If you look at aerial view of CJ Strike Reservoir it is the shape of a lopsided “C”. It can be divided up into three distinct sections.
The first is the “Main Reservoir”. This it the portion near the dam and the central curve of the C.
The second is the Snake River Arm. The Snake River Arm is portion of the reservoir at the top of the C where the snake river flows into the impoundment. This section is mostly steep river canyon until it meets with the main reservoir.
The final portion is the Bruneau Arm. This is the bottom portion of the C where the Bruneau River flows into the impoundment. The Bruneau River is a great fishing in its own right and has some lovely redband trout in it. Check out our redband trout fishing guide.
Now let’s look at how best to fish CJ Strike Reservoir.
CJ Strike Reservoir is located in southwestern Idaho on the Snake River. It is a sprawling body of water known for its scenic beauty and plentiful recreational opportunities. It’s close distance to Boise makes it a popular destination for residents of the Treasure Valley.
Created by the CJ Strike Dam, this reservoir serves multiple purposes, including irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric power generation.
Anglers frequent its shores and waters because CJ Strike Reservoir has some of the best fishing in the state. With its surrounding campgrounds, boat ramps, swimming, and hiking trails, CJ Strike Reservoir is a destination for all types of outdoor enthusiasts to explore and enjoy the natural wonders of Southwestern Idaho.
The fishing at CJ Strike Reservoir is quite good. Great fishing can be had from both the shore and boats, with various techniques and bait options yielding success all year long.
While fishing conditions may vary depending on factors such as season, weather, and water levels, CJ Strike Reservoir is a body of water that consistently produces. It attracts fishing enthusiasts from all across southern Idaho.
Not only does CJ Strike have great fishing, the reservoir’s size and scenic surroundings provide a little something for everyone.
Located near the dam, this area offers good access for both bank and boat fishing. Anglers can target rainbow trout, bullheads, and yellow perch using various fishing techniques. I have found that you can do quite well bait fishing from the shore by the dam.
Night crawlers, minnows, fish eggs, and marshmallows will all attract fish and get you strikes. If you are looking to catch some of the resident rainbows check out our guide to the best trout baits before you head out.
For those fishing by boat, trolling Rapalas, rooster tails, or crank baits along the face of the dam will catch you some beauty trout.
If you are targeting smallmouths, the dam has some great smallmouth bass fishing. I recommend fishing for them in the spring, early summer, or fall as temperatures can get quite high here in the middle of the summer. That’s not to say you can’t fish CJ Strike in the summer. You just have to fish in the early morning, evening, or night. Focus on shallow coves, rocky areas, and drop offs. Tube baits, jigs, and rubber grubs all do well.
While it’s not impossible to bank fish here, fishing by boat is almost a necessity on this portion. The majority of this section is steep canyon, although some bank fishing can be had near the Cove Arm area. Cove Arm is small portion of the reservoir that breaks off into a large cove named Cove Arm Lake.
Trolling for trout with Panther Martins and rooster tails produces well in the Snake River Arm. Smallmouth bass and channel catfish will be in many of the coves here during spring. Crank baits and Rapalas work well for the smallmouth while you can clean up channel catfish with night crawlers and cut bait.
The white sturgeon fishing in this section of the CJ Strike is some of the best sturgeon fishing in the state of Idaho. Idaho Fish and Game believes the Snake River Arm to have one of the healthiest White Sturgeon populations in Idaho. Fisherman come from all over to fight these titans.
As I noted above the sturgeon fishing in the Snake River Arm of CJ Strike produces. It’s not just the quantity of fish you will land but the quality is also high here. It’s not unusual to catch fish over 7 feet long and there have been sturgeon caught that measure over 10 feet long.
You can fish for White sturgeon all year round, though I have had my best luck in the spring and fall. You will need to buy heavy rods, reels, and other gear if you are targeting these river monsters in their deep-water holes.
The Bruneau Arm portion of CJ Strike Reservoir provides perhaps the most interesting fishing experience. You can easily bank fish or fish this portion by boat.
In this part of the reservoir, you can catch everything and anything. The species I have caught here include bluegill, yellow perch, crappie, trout, channel catfish, largemouth, and smallmouth bass.
Various techniques can be effective here, including trolling for trout in the narrow section and flipping tubes for bass near vegetation and rocky escarpments.
One of the cooler aspects of the Bruneau Arm is that it’s not uncommon to be able to ice fish it in the winter. While it does not freeze all winter or at all some winters, when it does it provides some of the closest ice fishing to Boise you can get.
Ice fishing on the Bruneau Arm of CJ Strike can be extremely productive. I have caught a ton of perch, crappie, bluegills, and trout in just a few hours of jigging.
It’s important to remember ice fishing on CJ Strike Reservoir requires very specific conditions i.e. the weather needs to be very cold for an extended period of time. Due to Southern Idaho’s mild winters the ice can deteriorate quite quickly. Make sure to cut regular test holes and I wouldn’t go out on anything less than 4 inches of quality ice.
Next let’s look at what fish are actually in the reservoir.
