Jack W: Snake River - 9/30/2024
Mon, Sept 30 Stan and jack launched at Boyer Park below Lower Granite Dam. We left the launch around 9 am and fished until 2 pm. Since we had never fished this area, we just picked a place and cast our fate to chance.
It was a bluebird day with only a slight breeze early on. The wind was calm by 11 am. There were only a few boats on the water early in the day. More boats arrived as the day wore on, but when we pulled out there were actually fewer trailers at the launch. The ones we had seen early on had pulled out before we did.
Our target was that area near the Almota Grain Elevators where the creek enters the river. We pulled bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. The best colors seem to be some combination of pearl green and gold beads. All of our fish were caught trolling upstream at a depth of 30+/- ft.
We had started at 40 ft and worked in toward the 15 ft mark before we found where they were. curiously, we never marked a fish on the sounder and were about to give up when the first fish came.
We started trolling downstream without success. We tried jigging for a short while, but there was just enough current to make staying in contact with the bottom too challenging to be effective.
Our first fish came around 11 am. We simply worked that stretch the rest of the day. All tolled we boated 3 walleye 18 to 20" and one smaller keeper. The 'eyes' hit with a bang. We lost several worms to light nibblers we decided had to have been suckers as we each landed one before days end.
Side note: The launch and campground have been updated. The docks have all been replaced. So this is a really nice facility, if anyone is looking for new water to fish with camping close to the launch.
P.S. I prefer you keep this to club members only. Locals down here have made war on the walleye. Any report of walleye above Lyon Ferry will bring the 'army' to eradicate them. Word is slowly getting around, but fishing for 'eye's right now is pleasant. Competition is minimum. The "Aluminum Hatch" is gathered at the confluence chasing Salmon or Steelhead.