2023 Anderson Ranch Reservoir Kokanee Report

[sawtooth]

Ice off should be coming soon. Best of luck to the Fly Boys of Mountain Home AFB.

[dustyjohns]

Based on the Bureau of Reclamation we should be able to launch boats. Does anyone know how deep the snow is or if there is a ramp that’s plowed yet?

[Sportjet175]

Based on the Bureau of Reclamation we should be able to launch boats. Does anyone know how deep the snow is or if there is a ramp that’s plowed yet?

Water is iced over from Pine up to the narrows as of 3/12, no ice visible from the dam. Haven’t been by the launch though. Thinking too much snow still, unless they’ve plowed it. Nasty pothole is back on the dam, don’t lose a trailer tire!

[Silver]

You can see satellite images of anderson ranch reservoir on https://lakemonster.com/map for free. You can see that the reservoir is indeed frozen from the Lime Creek area all the way north to Pine. Do you guys think kokanee fishing would be any good in the thawed area towards the damn this early?

[dustyjohns]

Lake monster images are out of date by a couple weeks last I looked. Fishing is generally awesome in the open water near the ice. Problem this year is the amount of snow covering the ramps. Unless someone wants to go plow one it will probably be a couple more weeks before the ramps are useable.

[sage68]

Took a drive on Sunday to check on the ramps. As has been mentioned, the ice is not the challenge, there is a substantial amount of snow at the entrance and parking area of the Elk Creek ramp. The ramp itself looks to be coming off faster than the parking area-understandably.

[ThunderJetJunkie]

Has anyone laid there eyes on the ramp this weekend. I'm sure it's still snowed over but for God sakes, enough is enough. Can we just go fishing...

[sage68]

Update on the ramp as of 06APR. The ramp itself is clear, there is one section of dock in the water. The parking area has about 8-12 inches of snow still.

Hope that helps-

Surely, it won't be much longer!!

[River Rat]

Thank you very much for the update on the ramp and for taking the time to let everyone know. I like everyone else is over winter, ha ha. I was thinking about driving up next week and taking a look, think I will wait a little longer now. Now if the snow would leave and the wind would stop blowing, it would be good times for all

[msusprtn]

Was at the ramp in late afternoon to check things out. Road in was good, but some pretty good size rocks had fallen into the road. I guess the "proceed at your own risk" signs aren't there just for show. Heard what I think was a rock slide why I was at the ramp. The ramp is clear, there really isn't a parking lot due to all the snow. Just about had to have been all iced up in the morning. Was a boat coming in so I waited to talk to them. They just parked up by the road. They said they couldn't get to Lime creek and hardly marked any fish. Saw their creel of 2 fish - 13" & 15".

It's almost time, but it is still full on winter at Anderson. Mountains are 100% covered in snow. Maybe it will be a bit better in a few weeks.

[sage68]

Update on the ramp (and parking area)-

Ramp and parking area are clear! Talked to one guy that just came in, said he was marking fish between 25-30 feet and did catch some (do not know how many-I don't personally care, it's time!).

There were 8 trailers parked at the ramp. For future reference there is a sign saying the ramp will be CLOSED from 09-16 MAY.

[My Three Sons]

Had to run to Boise yesterday (Monday), decided to check Anderson on the way…
There is ice from just above Lime Creek up to the Pine end. It looks pretty rotten and thin, especially south of the Curlew ramp. Weather depending, I can’t imagine it will be an issue much longer. The ramp at curlew has patches of snow on it, but you can’t launch anyway. The campsites at curlew have not been plowed and are inaccessible.
The lake level is not as low as it was at this time last year, at least to my eyes. There is a ton of water still locked up in the snowpack up there, and I think once the real melt starts Anderson will fill quite nicely.

[kentd71]

Is it similar but just larger lures? Are they using the same portion of the water column or shallow or deeper? Are there some to be caught in Anderson Ranch? I’ve never targeted them in freshwater but would like to try that when I go to Anderson Ranch primarily for Kokanee. Any info would be helpful.

[msusprtn]

Big strike out at Anderson. Was at the ramp by the dam at around 9. There were boats out, but still room to park. I threw everything I had at them and didn't get so much as a sniff. Fished from the top to 40', double stacked & planers out the sides. I was back at the ramp and it was almost empty at around 5. Talked to 2 other boats at the ramp. 13" koke in one boat and a strike out for the other. There were quite a few boats out, I saw 1 dink get caught all day. Not very happy with ARanch. Given the lake was cleared out so early, I'd say the fishing for everyone was similar to my experience.

I think I'm going to try a different lake this weekend.

[sage68]

Saturday, fished from 1200-230 with one in the boat, and missed/lossed three others. THEN fished from 330-530 ended with 8 more in the boat (the smallest was 14"). Had two triples and three doubles on. Of the 8 landed at least that many were hooked and lost. Pink hoochie with a smile blade and a pink/chrome Spin-Glo with 34-35 feet of line out with 1 oz weight worked.

Sunday was a different story. Fished from 11-3, had 1 short strike and 4 hooked and lost. Fished same area as Saturday just North of Lime Creek. Had NO bites from 1-3.

[My Three Sons]

Thanks for the report!
Where did you launch?

[sage68]

On Saturday launched from Curlew, the dock IS NOT in the water

Sunday, launched from Elk Creek (a subtle reminder that ramp is closed 9-16 MAY per the sign at the ramp)

[My Three Sons]

Thanks for that, ninja launching for the time being.

[sage68]

Fished from 1130-5 yesterday. There were 5 boats around the Fall Creek power lines, dropped in there and fished for about an hour, had one double. Picked up the lines and ran up just North of Lime Creek, has 7 more bites there. Ended with 5 in the boat, all 15-16". Pink hoochie with the smile blade and the pink spin-glo accounted for the bites. Fish were shallow-35-45 feet of line with a 1 oz weight.

[sage68]

Fished from 1-430 on 29MAY. Had 7 fish hit, 6 hook ups and 2 landed (both were about 14-15 in). Lost two at the boat that were close to 18". Pink and orange Spin-Glos did the trick, the pink hoochie got nothing. The fish were shallow, 35-45 feet of line out with a 1 oz weight. Fished just North of Lime Creek towards Curlew. Not fast and furious, but still enough action to keep me coming back.

[bkondeff]

Six hooked, two landed(17”). Pink and red Hoochies w micro spinner. 1.2mph, just east of the power line at 10’, 80’-100’ back. Zero strikes on other rod’s that were deeper. Strike window was 11-noon, then off.

PS. My first Idaho kokes in 4 tries, all other attempts at LP. Caught some in Crane Prairie, near Bend/La pine OR last week.

[sage68]

Fished for 3 1/2 hours (1-430pm) had 9 hits, landed 1, 16 1/2" (not a typo). SHALLOW, 25-35 ft of line with 1 oz weight. Pink Spin-Glo and an orange hoochie with a blue smile blade got the hits.

Most hits came between Lime Creek and Curlew ramp.

[callelk]

Have a friend coming up from SLC and is camping at Anderson. He asked if the Kok fishing has been any good as he is bringing his boat. I have not heard any reports of late but he apparently talked to someone and they told him they were averaging 20 per day. Any truth to that?

[My Three Sons]

Fished Wednesday and Thursday. Really windy Wednesday but did ok considering. Smallest was a 16”, biggest a 19.5”. 10 total. Fish were shallow, top 12 feet of water. Pink hoochie and orange apex did the job. Thursday a bit slower but weather nicer. A handful of fish, same depth, but did put a 20” in the box. All fish were fat and healthy.
Had to leave Friday morning. Quite a few boats out and some really questionable parking in the lower dirt lot.

[callelk]

Thanks My 3, I'll probable fish try LP first and then Anderson Ranch. Supposed to rain so will want to stay close until mid/end of week.

[Trailbob]

My wife and I camped at Curlew Tuesday through Friday, and fished from Line Creek to Curlew. We averaged 3 per day (not full days), up to 18.5". Pink hoochies behind a dodger in the top 15'. Water temperature about 63 degrees. Lots of boats on Friday and a full lot at Curlew by 11:00.

[My Three Sons]

Trail Bob, saw you up there, nice boat, I have the Duckworth 18.
Some additional info, on Wednesday in the wind all our fish came just east of the powerballs, couldn’t buy a bite between lime and the ramp.
Any idea why the mid portion of the dock was caved in? Looks like someone tried to beach their boat on it!!

[Trailbob]

Not sure what happened to the dock, someone else also told me about it. Interesting, we also caught more in the wind on Wednesday than we did when it was calm in Thursday.

[AaronP]

Fished yesterday, 7-noon. We ended up with 6 nice fish 15-18 inches. All fish were caught between the narrows and Fall Creek, 15-25 ft. I had fish in the gear all morning on Livescope. Lots of lookers but not biters.

[KBDAD]

Fished the "Narrows" today between 7:00 and 11:00 (wind really picked up at 11:00 which made trolling difficult). We had multiple strikes with fish-on but only landed two (2) - none were lost at the boat - they came unbuttoned after jumping and/or not releasing from the downriver release. One was a very fat 17"er and the other was around 12". We fished shallow 15 - 20 feet on down riggers with dodgers and pink hootchies. There were a number of boats out basically doing the same with about the same results.

[Bison]

Just curious if the Landlock chinook survived in AR? If so, what size are they?

[Pauli]

Spent Wednesday and Thursday nights at Curlew .....and fishing was absolutely dead. Most guys were just shaking their heads. Talked to several folks at the ramp and the camp ground and there were a few that got a few Kokes....but not many. The bite has gone cold for the time being.

Pauli

[dustyjohns]

The bite was back on today. Our biggest was 19 3/4” and 2lbs 13oz. We weren’t the only boat catching fish either. Saw quite a few others dipping nets. It was a beautiful day too. 10-20’ ft down pink spin n glo behind pink sling blade is what worked for us.

[River Rat]

I spent Wednesday and Thursday at Curlew. Wednesday caught 5, 1 little I released and 4 from 17 to 19. One line on down rigger, 20 to 30 feet down, had pink and silver dodger with pink hoocie with corn, on long line, ran pink and white dodger with corn, 3 on long line, 2 on down rigger. I only lost 1 fish at the boat. Thursday was tough for me, running same gear, hooked up 6, lost everyone. The ones on down rigger instantly came up, they spent more time in the air than in the water, did everything but jump in after them, ha ha. When I was leaving, talked to some guys who had did really good, they said most fish were closer to the dam, bottom half of res. 1 fish was getting the hooked nose, 1 had eggs, but all were really nice shape

[dustyjohns]

Just curious if the Landlock chinook survived in AR? If so, what size are they?

I just now saw this and that nobody answered. Chris had told me they always ran 1 rod for them and caught 1 at least every time out. Sounded like they were pretty healthy size from what he’d said. I rolled herring once a few years back trying to hook one. Haven’t targeted them since.

[KBDAD]

Fished today just east of the power lines. I can't say the bite was wide open but we did end up with two (2) 18+" fish in the box. One hit a orange and yellow spinner bait off a front dodger, the other a spinning pink hootchie off a front dodger. Both were tipped with scented corn. We started trolling shallow but then moved down to between 35 and 40 feet because we started marking fish. Lots of fun on fairly light tackle. We talked to a couple who had been there several days - they managed 9 today. Not sure of the size but were very helpful in sharing information - thank you to the couple in the Arima!

[My Three Sons]

Got a dandy fat 21.5” yesterday. Didn’t fish much, too many boats with far too many jet fleas, tubers, wakeboarders buzzing the fleet. Plus, it was hot. Found 78 degree water on top, the fish was caught at 55’
But…the fish was starting to turn…body was on the reddish side, hookjaw beginning to form.

[My Three Sons]

Forgot to mention the fillets looked just fine