2023 Anderson Ranch Reservoir Kokanee Report

**sawtooth** · 03-09-2023, 10:57 PM

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

**dustyjohns** · 03-13-2023, 10:28 AM

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** · 03-14-2023, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by 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?

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** · 03-20-2023, 05:27 PM

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** · 03-20-2023, 05:44 PM

Lake monster images are out of date by a couple weeks last I looked.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** · 03-21-2023, 10:15 AM

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** · 04-02-2023, 11:49 AM

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** · 04-06-2023, 05:47 PM

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** · 04-07-2023, 01:06 PM

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** · 04-09-2023, 03:07 PM

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** · 04-17-2023, 09:05 AM

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** · 04-18-2023, 10:16 AM

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** · 04-23-2023, 08:09 PM

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** · 04-28-2023, 06:58 PM

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** · 05-01-2023, 09:57 AM

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** · 05-01-2023, 03:36 PM

Thanks for the report!
Where did you launch?

**sage68** · 05-01-2023, 04:41 PM

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** · 05-01-2023, 07:07 PM

Thanks for that, ninja launching for the time being.

**sage68** · 05-03-2023, 08:52 AM

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.