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Magic Reservoir Fishing Report

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

Idaho’s trophy trout reservoir: Magic grows rainbows and browns in Big Wood River water on the high desert.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
21 cfs
Air / High
63 / 66 F
Wind
SSW 8 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 13140800, 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.

Magic Reservoir rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 21 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSW around 8 mph, steady pressure near 1011 hPa and a high of 66. Water sits around 54 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

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 74 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 Big Wood River at Stanton Crossing.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 13140800.

22242621 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp63 F
High / Low66 / 51 F
WindSSW 8-16 mph
Pressure1010.9 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 8%
Sunrise / Sunset07:05 / 20:07
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 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 · Overcast, 66/51 F, wind 11 mph, rain 8%

Fair or better. A 11 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Magic 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
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 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 Magic Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

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

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 18 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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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. Trout limits per current IDFG regulations for Magic Reservoir and the Big Wood River.

Access

Ramps and primitive access around the reservoir; small resort area with basic facilities.

About this water

A 3,700-acre irrigation reservoir on the Big Wood River, Blaine and Camas counties, Idaho.

Fishing Magic Reservoir: the full guide

A reservoir named for irrigation

Magic Reservoir covers about 3,700 acres on the Big Wood River in south-central Idaho, an irrigation storage lake surrounded by sage and lava rock. Despite the stark setting, the water is fertile and grows trout quickly: rainbow trout of several pounds are realistic, joined by brown trout, perch and a strong ice fishery. Water levels swing dramatically with irrigation draw.

Trout by season

Ice-out through June is prime: trout cruise the shallows and drop-offs taking leeches, buggers, trolled spoons and bait from both boat and shore. Summer sends fish deeper and irrigation draws the lake down. Fall brings them shallow again with the year’s biggest browns near the inlet. Ice fishing in winter is a serious local tradition when conditions allow.

The Big Wood connection

The Big Wood River above the reservoir is a well-known trout stream through the Sun Valley area, and the river below the dam holds fish as well in the years when flows allow. That makes a combined trip straightforward: lake in the morning, river in the evening, with the Wood River Valley providing everything a visiting angler needs.

Blaine County logistics

Ramps and primitive access serve the reservoir, with basic facilities and a small resort area. Water level swings can strand ramps late in the irrigation season: check current elevation. Wind sweeps the open desert most afternoons. Bellevue and Hailey are 20 minutes north, with Sun Valley beyond.

Common questions

How big do the trout get?

Rainbows of several pounds are realistic in good water years, with the fertile water growing fish quickly.

Does the level drop?

Substantially: irrigation draws it down through summer, which can strand ramps and concentrate fish.

What about the Big Wood River?

A well-known trout stream above the reservoir through the Sun Valley area: an easy combined trip.

Is fishing good at Magic 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

Silver Creek10 miAnderson Ranch Reservoir56 miSouth Fork Boise River57 miAmerican Falls Reservoir80 miLucky Peak Reservoir87 miPayette River99 mi
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