Cascade Reservoir
Cascade Lake is 17 miles long with 50 miles of shoreline.
It is a relatively shallow lake. The average depth is 25 feet and the deepest spot
is 68 feet. Because it is shallow it warms in the summer and has a good weed and
algae growth by July-August. Late summer the water is green colored with algae
with temperatures about 75 degrees,
but the fish still bite!
In winter the lake freezes over, as the lake is at quite a high elevation, near the town of
Cascade, 54 miles north of Boise. There is usually ice fisherman on the ice if there is not too
much snow on the ice. Trout, Perch, and Coho can be caught through the ice.
The Cascade Reservoir stretches from near the town of Cascade to Donnelly. Turn left at Donnelly from Highway
55 to McCall, and you will reach the top end of the lake.
There is lots of camping on the lake, and several boat ramps. Out in the middle the wave action can
get very interesting when the wind picks up. Don't get caught out there in a small boat.
The Fish
Rainbow trout are caught in good number, from the bank or by trolling.
Bankers use worms and marshmallow. Trollers use lake trolls or pop gear
and a lure such as a wedding ring and worm. Trout up to 7 pounds are not
uncommon!
Smallmouth Bass can be found around the shoreline near structure.
Perch have been a staple for many years at Cascade. Recent years have
shown a decline in numbers of Perch and the Idaho Fish and Game people
are working on restoring numbers. Their method is to reduce the numbers of
Pike Minnows, or Squawfish, which prey on the Perch fry.
Lake Cascade Web Cam
Fishing Reports for Cascade Reservoir
|
June 13
|
2008 |
Name: Kodiak
Water Temp: 53
Fished for perch. Couldn't muster up as much as a bite.
Bass fishermen were all complaining, and the trout
trollers were also frustrated. I couldn't even graph any perch to speak of.
|
|
May 7
|
2008 |
Name: Erich Siebert
Water Temp: ?
Fished in a wind and rain storm for
2 smallies and about 15 perch just north of crown point. Bass were
caught on plastic worms and perch on night crawlers.
I hope Summer shows up soon to get the fish going. E
|
|
May 31
|
2008 |
Name: fishin fool
The lake is real high for this time of year, most of the good spawning beds are
too far out for shore fishing. Ice came off a couple of weeks ago, fairly late.
The biggest fish landed in the annual fishing derby was a measy 3.3# barely half
the size of better years.
This trout fishery has become lackluster over the last twenty years. In 1987 30# stringers
weren't uncommon in the weeks following ice off.
The bass are getting large, 3 and 4# are common.
Perch numbers are improving with plenty of 13"+
Coho are far more scarce these days.
Bullhead catfish of about 1# are prolific.
Pike minnows (squawfish)are mostly gone - hooray!
The elusive tiger muskie still haven't found my hook.
|
|
Feb 5
|
2008 |
Name: River Charles
Water Temp: freeezing
Fishing Report: Fished most the day mostly perch caught some
real nice trout in between. Most of my fish came off the bottom in about 45 feet.
|
|
Sept 25
|
2007 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 62
I took my father from out of state to Cascade. We trolled
for 1 hour without a hit. Then we put on crankbaits and caught 20 plus smallmouth
that averaged 14" and 30 perch that averaged 12"
with one at 14". We threw deep divers along the crown point area. E
|
|
August 22
|
2007 |
Name: Andrew
Water Temp: 67
Fishing Report: I caught 5 smallies, 4 were keepers.
I caught them around rocky structures, with deep drop offs, using Senkos.
I also caught plent of perch with cut bait, around 25ft deep.
|
|
August 5
|
2007 |
Erich
Water Temp: 72
Fishing Report:
I took my friend Shawn out and we caught 100 plus
perch in 12-16' of water. I caght mine on jigs and Shawn used cut bait. He
also caught 4 nice catfish (bullheads) I managed a 3.5 and a 2 pound smallmouth
plus a few smaller fish slow rolling a 3/4 oz. spinnerbait in about 20'
|
|
June 17
|
2007 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 62
I decided to give the bass a break and went trolling.
The Coho fishing is awesome. I had a 6 fish limit in less than 2 hours on Friday.
Saturday I took a friend and his son and we were just short of three limits in
three hours. I was using downriggers at 15-20' deep with a silve, 4" dodger and
crawler on a 20" leader. we ran one leadcore set-up Sat. at 2 colors and did
just as well. The average fish was 14" and the biggest 2 were 18" and 20"
On thursday I also caught one Rainbow at 26"(released).
|
|
May 21
|
2007 |
The water level is rising slowly at Cascade. The trout have moved to deeper water,
so the fishing is slow for bank fishermen. Trollers are doing better
for trout. A float tuber said he caught a couple of very nice
big trout last week. The Perch fishing is Good.
No report on Bass.
Fishguy
|
Prior Year Reports
|
February 10
|
2006 |
Name: Isaac
Air Temp: 26
Water Temp: cold
Water Clarity and Color: Crystal Clear
Fishing Report:
Fished through about 20 inches of ice all afternoon.
Caught one 24 inch trout. Lost two other fish. Very nice sunny day.
Watch out around the edge of the lake the ice is not that thick.
Stepped through, sure was cold.
Good luck fishin...
Ice fishing tourney Feb 18 and 19 at Cascade.
|
|
March 23
|
2006 |
Report from: Joan P
The ice on Cascade Lake is 20 inches thick. Fished yesterday and caught three
nice fish. Let three smaller ones go.
As told by gentleman at the Senior Center in Cascade.
|
|
May 18
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 65
Had a great day. Two of us caught
40 plus smallies and one largemouth. Fish are pre-spawn to
dishing out nests and aggressive. The biggest went almost
four pounds with most barely legal. Could have weighed in
a limit of 14" fish plus the "kicker"
We caught fish on almost everything we tried. Even top water when
a thunderstorm moved through. We also caught 50 plus yellow perch,
mostly on bass gear by accident, but we later threw crappie jigs
and caught them until we were tired of them. The perch went up to 10" long. Erich
|
|
May 26
|
2006 |
|
Trout fishing is fair by most reports.
Fishguy
|
|
June 3
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 65
Fishing Report:
Smallmouth were biting real well on plastics
and small crankbaits. Three fish were about 3.5 pounds with several in the
14" range as well. Lots of 10" fish.
|
|
June 28
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
I fished from shore at the Donnelly boat ramp for 2 hrs. Landed three
keeper smallies on a spinnerbait and several perch and bluegill
on crappie jigs. Perch are now running smaller than a few weeks ago.
Bass are spawning in the upper end and finished in the main lake.
|
|
July 12
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 74
I decided to give the smallmouth a break and try trolling.
Started near tamarack falls for 1 hour with no luck so I motored to Sugar Loaf.
In 4 hours I hooked 4 fish. Two were Kokanee and two were rainbows. Both
Kokes came off at the boat but were around 12" and both rainbows were over 22".
I was using downriggers at 13 feet with wedding rings behind a small set
of blades and a needlefish behind a small dodger. The rainbows fought
like crazy and ripped drag like a steelhead!.
|
|
July 23
|
2006 |
Name: Brad K.
Water Temp:
Fishing Report:
Between four of us over thirty rainbows were
caught in two days. All of them were 14 inches or better. Another fisherman
had caught a 3 1/2 pounder. Fish Crown point using yellow powerbait.
|
|
July 25
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 80
Fishing Report:
Tried trolling the main lake for about 2 fish per
hour. Three rainbows went over 23" and were full of fight. They were caught
on wedding rings at 13' with downriggers. Also hooked three kokanee @ 20'
on orange needlefish but lost them all at the boat. Later, I graphed fish
on a rock pile and vertical jigged a spoon for 1 smallmouth and 6 smaller
rainbows (13"-15") in 1/2 an hour.
|
|
September 4
|
2006 |
Name: Erich
Water Temp: 66
Fishing Report:
Fishing for smallmouth is really heating up. And I
mean on fire. I caught my biggest smallie ever @ #6.7, one @ #5.3 and filled a
limit with 4.5 pounders. All were weighed, photographed and released. All were
caught on plastics. I would have mounted the big one but he had a huge scar
from an osprey or tiger muskie from when he was younger. Most of his dorsal
fin was missing. Erich
Erich (right) and Shawn with Cascade Smallies.
|
|
Nov 26
|
2006 |
|
Trout fishing from the bank is fair. There is snow on the ground at Cascade.
Will be icing over soon. Fishguy.
|
|
2/17/05
Idaho Fish and Game says ice fishing for Trout
is good to excellent! Some 5 pounders.
Try Cabarton and West Shore around Campbell Creek.
Fishguy
|
|
3/26/05
We are getting close to ice out at Cascade, but not yet. Word is the ice
is too thin for ice fishing. Water level 8.5 feet from full.
|
|
4/25/05
The ice is gone but it is still kind of chilly. The fish aren't warmed up
yet. However, some anglers are catching decent sized fish from the bank.
Does anyone take the water temperature at Cascade? Send us a report!
Fishguy
|
|
5/06/05
Fishing a little slow due to cooler weather.
|
|
5/18/05
Fishing is still slow. The folks that are catching fish are bringing in
4 pound trout! Check it out and let us know.
Fishguy.
|
|
June/11/05
From: Erich
Lake: Cascade Reservoir
Air Temp: 65
Water Temp: ??????
Water Clarity and Color: Clear
Fishing Report:
Caught 7 smallmouth bass from 1.5 pounds to a bit over #3 using 4" plastic worms.
I caught the biggest in front of some tournament guys.
It jumped 3 times right by their boat. I tried to help them out but they wouldn't
listen to my advice. The fish are in flooded grass 2-3 ft deep on flat banks.
Leave the steep banks and deep water alone.
P.S. I was shore fishing the north west end.
|
|
June 18, 2005
Fished one evening from the bank, at the city park area.
Caught five planter trout and one bass. The bass was a keeper.
Bill W.
|
|
July 4, 2005
Air Temp: 70
Water Temp: 65 at the surface
Clear to green water. Lots of algae as usual for this time of year.
The ole fishery ain't what it used to be. Trout fishing is a little slow.
Trolled for three hours around the Crown Point area and had one bite.
The sonar showed the bigger fish were hanging out at 35 feet, but they were few
and far between. I can usually catch at least a couple of the 20' Rainbows in a
weekend, but the last two years have had zero 20 inchers. Last year I could catch
3 to 5 nice chubby planters every time I took the boat out. This year, none.
We did see a troller catch what looked like a good 18 inch trout.
But...fishing from the bank at the campsite I caught 3 nice planters in about 15 minutes,
one half hour before sunset. That was the only bite. All day we could catch
6 inch Smallmouth or a Perch or two. We released the Perch, they were not that big anyway.
Our spot on the bank was kind of shallow, and with the warmer water I suspect
the trout were laying up in the deeper water, and coming in to feed at sunset.
Dad and Mom also caught a few trout at sunset for a great fish breakfast fried in
cornmeal and oil.
Looks like we may get the Perch back, and Smallmouth too ... but what about the trout??
Fishguy
|
|
7-10-05
Name: Erich
Air Temp: 65
Water Clarity and Color Somewhat clear - green(algae)
Fishing Report: Casted roostertails along the shore for as many
yellow perch as I wanted. All were around 8" and released. I picked up several smallmouth as well.
|
|
August 1, 2005
Name: Erich
Lake: Cascade Reservoir
Air Temp: 70
Water Temp ?
Water Clarity and Color Somewhat clear - green(algae)
Fishing Report: I made a few casts with a crankbait during my lunch
hour and caught a three pound smallmouth and a five pounder. The #5 turned
out to be a squawfish! I caught a glimpse of it and thought I had a trophy
smallie. I was already thinking about a taxadermist. The bass was released
and the squawfish fed to the osprey.
P.S. all the perch have moved deeper
|
|
September 9, 2005
Name: Erich
Lake: Cascade Reservoir
Air Temp: 55
Water Temp ? (shore fishing)
Water Clarity and Color Somewhat clear - green(algae)
Cascade Reservoir Fishing Report:
The smallmouth were fired up just before the cold
front moved through. I caught close to 20 fish in 25 casts while standing on
the same rock. Three were solid 14" keepers with the others from 10-12" and
one 8" perch. All fish were caught and released on zoom lizards, splitshot with
a 20" leader. Cast as far as you can. Half the fish were on before I started reeling.
|
|
November 6, 2005
Fishing for trout is slow to fair. Hit and miss for bank fishermen.
Trollers are finding the catching slow, but there are a few big trout out there.
Fall is generally a fine time to fish Cascade. Clean those deer rifles, put them
back in their safe spot, and get out that fishing gear!
Fishguy
|
|
December 16, 2005
The lake has iced over and people are ice fishing.
Folks are catching some nice rainbows and a few perch.
Fishguy
|
Click Here to Send in a Cascade Reservoir Fishing Report.
|
