Idaho or bust ......

rainrshine · 08-01-2002, 10:29 AM

Well here goes nothing. As much as I would rather be out at bouy 10 battling for some nooks or silvers I will be heading for Stanley tomorrow morning. You guys know how it is when you tell your sig. other "oh yeah lets do that" and then a week later you are looking at the calendar and saying to your self "what did I just do here?" :shocked: Thats ok I am sure I will have fun none the less

I will be in Stanley for 2 night's (fishing) and McCall for 3 nights(More fishing) and then heading back home. Right now its looking like thunder storms in the evenings there and I was wondering if anyone from Idaho is reading this and can confirm the weather over there right now? I would like to be as prepared as possible if I am going to be getting rained on a little bit. I have totally seam sealed my tent and have plenty of tarps. Oh yeah and it looks like its going to be pretty cold in the evenings!! So once again Here Goes Nothing

Tagster · 08-01-2002, 02:49 PM

If you are looking for an easy days fishing from a raft, I would recommend fishing the little Payette Lake. It is NE of McCall. Take the road past the golf course toward Ponderosa State Park and hang a right at the clubhouse. Follow that road for several miles along the east shore of the big Payette Lake. You will come to an intersection where you have two choices...go straight on a dirt road or hang a left to continue around the lake. Go straight for about two miles and you will see the Little Payette Lake on your right. If you go, troll (row) slowly around the south shore with a super duper or mepps and you should do well for 13"-25" trout. If you don't turn off at the lake, this road will continue past many lake access trails (snowslide, etc) and continue into Yellowpine...if you go through Yellowpine, you can access the Salmon river.

Cascade Resevoir between Donnelly and McCall also has some great trout that you can access from the bank. We used to fish on the east shore and cast towards sugarloaf island.

There are also about 50 lakes within 25 miles of McCall that you can hike into. Stop at the sporting goods store by the brewery (used to be called Medleys) and ask which has been doing well. While you are there, check out my 6X6 elk over the register! :grin:

Good Luck and bring your repellent!

Tag

[ 08-01-2002, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: Tagster ]

bllelk · 08-01-2002, 03:25 PM

Tag
You really know Valley County. I used to think, when I had my cabin S. of Cascade, that a guy could spend his life in Valley County and never go to the same place twice. You know there is a possibility to pick up Kamloops in Little Payette now. That would be a thrill.

Tagster · 08-01-2002, 03:58 PM

Bllelk,

It comes from having a true outdoorsman as a father. As a kid, I hated being forced to go deer or elk hunting. Fishing was boring, and hiking sucked.

Now I am eternally grateful that Dad hauled my complaining a$$ around Valley County, from one end to other and side to side!

It is great place to live, just hard to make a living. If I was still a single man, I would be there now.

rainrshine · 08-01-2002, 05:50 PM

Tagster.....Thanks for all the info. I had actually planned on hitting little pyette for a day or so. I am meeting some folks there in mcCall that are going to have a boat and we are going to fish Cascade also :grin: It sure would be nice to get into some of those bigger trout!! I have found a couple sites that talk about how to fish cascade and and the different fish in there. Here Goes Nothing

MicroFish · 08-01-2002, 05:54 PM

BUST!! :grin: :grin: :grin:

Mtn Man · 08-01-2002, 07:21 PM

Good luck with the fishing. We will be on Cascade this weekend. My aunt has a house right off of the lake, I hope to get in a little fishing.

SandySteel · 08-01-2002, 08:59 PM

I just got back from the Stanley basin for a family reunion. I can't speak for the weather. The pine bark beatle are working the valley's lodgepoles over nicely. One big surprise for me was that the mosquittos were not out in force this year with the low water year they are having up there. The fishing is actually pretty decent. There are your "Hagerman hotdogs", otherwise known as hatchery fish throughout the middle fork of the salmon. Please catch as many of these so they don't compete with the salmon.
However, a friend of mine did pick up a nice 18" cutthroat on the river below Sunbeam. There are some nice natives that are available in the river.
I wish you the best of luck.

[ 08-01-2002, 10:00 PM: Message edited by: SandySteel ]

rainrshine · 08-01-2002, 09:09 PM

SS.............Thanks for the info I am really looking forward to this trip. I took my first trip to Montana last year and did lots of fishing but probably not even close to what I am going to be doing in the next 5 days :shocked:

Mojo · 08-01-2002, 11:37 PM

Warm in the daytime, cooler at nights. You might get down to the 30's up there this time of year. There are some spotty T-Showers in the evenings, but chances are you'll not get too wet. Bring the tarps and be prepared. If you want some advise on where to go, e-mail me tonight and I'll get the GPS coordinates of a couple of lakes that can be good fishing. They are off the trails, but not too hard to access. The Salmon River can be really good fly fishing water, and spinners work too.

Around McCall there is some great fishing, but I"ll have to kill you after I tell you where it is. Actually, when I get home from work, I'll dig out the maps ans e-mail you the directions if you want them.

Good luck.

Tagster · 08-01-2002, 11:42 PM

I grew up in McCall and might be able to share a few choice spots for you. Won't have to kill you as I don't get over there very often anymore.

What are you looking to fish for? Bank or boat?

Road access or hike in?

Let me know if you want some help...

Tag

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/83638?whatprefs=

[ 08-01-2002, 12:44 PM: Message edited by: Tagster ]

rainrshine · 08-01-2002, 11:54 PM

Mojo...........I dont have a GPS and hiking into lakes is not a problem I am game for that. I have never been to Idaho but have always read about the salmon river I am sure I am going to start drooling when I see the river. I am taking all sorts of tackle with me on this trip. I dont have a fly rod but lots of steelhead gear and trout stuff.
Tagster....... I wont have a boat with me :depressed: but I will have a 3 man raft that I would like to put out somewhere. Road or hike in does not matter I like them both. Any info you have would be greatly appreciated

Thanks a bunch guys !!!!!!1