The Courier
News Add Fishing to Your Spring Break
By Roger Phillips Public Information Specialist Daylight Savings Time has started, and spring break begins next week for most schools in the area. Those are two good reasons to break out the fishing rods and take advantage of some early season fishing opportunities. Idaho Fish and Game stocks trout year round, but expands its operations in March and April as more waters become suitable for trout. Typically, ponds are among the first places, followed by small lakes and reservoirs, then larger reservoirs, but that depends on weather and other factors. While trout fishing is the favorite in Idaho, there’s also warmwater fishing opportunities in many of these locations, and don’t take that “warmwater” name too literally. There can be good fishing for bass, crappie and bluegill during early spring when the water is still fairly cool. If you’re new to fishing, or have never fished before, but still want to take your kids fishing, check out Fish and Game’s Learn to Fish page for instruction, tips, videos and more. If you’re looking for places to go fishing where the trout stocking trucks have already visited, or will soon, here are some places to consider: Crane Falls Reservoir: (Bruneau) The 89-acre lake is between Mountain Home and Bruneau and near the Snake River. It has largemouth bass, bluegill and planted hatchery rainbow trout. There are several fishing docks available on the lake, but many anglers prefer to use small craft, such as canoes, kayaks, rowboats, float tubes, etc. The lake has a boat launch and outhouses, and there’s primitive camping at the lake. It’s also adjacent to Cove Arm and the Snake River for more fishing opportunities. Hagerman WMA ponds: (Hagerman) Fish and Game’s Wildlife Management Area provides a variety of fishing opportunities with Riley Pond, the Bass ponds, and Anderson ponds on the northwest side of the WMA, and Oster Lakes to the southeast. Riley Pond is a relatively small and well-stocked trout spot with lots of shoreline access, a fishing pier, and a fishing bridge. It’s located right next to the Hagerman State Fish Hatchery. The area is also famous for its “banana” trout, which are a yellow-colored rainbow trout.
more fishy news on page 6...
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
March 21, 2018
Vol 42 ~ Num 12
Shoshone School Bond Fails
Last Tuesday, the Shoshone School District (Joint School District No. 312) again asked voters to approve a $6 million bond to finance the costs of repairs, renovations, and new construction to existing school facilities in the District. “Yes” votes were 231 and “No” votes were 165. This was 58.33% in favor of the bond, but not enough to pass the 2/3 majority needed to approve the bond. While the number of “No” votes was identical to the number of “No” votes received in last November’s election, the bond proposal received 76 fewer “Yes” votes. The November election put the bond within 2% of passing, but Tuesday’s election seems to show waning enthusiasm for the proposed bond.
Winter Returns to Idaho
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has released the third water supply outlook report for the 2018 water year. Precipitation since the water year started on October 1, 2017, varies across the state with watersheds ranging from 70 to 130% of normal. “Streamflow forecasts mirror the current snowpacks,” said Ron Abramovich, Water Supply Specialist with the Idaho Natural Resources Conservation Service. “The early March storm added much needed water to the snowpack. Another March storm or two, or a wet spring will help ensure supplies are adequate in all the basins.” The highest snowpacks continue to be found in the Clearwater basin where collectively they are 123% of normal thanks to the La Nina storm track. Conversely, the Owyhee snowpack is the lowest at 35% of normal. “More snow is needed across central and southern Idaho, and colder temperatures would help keep the snow in place until spring,” Abramovich noted. Based on the current snowpack and reservoir storage, water supplies may be marginal in the Big Wood, Big Lost and Little Lost basins. Idaho’s southern reservoirs, Owyhee, Salmon Falls, Oakley and Bear Lake, are not expected to fill this year, uncontinued on page 5...