Payette Lake

[dustyjohns]

So, now that the secret is out, will we be seeing a Payette Lake report? I’ve been fishing it the past 2 years and caught some huge Kokanee. I did try the little Payette last spring as well. Once I finally got one to the boat, I saw why the limit was 25 and I couldn’t keep them on. The fish are tiny little things. Would probably be great for canning.

 

[ricks]

I fished Payette a lot 12-15 years ago. Not much but lake trout and rainbows back then. Never saw a koke. Looking forward to figuring out the lake again as relates to kokanee. I figure the couple major creek inlets and the islands in the middle are best places to start, but reality rules.

 

[msusprtn]

End of May

Split a day between Cascade & Payette. For Payette - last year the nice fish were early spawners. I think the last time they were stocked was last years age class, so they are all gone. I had heard the fish being caught now are on the small side. My 1/2 day fishing confirmed that. I'll be fishing elsewhere this season. I'm sure the local fisherman will hit it, but it's not worth the drive from the Boise area in my opinion. There was a F&G guy taking info for catch rates. Lots of "zeros" on the clipboard. Talked to a couple of boats when I was pulling out: a zero, & and 2.

 

[ricks]

Split a day between Cascade & Payette. For Payette - last year the nice fish were early spawners. I think the last time they were stocked was last years age class, so they are all gone. I had heard the fish being caught now are on the small side. My 1/2 day fishing confirmed that. I'll be fishing elsewhere this season. I'm sure the local fisherman will hit it, but it's not worth the drive from the Boise area in my opinion. There was a F&G guy taking info for catch rates. Lots of "zeros" on the clipboard. Talked to a couple of boats when I was pulling out: a zero, & and 2.

Ouch!

Not leaving many choices from up here north of Payette and south of Dworshak.

 

[ricks]

excellent!

Fished Payette mornings of August 24 and 25. The two of us caught 8 the first day and 9 the second. We went out early, had to wait for the gate to be opened at 630 at Ponderosa. Followed a local boat right off the state park dock. He started dropping downriggers 15 feet away from the dock. We had sonar trolled all over the lake the day before and didn't really see much there. Saw a couple big schools at the other end of the lake to the east of the beach area. thought we would start there, but local fisherman changed that plan. In the morning we were marking a lot of fish in the top 20' of water. And big arches in small random schools from 30 to 50 foot of water. We hooked up a couple within the first 15 minutes. All fish caught were between 13 and 15 inches long.

At 10AM the first day it was like the power was turned off. All the fish we marked in the earlier morning disappeared. No idea where they went, but it was a desert and hits became few and far between.

Second day it started pouring rain at 10 AM and things went nuts. The fishing got hot during the storm. And we got wet. It was great.


I am really impressed with the kokanee fishery since they cleared out much of the macks. What a difference.

Rick

 

[ricks]

One more time

Interesting day on Payette today. Took my all day to limit out. First 15 minutes, long before sunrise, had my 2 poles doubling up twice. By myself and I only landed 2. Then it was hard work the rest of the day. I went over 3 hours mid to late morning without a hint of a bite. Finished up the day with two big ones in the middle of the channel 1/2 mile north of the green/red bouys. Fish are definitely scarcer than 2 weeks ago.

 

[Cybersnow]

Best Time of Year?

Interesting day on Payette today. Took my all day to limit out. First 15 minutes, long before sunrise, had my 2 poles doubling up twice. By myself and I only landed 2. Then it was hard work the rest of the day. I went over 3 hours mid to late morning without a hint of a bite. Finished up the day with two big ones in the middle of the channel 1/2 mile north of the green/red bouys. Fish are definitely scarcer than 2 weeks ago.
View attachment 10288

When were you out there? I caught a few spawners aout then but they were bright red a gnarly. Put them back in the water to spawn. It seems that in the late spring they are pretty young and tend to be around the park launch. In August along Warren Wagoner and North Beach. Any idea where to look in late June and July?