . Curt G.
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oh!! i did not know that!! haha i thought it was the one around mccammon!
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Mctucker and Crystal pond are right down the road from each other. I didn't have any luck the day I fished Crystal pond last fall, but I wasn't there very long and the fishing platforms were all occupied.
Does anyone know if the water has come down at McTucker enough to fish it again (and is the road passable)?
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The nice thing about Crystal Springs is it never freezes . You can open water fish it year round . The guys with float tubes seem to do better than the people stuck on the bank . Curt G.
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