Idaho Outdoors

Life is Always Better with an Outdoor Adventure!

How to Select a Reel for a beginning Angler!

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How to Select a Reel for a beginning Angler! (Foxy the Fish Dog!)
Foxy the Trusty Fishing Partner!

How to Select a Reel for a beginning Angler.

If you want to learn how to fish or you are planning a family fishing trip and have children along.  It is best to purchase the right reel or your kids are not going to enjoy fishing. If you want your children to enjoy the sport of fishing, it is best to not hand them your pro reel as they will not be able to cast the line and will soon become very uninterested in fishing.  With a little bit of planning you can prevent yourself a ton of work fixing reels.

Fishing reels come in different shapes and sizes with mainly five groups including closed face spinning, open faced, electric, fly, and bait casting.  The best option for beginners are closed face and open faced spinning reels with open faced as the second choice. Some children may be able to handle other reels however it is best to start with the cheaper and the easiest to handle of the two options. You may have been fishing for many years and may not realize just how hard it is to cast that first line. Your children will want to do their best and have fun at the same time, so you want to ensure they can handle the reel you

Boat by the Lake. Image provided by Martin William
Boat by the Lake. Image provided by Martin William

choose. For young children, you may want to stay with a cane pole, but once they reach anywhere from four to nine years of age is time to give them a pole and reel that is closer to what mom and dad use.

In order to choose the right reel, there are three things that need to be considered.  Skill level,the type of fishing you will be doing (or the species of fish you will be chasing), and where you will be fishing. If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you begin with a closed face reel as they are easier to use and less expensive.

The closed face reel is so easy to use, you do not need much skill to perfect this as a beginner.  This will also reduce the chance of tangles in your’s or your children’s reels making your fishing trip a more pleasant experience.  If you have children going on their first fishing trip, then this is a much better reel for them. The spool holds the line as well as covers all the mechanical parts with one button on the top or possibly at the back of the reel. In order to use this type of reel, all you do is press the button as you begin the cast and let it go as you finish casting.

Idaho Free Fishing day is right around the corner, we hope this shows you how to select a Reel for a beginning angler so you can get your children out enjoy some fishing.

To learn more about the best fishing supplies for the novice or even the pros, visit SeaGear Marine Supply.

Brownlee Reservoir Bass Fishing – One of Idaho’s Hidden Treasures

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The Largest Fish My Daughter has ever caught, this small mouth bass is approximately 1.5 Lbs.
The Largest Fish My Daughter has ever caught, this small mouth bass is approximately 1.5 Lbs.

Hidden Idaho Treasure Series

Brownlee Reservoir bass fishing at Woodhead Park!

Where is it?

Hidden in the hills of western Idaho Brownlee Reservoir is a great destination for your family to fish, go swimming or pull out the wake board and catch some air. While Brownlee Reservoir is not was well known as some of Idaho’s greatest places to visit, it is definitely a must see.

Located approximately 28 miles north east of Cambridge Idaho on highway 71, Idaho Power’s Woodhead Park is a beautiful place to stay when you visit Brownlee reservoir.

The Largest Bass My wife has ever caught weighted in at 2 Lbs. 10 Oz.
The Largest Bass My wife has ever caught weighted in at 2 Lbs. 10 Oz.

Woodhead Park?

Woodhead Park located on the Idaho side of Brownlee Reservoir, just a few miles upstream of the dam. Built in 1959, Idaho Power remodeled and expanded the park in 1995 to improve the camping, parking and boating areas.

Ed Woodhead inspired the name of this award-winning park. Mr. Woodhead was chief construction engineer of the nearby Brownlee Power Plant.

Most of the park has mature shade trees, a boat launch, many boat docks, showers that are included in your camping fees, four restrooms, and a fish cleaning station. They also have a free Day use area and several places to tent camp. Even if you are not a fisherman Woodhead park is a great place to camp, if the beautiful vistas do not draw you to this location maybe the great deer hunting or chucker hunting will.

If you forget something at home, don’t worry the Gateway Store and Café located about three miles from the park just may have what you need. They have a great staff of very friendly people and will do whatever they can to help you out.

Brownlee Reservoir Bass Fishing Vista | Looking North on the Reservoir
Brownlee Vista | Looking North on the Reservoir

Brownlee?

Brownlee creek and Brownlee Dam is named after John Brownlee a prospector and an entrepreneur who operated a ferry near the site where the current Brownlee Dam and power plant is located. According to the Idaho Historical Society John Brownlee operated his ferry in that location from 1862 to 1864. There is speculation whether Tim Goodale knew about this route when he lead a train of 70 wagons over his cutoff via freeze out hill to the Powder River and crossed the river at the Brownlee Ferry in late 1862.

In 1864 or 1865 John Brownlee Abandoned his ferry or sunk it; there are actually different reports, then he moved to the Boise basin as he thought he could make a better living as a prospector.

Tim Goodale occupied John Brownlee’s log cabin for a while, even though the ferry business did not amount to anything. There was virtually no ferry business at this location until the Heath mines were discovered and the road from Pine Valley Oregon to the mines was improved in 1876 by William A. West.

William A. West operated the ferry under a new charter and eventually bought out all the interests of his partners. The Brownlee Ferry was operated under several owners until the 1920’s.

Historical References

Idaho State Historical Society – Reference Series – No 54 – Snake River Ferries
Cambridge to Brownlee Ferry
Idaho State Historical Society – Reference Series – No 436

This is the First Largemouth Bass i have ever caught, it had beautiful colors.
This is the First Largemouth Bass i have ever caught, it had beautiful colors.

Fishing Brownlee Reservoir!

Brownlee is considered one of the best fisheries in Idaho and Oregon, considering the reservoir is approximately 58 miles long and there are at least 7 game fish actively sought after. The list of game fish includes Small Mouth Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Catfish, Crappie, Bluegill, Trout, and perch.

The locals say that two guys in a six hour outing can catch between 200 to 300 crappie, and when you get in to the bass or perch the action can be dynamite. If you are teaching your children to fish, this is a great place to get kids hooked up and enthusiastic about fishing. The phenomenal Brownlee reservoir bass fishing has brought our family back to this great location 9 out of the last 10 years.

Planning a fishing trip can be a pain if you do not own a boat. However you can rent a boat or charter a fishing trip in either Richland Oregon or Cambridge Idaho.

The chucker hunting in the fall can be fantastic; however the hills are rugged so you need to be in pretty good shape to do any serous hunting around the reservoir.

Visit Woodhead Park and catch some action on Brownlee reservoir bass fishing in Idaho!

If you are planning a fishing trip, take a little time and research Woodhead Park on Brownlee Reservoir in Idaho. Take your family to Woodhead Park, one trip will get you HOOKED.

The Pledge to Protect Our Sportsmans Heritage for Our Youth!

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What is the Sportsman Heritage?

The sportsman in me was nurtured and developed from the age of four. That was my first memory of dad spending time with me in the woods, at the river, or at camp.  I believe that all who live this way of life have an obligation to pass the sportsman heritage to their children if they are interested.

Sportsman Heritage
My Son’s Elk 2006

My father is a great man; he spent many years punching the time clock, always trying to figure out how to make that extra buck. His motivations were always pure he loved spending every second he could with his family. If he could spend that time with our family hunting, fishing, or running around new country, well that was even better.

My best memories from childhood include running around with dad whether we were fishing, hunting or just at elk camp hanging out.  Some of these memories are the same ones my children cherish to this day.  I made it a point to take them to some of the same places my dad and I visited when I was a child.

Heritage: Anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition, a way of life!

The realization that our sportsman way of life was actually our sportsman heritage did not hit me until my children started hunting and fishing with me. Whether we were teaching them how to tie a hook on or watching them pull in the biggest bass of the trip. By empowering them to succeed in our outdoor adventures, we have taught them valuable lessons that will benefit them for a lifetime.

The principles of our sportsman heritage flow into our everyday lives. They empower our success, free us of fear, and help us overcome adversity.



Should we practice good Conservation?

Sportsman Heritage
My mom with her grandchildren 2010 elk hunt.

For years many of my family considered conservation environmentalism. After serious reflection and discussions we have decided this is not necessarily the case.  As stewards of hunting, fishing, prospecting, camping, or whatever it is you like to do. We need to take care of everything we touch.

Many of the outdoor clubs have put conservation practices in place. For instance the Geocachers practice the Cache In Trash Out (CITO) motto which means they go find a geocache and leave with some trash. By following good conservation practices like cleaning up a campground, or picking the pop can out of the river we are keeping the resources that our children will want to use some day clean.

That is not environmentalism that is good common sense.

I know making a pledge to our youth is a little corny.  However I would rather be a little corny and have the resources to teach my grandchildren to hunt than not.

The Pledge to protect our sportsmen heritage for our youth!

  • I pledge to protect the resources so my children and grandchildren can use them as an adult.
  • I pledge to teach my children and grandchildren the ways of our family’s sportsman heritage..
  • I pledge to be kind to help my children and grandchildren be self-confident and firm to teach you respect for others.
  • I pledge to pass on the rich sportsman heritage that our family has passed down generation to generation, so that my children and grandchildren see the value of harvesting wild game for their table.
  • I pledge not to harvest, more than our family can eat.
  • I pledge to teach fair and ethical behavior in the field.
  • I pledge to protect these rights that were inherited from my father so my children and my children’s children can enjoy them.
  • I make this pledge not only to my own children and grandchildren, but to any child, grandchild, adult, or group that is interested in learning about being a sportsman.

Please take the pledge pass on the sportsman heritage, allow our youth to enjoy the same rights and heritage that we have. Mother Nature created the great outdoors for everyone.