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Anderson Ranch Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Idaho’s kokanee and trout lake: Anderson Ranch holds deep, cold water in the South Fork Boise canyon.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
608 cfs
Air / High
58 / 62 F
Wind
W 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 13190500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 608 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind W around 9 mph, steady pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 62. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Rainbow troutGood

Prime dry-fly and hopper season. Match the hatch morning and evening; nymph the seams midday.

Largemouth bassFair

Prime chasing season. Work moving baits on points and pockets: spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and squarebills, with a stick worm behind for followers.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 70 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from South Fork Boise River at Anderson Ranch Dam.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 13190500.

7821,1041,426608 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp58 F
High / Low62 / 47 F
WindW 9-11 mph
Pressure1012.5 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain13% cloud, 58%
Sunrise / Sunset07:09 / 20:11
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 62/47 F, wind 18 mph, rain 58%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Anderson Ranch Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: spring and fall

The headline act on most American reservoirs. Relates to cover: docks, brush, grass edges and points. Prime chasing season. Work moving baits on points and pockets: spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and squarebills, with a stick worm behind for followers.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Prime dry-fly and hopper season. Match the hatch morning and evening; nymph the seams midday.

When to come: the Anderson Ranch Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Rainbow trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Anderson Ranch Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 69 F, wind to 19 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 24 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 84 F, wind to 24 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Idaho requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Idaho license. Kokanee and trout limits per current IDFG rules; the South Fork Boise tailwater has its own regulations.

Access

Ramps and Forest Service campgrounds including Curlew Creek and Fall Creek; South Fork Boise access below the dam.

About this water

A 4,700-acre Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the South Fork Boise River, Elmore County, Idaho.

Fishing Anderson Ranch Reservoir: the full guide

A canyon reservoir

Anderson Ranch Reservoir stretches about 4,700 acres up the South Fork Boise River canyon in southwest Idaho, deep and cold with forested shorelines. It is best known for kokanee salmon, joined by rainbow and brown trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. Below the dam, the South Fork Boise is one of Idaho’s premier trout tailwaters.

Kokanee and trout

Kokanee school through the summer at 40-80 feet, taking dodger-and-hoochie rigs trolled slowly: they are the main draw and run good size in strong years. Rainbow and brown trout cruise the shallower water in spring and fall, catchable by trolling near the surface and from shore. The deep, cold water keeps the fishery going through hot summers.

Bass and the tailwater

Smallmouth bass work the rocky shorelines and points, an increasingly popular light-tackle option. Perch school over the flats. Below the dam, the South Fork Boise runs cold and clear through a canyon holding wild rainbow trout of excellent size: a nationally regarded fly fishery that many anglers pair with a day on the lake.

Elmore County logistics

Ramps and Forest Service campgrounds serve the reservoir at Curlew Creek, Fall Creek and elsewhere, reached from Interstate 84 via Mountain Home. Water levels vary with irrigation. The canyon setting funnels afternoon wind. Mountain Home and Boise provide services, with the tailwater access below the dam a short drive.

Common questions

What is the main fishery?

Kokanee salmon trolled at depth through summer, with trout and smallmouth adding variety.

Is the tailwater worth it?

Very: the South Fork Boise below the dam is a nationally regarded wild rainbow fishery in a canyon setting.

When do kokanee bite best?

Summer, from June through August, deepening as the season progresses.

Is fishing good at Anderson Ranch Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

South Fork Boise River2 miLucky Peak Reservoir33 miBoise River46 miPayette River52 miMagic Reservoir56 miLake Lowell63 mi
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