An angler can catch bass in the Snake River reservoirs year-round, but the fishing really starts to get good in July.
Cousin Neil turned the North River sled in a tight arc out of the narrow launch and pointed the bow downstream. We would fish both sides of the lake, looking for the seams and breaks in the current where bass tend to stack to ambush bait coming downriver. The kids' rods were rigged with jig heads and plastic Keitech baits. I started with crankbaits and the Realis spybait, which is one of my favorites, but I could not help but notice that the other guys were catching more fish.
Oxbow Reservoir is part of a complex of three reservoirs, all built and maintained by the Idaho Power Company. At the top of Hells Canyon on the Snake River, bounded by Oregon on one side and Idaho on the other, Oxbow Reservoir is thirteen miles long and only a couple of hundred yards wide at its widest point. The dam itself is 175 feet tall. Hells Canyon Reservoir is directly downstream, and Brownlee Reservoir is directly above. To get to Oxbow out of Oregon, we head to Richland, turn at Halfway, then drop down Pine Creek to Copperfield. Oxbow Reservoir can be accessed either through Richland and Copperfield on the Oregon side or via Cambridge on a long and windy road leading north out of Boise and Fruitland.
Fishing in any of these reservoirs, a person can expect to catch smallmouth bass, crappie, sturgeon, trout, and catfish. These waters are rich in nutrients, and the fish grow fast. My cousin's kids are growing fast, too. Tabor and Steyr have been fishing since before they could walk, and their dad, my cousin Neil, will drop everything to get them on the water in the summer. And there is nothing I like better than going fishing with my family.
A nice bass taken on a surface lure in an evening's fishing on Hells Canyon Reservoir. Crankbaits and minnow imitations work very well in these Snake River reservoirs, especially along the ledges and around submerged structure.
A FOOD-RICH FISHERY
Smallmouth bass prefer warmer, flowing water and can be found in great numbers around weed beds, grassy banks, along the seams of riffles, deep along rock walls, and in gravel flats. On clear summer days when the sun is high, the biggest fish will be found in deeper water. On overcast days or when the sun is low on the horizon, smallmouth can be caught on or closer to the surface. They are aggressive predators, feeding on smaller fish, insects, leeches, snails, and crayfish.
Crankbaits and minnow imitations work very well, especially along ledges or around submerged structures. We try to use patterns and colors that imitate local baitfish. Chub, perch, and rainbow pattern crankbaits work well for minnow imitations. Orange and olive crayfish patterns are good crankbait options, too. Another good tactic is to dead-drift a plastic swim bait, allowing it to tumble through the best bass-holding water.
A person can catch fish all day long on these Snake River reservoirs, but it makes sense to take a break midday and rest and refuel.
Trevor Barclay with a nice smallmouth on a jighead and a motor oil pattern curlytail grub.
THE SNAKES
The Snake River was not named for the snakes along its banks. It was named for the Snakes, the Shoshone speaking people that Lewis and Clark found and traded with. They were called the Snakes by their neighbors for the way they signed about who they were - the willow weavers.
But there are snakes, too. Rattlesnakes and bullsnakes - and it helps to know the difference. Although bull snakes don't act friendly, they are a much better neighbor than a rattler. You can tell them apart by looking at the heads. The bullsnake's head is narrower, while a rattlesnake's head is shaped like a wedge.
Steyr Lewis, of Fruitland, Idaho, shows off a chunk of a smallmouth caught on a Keitech plastic bait.
TIMING
So when should you go? An angler can catch bass in the Snake River year-round, but the fishing peaks in summer. In a lot of years, there can be heavy flows in the Snake, which tend to keep the reservoir banks full in June. Most years, by the second week of July, the rivers are in good bass fishing shape, and conditions are prime in August, September, and October.
WHERE TO STAY AND PLAY
Huntington, Richland, and Halfway, Oregon, are all within striking distance of Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon reservoirs. One of my favorite places to stay is Pine Valley Lodge (pvlodge.com) in Halfway - an old stagecoach stop with all the Old West flavor intact.
Richland, Oregon, is a great little city of 156 people where a fisherman can get a burger or a cup of coffee. Best of all, it is just moments away from the Powder River arm of Brownlee Reservoir.
Huntington is an out-of-the-way stop where you can get a good meal if the restaurant is open. Check the hours before you make the drive.
The traveling angler is going to want either an Idaho or an Oregon fishing license. Or both.
Tabor Lewis was touching up his baits with Pro-Cure's smallmouth magic gel.
BACK ON THE WATER
In the evening, we launched the boat again. Shadows were lengthening in the narrow canyon, and the fish began to rise in the water column.
This is tricky water. It may not look like it, but there are wicked currents. Make sure the children have life vests, and make sure the adults do, too. Especially the boat captain. Who falls out of boats more than any other person? It's the boat captain. And then the people who are not as good at running the boat have to try to rescue him. Think about it, people.
I switched over to the jig head and Keitech system and touched up my baits with smallmouth magic from Pro-Cure. That was the magic touch. A cast on the seam, well up-current, and then tighten up on the reel and feel the bait touch the bottom. If the line seemed to tighten up, it was a matter of cranking the reel fast. The hooks were sharp, and I caught fish fast for about half an hour. But while I was quickly bringing fish to the boat, I didn't catch the big ones. That honor was reserved for the rest of the Lewis clan, who each managed to boat three-pound smallies.
I had a four-pound smallmouth on for a minute. I know I did.
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To watch bass fishing on Oxbow, click this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1RdxZ1rkik&t=207s
or search Gary Lewis Outdoors Frontier Unlimited.
