I’ve always said there are two sets of seasons: one on the calendar, and the other that decides your weekend plans.
If we’re skiing in November, it’s winter, even if it’s technically still fall. Fishing is a little more tricky, but if I am fishing on a reasonably warm day in February, then it’s spring fishing, even though it’s technically still winter.
So, I am declaring an early start to spring, unless you’re ice fishing, which is still considered winter fishing.
Confusing? Just roll with it.
Clear Lake Country Club near Buhl has restocked its spring-fed lake with 1,600 pounds of trout in the 2-to-5-pound range. Folks are already catching them, so this could be a good place for a weekend road trip. It’s a private lake restricted to fly fishing only, but fees are reasonable at $10 for adults and $3.50 for youths. Clear Lake will host a derby on Feb. 16, and I will have full details next week.
If you look on page 4, you will see Fish and Game’s trout stocking schedule. Some of our local waters will get a boost. I’m also thinking the Boise River, but I’m betting some ponds will start opening soon, if they haven’t already.
I’m hearing more reports about people returning to rivers for steelhead or trout fishing.
But back to winter. There’s still lots of ice fishing available, too, but make sure you double-check those ice conditions. Both Magic Reservoir and Lake Cascade will have ice fishing derbies the weekend of Feb. 16-17. I will have more details on those next week.
In the meantime, enjoy your spring fishing, unless you’re still enjoying the winter fishing.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.