Lower Boise

Mel and some friends were running this weekend in the Nike Cross cross-country meet in Boise. Not because they are good, just because it would be fun. And fun is what I also found, since the meet was held at Eagle Island State Park, which splits the Boise River into a north and south section. My research found that although it may not be prime trout water, there can be nice trout in this section. No special regulations, and with limited public access and a large nearby population, it probably gets hit pretty hard, but hey, it is fishing, and every trip is an excuse to fish...

At the park entrance, the girls went straight and I turned right to a sportsman's access at the Eagle fish hatchery. Apparently, this is the hatchery that is working to restore the Snake River sockeye, quite successfully from what I have seen. It was a beautiful morning, empty parking lot, no wind, sun just coming above the trees. A short walk brought me to a smaller channel of several braids in the river. Fishing a psycho prince followed by a red copper john, in short order I found a small whitefish, followed quickly by about a 10-inch rainbow. Then nothing more.

Baby whitefish

Pretty little rainbow

Further upstream found a couple more nice runs, tried streamers, buggers, but nothing more. I heard the gun starting the girls' race, and made my way back to the starting point and fished another braid. Still nothing. So I packed things up and called Mel to see if they would be ready to go soon. She asked if it was OK if they wanted to stay longer to watch a friend race later. I said no problem, there are two more access points I could check out. So off I went, downstream about 10 miles to another access point. Obviously heavily used, by fisherman and hunters, but no one there at the time. Satellite images on my phone directed me up to the head of an island in the braids, and I found a nice broad run, first fishing the bugger with a red copper john, then switching back to the psycho. Patiently working my way up, fishing from the bank to the middle of the current, I finally had a takedown as the indicator was nearly beside me in the waist deep water. A lively, 15-inch or so rainbow took the psycho, and after a brief fight, came unhooked as I was trying to get the net under it. Finding nothing more to the top of the run, I went upstream and crossed to fish down the other side. Working my way down the nice looking water, another takedown, this time a 15-inch whitefish on the copper john.

Nice-sized whitefish

By now, it was about time to meet the girls, so I made my way back to the car. Nothing spectacular about the fishing, but anytime you can find some fish in addition to solitude on a pretty stream, it is a great day!