Simonski -Brownlee Reservoir
-- For the first time in five years Idaho Power Co. has held the water
relatively stable during the spring runoff. They are about three feet below
their allotted average, but that is a great deal better than the 80 to 100 foot
fluctuations they have had over the past several years. Probably the reason for
this constant water level is the political pressure that has been placed on them
by Friends of Brownlee, a political action committee with nation wide
membership. With IPC going through a relicensing process they need to do every
thing they can to keep the public happy.
The constant
water level has produced some of best bass and crappie fishing this lake has
seen in years.
If you have
never fished Brownlee, only heard about it, you are in for a pleasant surprise.
It is not the lake it was in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Back in the
“good old days”, catches of 150 to 200 crappies a day in the ten to 14 inch
class were common. Smallmouth bass to five pounds were also common. Large mouths
to eight were there, but Brownlee is not a largemouth lake. Less than 1% of the
population is made up of largemouth. Today bass catches in the dozens are still
common. Crappie catches vary widely. It depends on your skill level and
knowledge of the lake. Most folks like to fish for crappies under a bobber with
their lure less than four feet from the surface. That is fine in May when the
critters come shallow to spawn, but some of the best fishing of the year is
right now. They are still schooled up, but in deep water. Recently I watched a
couple slowly motor up the Powder River arm. They crisscrossed the channel as
they came. At one point less than 100 feet from where I was cranking for
smallies, they made a big circle. Dropped a marker buoy and moved off about
twenty-five feet. They spent a good amount of time rigging their rods. The time
spent in proper rigging was well spent. They were fishing under what is known as
slip bobbers. Their tackle was a 1/16th-ounce crappie skirt in
chartreuse tipped with a crappie power nibble. About a foot above the jig they
attached three number 4 split shot, yes three of those puppies. The question in
most fishermen’s minds is why? The school that they had located was in
seventeen feet of water. They were tightly grouped as far as depth, not over two
feet of variance. The fish were not spread out over fifteen feet in diameter.
That was the reason for the buoy marker. Their first casts had no longer
strengthen up their bobbers than it bounced ever so slightly. Both fishermen set
the hook like most of us would do when we are crappie fishing and came back with
the jig minus the crappie nibble. The baited up again. The same thing happened
again. Frustration set in. On their third try the hook set was a little more
rapid and the sweep of he rod was further. Bingo, two hook ups and two nice 12
inch crappie in the boat. The problem with fishing off to the side with a slip
bobber was the fishermen had to take up a great deal of line before the hook
found home. I slowly moved over to get some photos of Norm Edwards and his wife,
of Eagle, Idaho. I watched them for a few more minutes, as they continued to
catch good size black crappie from 17 feet of water with their slip bobber
set-ups. The water temperature was 43 degrees. That’s not quite warm enough
for good bass fishing.
Continuing down
the Powder River arm, past what is known as the Sag Road, I finally got into
some good size smallies. Water temperature was now 48 degrees. South facing
banks and coves were the warmest, with some coves with water as high as 53. The
rocky banks with water above 50 degrees produced the best fish.
The day before
there had been a large bass tournament with close to a hundred boats in it. Some
of my most popular spots held few to no fish. This was not surprising, as I knew
they had been beaten up the day before. With the weather so nice and air
temperature in the mid 60’s, new fish should have been moving up all the time.
The first fish to come shallow in the spring are the large females. They need to
gain body fat for the spawn that will be just a few weeks away. Fish move up all
over the lake, but the rock piles and points are the favored locations. Since
those hot spots had been beat up the day before cranking the flat banks with
just a few scattered rock on them was a great deal more productive than my
favorite “hot spots”.
Watercolor
was standard early spring, Brownlee, green brown. Crank baits that dive six to
ten feet were the best type of lures. I found that chartreuse’s with orange
belly was the best color combination, but crawfish bright orange plugs put their
fair share of big smallies in the boat too.
All fish
caught were females that were quickly released. The males will not come shallow
until the water warms to 54 to 56 degrees. When that happens Brownlee turns from
a quality fishery to a quantity fishery. A hundred bass a day during the month
of May is a piece of cake. Also other lures other than crank baits will produce.
When the water gets to the 58 to 60 degree range plastic lures such as sweepers
and grubs will take just as many bass and usually bigger bass than the crank
baits. Also the largemouth become more active. For every 100 smallies you caught
you’ll catch a large mouth. Usually these fish are quite large. Every year
Brownlee produces several in the seven-pound class and a few years one or two
eight pounders will come are landed.
For a
longer time than should have been, Hewitt Park, located about one mile east of
Richland, Oregon was “just a place to get a boat in the water.” With new
caretakers those of you that know of Hewitt Park will not recognize the place.
There is no fish smell; the restrooms are clean and newly painted. The garbage
is being collected and hauled away. It is even a nice place to just come and
visit. I’m sure with the facility in such good shape the banks will be lined
again with fishermen doing their thing. Campsites will fill up by Friday
afternoon and the rest of you will need to stay at the private campground in
Richland. If you don’t want to camp, the Hitching Post Motel usually has
rooms, but call in advance for reservations. (541) 893-6176. If the water level
remains fairly constant fishing for bass will remain good to excellent until the
first part of June. Hopefully the same holds true for crappies. See you on the
water.
You can catch Phil at http://www.powderrivergs.com