Lower Goose Creek Reservoir (Oakley)

[Wyo307]

Does anyone have any experience with this lake? Looks like I will probably be fishing it later this month when we come over for a baby shower the guys are going to go fish. I couldn't find much for info on it so anything would help. What kind of fish should I be targeting this time of year? How deep? Lures/colors/techniques......anything really that you are willing to share will help. We will have a thunderjet out there as well. Thanks in advance.
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[IDFG_Fisheries]

Check out this link here for basic information and stocking history.
https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/fish.../?id=15786

Oakley Reservoir is primarily a rainbow trout fishery, but there can be some good walleye fishing as well. Anglers do well fishing from shore near the boat ramp, but a boat is helpful. Shoreline access is available, but much of the lake has steep shorelines. Trout fishing is typically best during spring into early summer before the water warms up. The lake has been very full this year, so boat launching should not be an issue.

When towing a boat in, be advised that the road turns to dirt and can be quite rough in spots, so plan to take your time over the last few miles! The lake is somewhat remote and facilities are primitive.

Feel free to call the Magic Valley IDFG office for more information:
208-324-4359

Trolling trout lures 5-15' deep along the shorelines should be a good bet, but hopefully someone with more specific experience can chime in.

Good luck.
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[dtayboyz]

Really nice trout and walleye, but there is no way I'd take a nice boat down that road. Go to salmon falls creek res.
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[blacktop]

Will fish fine from boat or float tube in three weeks not a great bank fishery. Fished today and did fairly well from boat, surface rods size 5 and 7 Rapala's only two foot visibility and 40 degree water in morning moved to 44-45 in afternoon. Will be much better in two weeks if water mends which may not happen. Only filled once this Century and is within twenty vertical feet of filling pretty cool. Not going to happen but might get within ten vertical if they don't run any more water. Fish are always near surface till mid May. Eco-system has improved and trout are doing well last five years. High water should vastly improve Walleye forage fish. Too early for Walleye.
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[blacktop]

Size five jointed orange Rapala will outfish nearly all others. Brownie Lucky Crafts hard to beat in smallest size. Only place to get Lucky Crafts in state Snake River Marine in Burley which has best trout lure selection by far in the state of Idaho.
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[Wyo307]

[quote dtayboyz]Really nice trout and walleye, but there is no way I'd take a nice boat down that road. Go to salmon falls creek res.[/quote]

Well I'm not taking my Lund down there its my father in laws thunderjet and he was the one that suggested that lake so I'll let him decide.
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[Wyo307]

[quote blacktop]Size five jointed orange Rapala will outfish nearly all others. Brownie Lucky Crafts hard to beat in smallest size. Only place to get Lucky Crafts in state Snake River Marine in Burley which has best trout lure selection by far in the state of Idaho.[/quote]

Thank you for the report and suggestions! Exactly the kind of information that I was looking for. I will be sure to have a couple of the lures that you suggested with me.

Seems like everyone is saying trout, so how big are we talking? Up here where I live in Wyoming I catch big trout all year but I have a variety of rods so I am wondering what the most appropriate one to bring would be. I am thinking about just bringing one of my kokanee rods with me, that should handle anything less than 10 pounds fairly well.

You also said at the surface, so are you just long lining with no weight? How fast about should we start out at?

Thank you again for the information!
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[blacktop]

The fish are not big last fall we had a day when all the fish were over 3 pounds and were very strong. The other day the fish we kept were in the 2 and a half range I don't know where the strain we were into last fall are. They did not look like the kamloops we caught last week. By surface I mean non-lead core. In the spring till mid may most of the lakes produce better with the lure in the 5 to 10 foot depth. The road requires about ten to fifteen mile an hour for two miles. If you are smart about the way you read gravel rocky roads an extra ten minutes to drive the two miles is no reason to not take a boat. Big boat will require 4 wheel drive as the road out to main is pretty steep. Don't plan on catching big trout at Oakley. Best bet for big fish is still Minidoka Dam where four pounders are close to the average non fall planter caught. Fish we caught the other day there were all but one in that category out of eight. All three year olds are in the 6-8 pound range.
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[dtayboyz]

Walcott bass are awesome too!
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[Wyo307]

Nice smally!

I may suggest that we go to Walcott instead because it will be a shorter drive, easier to put in and bigger fish so it sounds. They live in Heyburn so they are pretty close to there.

Any specific suggestions on that body of water? Do the trout stick to the main river channel or up closer to the banks and in the creek arms?

If I can find smallmouth I wont fish for anything else the rest of the day! Love those things over the slimy trout.

Thanks again for your guys' suggestions for a non resident it is hard to figure out what I need to bring with me.

If any of you guys ever want to come catch lake trout in Wyoming I can hook you up!
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[blacktop]

First of all you have never caught trout like these Kamloops and I consider the smallmouth to be trash fish in comparison. Carp fight like hell too but I don't consider them much different. Some twenty four inch trout on this lake can weight seven pounds and are pure chrome. They take you to the backing in about two seconds on a fly rod and hit the air with an explosion. I caught twenty five over six pounds in one week last year mostly with a dead stick (no retrieve) on the fly rod. Caught two in the nine pound range on fly rod as well. Fishing may be slow as many are gong out with the horribly managed new gates and unprecedented water. Mono will work best go out at least 90 yards on rod directly behind boat (Middle rod usually ineffective with mono unless out very far) Run outsides about fifty to avoid tangling. First of May lead core will outfish or be nearly equal in effectiveness. Will always run one leadcore with the three mono's in early spring. Again you are only a mile away in Heyburn from Snake River Sports with best selection of lures in the state by far and Ned's personel knowledge of lake and interaction with the people who know it best on a daily basis.
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[Wyo307]

Thanks for the info! I will be sure to stop by and talk to them and get the update before I head out there. I will report back here after I go to let you all know how I did.

Any 24" trout isn't really going to get me excited since I regularly catch lake trout into the 20lb range up here. I more so like to fish for stuff other than trout when I am travelling because that is all I have up here on my home waters. That is why I was initially excited about Oakley so that I could have a chance at an eye or two. Now I am just talking about fishing out of a boat with my trolling gear on a flyrod that is a whole other story. My biggest fish to date on a fly was in idaho, a 13 lb 3 oz bow.

Thanks again for the info
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