The Spring Line Up

diamondfish · 03-11-2006, 06:44 AM

With the salmon thing being what it usually is, iffy at best I am thinking about other fisheries. I lived in Vale for a few years and got quite fond of fishing Owyhee in the spring, especially during the bass pre-spawn. So I figure if I go to Brownlee for a few days, fish crappie and those monster cats, then head to Owyhee for a week or so.

Most people do not realize how good of a fishery Owyhee is, especially in some of the remote arms such as the Dry Creek Arm. I am just waiting for the weather to cooperate.

Does anyone else plan on fishing Owyhee this spring?? If so PM me and I will give you the 411 on the are.

Mojo · 03-11-2006, 09:28 AM

Diamondfish,

Not trying to totslly burst your bubble, but Owyhee Reservoir has been really low for several years, which hurt the fishery. It is going to be totally plugged with water this year. I'm not saying the fishing is going to stink, it's just not going to be quite as good as it used to be. Hopefully this year's high water will keep the lake full till after the bass spawn, and there will be good survival. If so, in a few years it's going to be off the hook!

It'll start fishing well sometime in mid May.

diamondfish · 03-11-2006, 09:44 AM

I guess it has been a couple of years since I was there. 2000 thru 2003 were bang up years there. I can remeber having triple digit days there. I hope that they won't do to Owyhee as they did to Malheur and Warm Springs. They ruined those fisheries, it will take a decade for it to get back to normal.

B-RUN STEELIE · 03-13-2006, 06:29 AM

The crappie have been small. The bass few and far between. Like Mojo said, its stuffed with water right now and thats what it needed. You can still catch a bunch of crappie, but they run 6-7 inches ( last year anyway)

diamondfish · 03-14-2006, 06:52 AM

Wow things did change over there, at least I can remember it when it was in the height of its day. I will still fish it anyway, but I always bragged about how good the fishing was there. The key term in that phrase is WAS, I guess.

KATFISHER · 03-16-2006, 02:42 PM

I have plans to go to the Owyhee this spring to check it out. I was thinking sometime in May. Want to go over during the hunting season, so I can do the fishing, bird ,and the deer. What it like at that time of the year? fishing wise and weatherwise. jim in eugene

diamondfish · 03-18-2006, 06:56 AM

look out for the spring showers over there, especially if you are going to make the trek out the Dry Creek/Watson area. The mud there gets so sticky and slimy, there is no use in trying to get a vehicle in or out of there if it rains, so be careful you dont get caught back in that country unprepared.

SalmonSeason · 03-18-2006, 09:54 PM

Quote:

The mud there gets so sticky and slimy, there is no use in trying to get a vehicle in or out of there if it rains, so be careful you dont get caught back in that country unprepared.

Seems like I remember you were in my truck when we were cat hunting....sliding in the mud over there :grin:...it's not the "spring showers" it's any friggin rain doing up the dusty road turning it into a MUD ball