Boise has seen a few warmer days with nights above freezing, which is a pattern that can help warm rivers and improve fishing. In late Fall and early winter you can find warmer water by fishing up close to a tailwater dam, but this time of year when you have a string of warmer days and nights the opposite can be true.

Winter outflows from the dam are locked into a constant temperature coming out of the bottom, which is usually around 39 degrees below Anderson Dam and 36-37 degrees below Lucky Peak Dam. Warmer days and nights will allow that water to warm up as you go downstream.

Here is a look at water temps on the Lower Boise River at Glenwood bridge and at Caldwell so far this month. You can see the Boise River at Glenwood is warming a couple of degrees and getting into the upper 30s while the river down at Caldwell is up into the lower 40s.

Just a degree or two of warming during the day can make a big difference. Fishing downstream sections closer to Star can pay off this time of year and focusing on the last few hours of the day can be productive as water temps are at their maximum. This trout was caught on January 2nd between Eagle and Star, the last hour of the day.

Paying attention to water temperature can really improve your fishing. Checking BVFF's Local Waters page for water temperatures on local rivers is a good way to plan your winter fishing.  For more information on how water temperature impacts fishing, see our article Using A Thermometer To Improve Your Fishing.