where:

Start down highway 21 heading east alongside Lucky Peak Reservoir. Immediately after crossing the bridge going over the Robie Creek arm hang a right on Arrowrock road for about 10 miles before the concrete ends. After a short drive on dirt/gravel roads you will arrive at the Arrowrock Dam. This is where the road gets a bit narrow and there is a small stretch (100 yards or so and a few bends) of single lane dirt road to navigate before it widens back out and you arrive at the boat launch area. There is a large sandy beach area here where, depending on conditions, you can drive down and enjoy some bank fishing and a day hanging out by the water. There is an outhouse style restroom at the boat launch but that is about it for amenities.

After the boat launch there is some dispersed camping opportunities off the road as it winds alongside the full length of reservoir. There is ample bank fishing areas but past the boat launch they may be spread out as the road tends to rise above the reservoir in places. It can be a bit of a nerve racking drive especially on a busy weekend as it tends to narrow down at some inopportune times.

What:

• Trout

• Kokanee

• Bass

• Yellow Perch

HOW:

If you are in a boat trolling for trout and kokanee dodgers, flashers, and pop gear followed by wedding rings with worm and either corn or cocktail shrimp. A recent trip yielded a handful of nice trout, the largest pushing the 20” mark, and some nice kokanee in the 15-17” range. The South fork of the Boise River which is known for its 20”+ trout meets Arrowrock a short boat ride down from the boat launch and is a good place to start looking for the famed Idaho Bows.

If you are fishing from the bank my personal go to for trout and kokanee is a slip bobber and worm tipped with power bait, corn, or shrimp.

*Bonus tip - If your using cocktail shrimp pull them out of the freezer and toss them straight into the microwave for 45s to 1min to rubber them up a bit. This will help them stay on your hook, I use this and when trolling with them.

If you are looking for Bass there is not much in the way of vegetation near the edges of the water but there are plenty of rock formations along the length of the reservoir. Tossing a jig tipped with worm around rock formations is a go to favorite of mine for both bass and perch.

Bonus:

For those feeling adventurous, continuing up past the boat launch for about an hour will take you to where the Middle fork of the Boise River dumps into the reservoir. There are numerous primitive campgrounds alongside the river and some good bank access. You can make your way up to the confluence of the north and middle forks for some beautiful scenery a great river fishing. Twin Springs has a small store where you can grab a drink or a snack and even get a cabin and a soak in the hot springs. I would inquire on their website for more details and hour of operation.

If you are feeling a bit more primitive, you can continue up to Loftus hot spring or find some of the less established hot springs that line the edge of the river. There are a few more campgrounds and dispersed camping opportunities a short drive from the hot springs.

Confluence of Middle and North Forks

Loftus Hot Springs