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Hello everyone,
I'm new to BFT and have enjoyed the conversations so far. I will be moving to Southern Idaho next month and have some questions about ice fishing in the area. I will be in the Twin Falls area. I was just curious if anyone has favorite bodies of water to ice fish for perch, crappie, trout, walleye, and kokanee. You don't have to share exact spots if you don't want to, but a point in the general direction for certain species would be nice, again, as it pertains to ice fishing. Thanks in advance!
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Welcome to BFT.
You are kind of in the middle of Southern Idaho. I don't fish the area much but there are times when Magic has been good for rainbows and perch. CJ Strike can be fun if it freezes. I've never fished Salmon Falls Creek Res. but I've heard good things if it freezes properly.
I like Mackay and Ririe for Kokanee both are long drives.
I am sure locals will be more helpful.
Windriver
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Thanks Windriver,
I appreciate the heads up, thank you. How is Mackay for the Kokes (winter or summer)? Also, your post made it seem like things don't always freeze up around Twin Falls, I know we've had some weird weather in the past two years, but is it really a toss up if things freeze in that area?
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Won't get much ice til mid December
Then it stays til march
Salmon falls creek res is closest
Then there's Oakley, Walcott, Magic, CJ, Dog Creek, Dierkies, Stone, Emerald and we even fished Milner last year.
Until we get safe ice there's lots of good fall fishing and the river never freezes.
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Thanks dtayboyz,
I appreciate the info about which reservoirs would be worth looking at and ice timelines. Would you or anyone be willing to share which species you target at each reservoir? You don't have to name particular spots or lures, but it would be nice to know which body of water is worth targeting a certain species in.
Salmon Creek Falls- I hear this is a pretty good Walleye fishery?
CJ- I have heard this is a decent fishery for perch and crappie?
Magic- trout?
Any added info about species in the lakes mentioned in your post would be appreciated, thanks for the input so far!
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A bit of a drive, but you should check out the huge perch in Cascade.
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Thanks Johng,
I have heard, and seen pictures, of some monster perch in that lake. I will make that drive at least once this winter. Any recommendations on a good time to fish it through the ice? Thanks for the heads up!
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If you're up for a long drive I'd recommend Henry's lake as well for trout. But it's only open until January.
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Belasko
Henry's makes my list of "worth the drive" spots, thanks for the info.
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When you come up to Henry's let me know . I fish it a lot thru the ice . I might have some updated information . If that happens to be a day I am fishing would love the company.
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Curt69,
Will do, thanks for the invite!
Anyone ever fished for Walleye through the ice at Salmon Falls Creek Res, or Oakley? If so, how was it? Does Salmon Falls Creek freeze most years? Thanks for all of the good info so far!
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I have fished sfcr often and the eyes are hard to find and may need to be done at night for any decnt size and numbers. This IS have not done, fish at night.
Oakley also has eyes but also difficult to find.
If cj freeses it's the best perch fishing around the cottonwood area.
Dogwood is good for planter trout including goldens.
What do you like to fish for?
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Thanks Michael,
I appreciate the input. I grew up ice fishing in Utah chasing trout. This season I wanted to try something new, hence the interest in Walleye through the ice. I would like to focus on perch and crappie also this winter. So any suggestions are welcome. I just bought a flasher, so I'm sure this will help my odds.
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Nobody catches walleye thru the ice in Idaho.
Not that is not possible, is just to dangerous and access sucks.
I have never saw a snowmobile on sfcr and 4 wheelers never travel to far.
It freezes strange being a canyon.
I've had several friends fall thru the ice.
I'm sure somebody catches them, but they're not talking.
Elevation is over 6000 ft.
I'd be happy to show you.
We won't ice fish til after thanksgiving.
The perch at CJ are 11+ inches this fall, haven't caught any small ones this season, hope they didn't get ate by the bass.
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dtayboyz,
it seems like your first post made it sound like there is ice from december to march, but your recent post, and posts from others, make it sound as though good ice is kind of an issue in this area for lakes such as salmon falls creek, CJ, and Oakley?
"Won't get much ice til mid December
Then it stays til march
Salmon falls creek res is closest
Then there's Oakley, Walcott, Magic, CJ, Dog Creek, Dierkies, Stone, Emerald and we even fished Milner last year. "
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It's plenty cold, but rocks hold heat. There will be 12 inches of ice near shore but I won't walk across the lake. I've seen boats troll as we're ice fishing. CJ is the river, so it's moving. The ice fishing is usually in the Bruneau arm and last year there was one week of safe ice. Magic is thick enough to drive your pickup on. Bell rapids is warm enough to catch largemouth year round, but no harvest. Welcome to the snake river drainage.
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dtayboyz,
Thanks for the info, I appreciate you weighing in on this conversation as I get the feeling you have spent a fair amount of time chasing fish in the winter. It will be a learning curve in this new area for me I'm sure!
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I fished Oakley last year, heard of some people catching walleye through the ice from the Fish and Game officer that was making the rounds. I only caught trout that day. Ice felt solid, and was around 6-8 inches but didn't venture far since it was my first time being there.
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Thanks huntid73,
I appreciate the info on Oakley, what time of year were you there?
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Little wood reservoir out of Carrie is a great place to take kids to catch limits on trout. Not much size and they are lean but ice fishing is almost automatic.
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