# Lava Hot Springs Area Fishing



## MarkM

My wife and I are headed up to Lava Hot Springs the first week of April. I have never been there and wonder what there might be in way of any fishing spots in that area or any good fishing spots on the way up there from SLC we could hit for a couple hours.

Mark


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## UtahSprig

Devil's Creek just over the border always seems to have someone fishing on it. I drove past it Saturday on my way to Rexburg and there were about four groups fishing.

Tyler


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## STEVO

We have a cabin just north of Lava Hotsprings in a old historic town called Chesterfield. Just past Lava Hotsprings, there is a road that will take you up the canyon. There are some awesome fly fishing & spin fishing area's on the Portneuf river which is all along that road with alot of sportsmans access pull offs. About 20 miles up that road, you will find a road called Kelly Toponce road that will take you out on a loop of the valley. You will go past Chesterfield Reservoir, that holds alot of nice fish, and another 3 miles past that there is a dirt road called 24 mile road that is 7 miles long that will take you to a little lake called "24 mile reservoir" That lake is artificial fly & lure & single barbless hooks only. It is a small lake, But is considered a trophy lake & all fish under 22" must be released. It holds some huge fish though. If you have ATV's , there is a road about a mile past 24 mile road that is called "cow camp road". Its about 20 miles on a atv or snowmobile, But that road will put you over to the Blackfoot river and Blackfoot reservoir. That road may be snowed in around april without snowmobiles & you may not make it very far. There are alot of nice areas there, But being in april you may have Ice on the lakes and snowy roads to deal with.

If you have never been to these places, there are some pretty cool places to camp and fish. There is very rarely many people in the area & it is some awesome 4 wheeling & snowmobiling country!!!!


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## scott_rn

Chesterfield used to be great when I fished it in the late 90's. They drained it about 6 years ago but I'll bet it's come back by now. I've heard a bunch of people used to park RV's there for weeks on end in the winter and clean out a lot of fish through the ice, but it was still a really good fishery. I always caught a decent number of fish all between 16-20 inches.

Stevo, have you ever fished it through the ice? I only fished there a few times and it was always from a boat. When they drained it I found the bottom half of an auger in the mud :lol:


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## .45

There is a small lake above the town of Malad...I can never remember the name of it. I always see Utah guys up there fishing when I go to have breakfast and buy lotto tickets. It looks like a nice quiet little place, big enough for a pontoon or float tube. Years ago, a friend caught a 4 lb. brown out of it...


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## sittingbull

If I remember right, Oneida reservoir is real close to Lava hot springs. The tail water is called "The Narrows" and I have had some of the best fishing of my life there. One time there was a blizzard of hatching caddis and I was catching 15-18 inch rainbows every cast with a soft hackle. It's a great spot and worth checking out.


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## STEVO

scott_rn said:


> Chesterfield used to be great when I fished it in the late 90's. They drained it about 6 years ago but I'll bet it's come back by now. I've heard a bunch of people used to park RV's there for weeks on end in the winter and clean out a lot of fish through the ice, but it was still a really good fishery. I always caught a decent number of fish all between 16-20 inches.
> 
> Stevo, have you ever fished it through the ice? I only fished there a few times and it was always from a boat. When they drained it I found the bottom half of an auger in the mud :lol:


Yea, I have ice fished it several times. We used to catch limits of 4 or 5 lb fish in about an hour out of the boat as we found a spot that was a cold water spring, & it seemed the big boys liked to hang around there. For some reason fish grow really big really fast in that lake. The drought ruined it for a while but it has been pretty full the last 2 years. About 4 years ago the lake was reduced to a 2 ft wide stream & everything was killed off. That summer they opened it up to no limit , & there were people (us included) at the bottom of the spillway and in the stream below catching fish in nets. Some HUGE bows (over 10lbs) came out of there. They re-stocked the lake in 2006 & it has been slowly coming back. This last summer I watched a guy pull in a 24" bow , So im sure the fish that were planted , have grown pretty nicely now.

It used to be awesome to ice fish as Idaho will allow you a permit to have up to 6 poles i the water at a time. We used to sit in the middle of a circle of poles, Usually had more than one on at a time.

Devils creek used to be a really good lake to fish from, But the last couple years , it has been fished out every year. They have made a big deal out of their annual fishing tournament & More people are showing up to take less fish. It probrably does still hold a few nice fish.

I think unless your wanting to do some ice fishing , The Portneuf River would be your best bet in the fisrt of April. The river runs right through the middle of town, But if you go up the canyon, there are much better spots. I caught a 25" brown 2 years ago, but have pulled out alot of browns & bows over 20" in the past.


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## orvis1

STEVO said:


> scott_rn said:
> 
> 
> 
> Chesterfield used to be great when I fished it in the late 90's. They drained it about 6 years ago but I'll bet it's come back by now. I've heard a bunch of people used to park RV's there for weeks on end in the winter and clean out a lot of fish through the ice, but it was still a really good fishery. I always caught a decent number of fish all between 16-20 inches.
> 
> Stevo, have you ever fished it through the ice? I only fished there a few times and it was always from a boat. When they drained it I found the bottom half of an auger in the mud :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, I have ice fished it several times. We used to catch limits of 4 or 5 lb fish in about an hour out of the boat as we found a spot that was a cold water spring, & it seemed the big boys liked to hang around there. For some reason fish grow really big really fast in that lake. The drought ruined it for a while but it has been pretty full the last 2 years. About 4 years ago the lake was reduced to a 2 ft wide stream & everything was killed off. That summer they opened it up to no limit , & there were people (us included) at the bottom of the spillway and in the stream below catching fish in nets. Some HUGE bows (over 10lbs) came out of there. They re-stocked the lake in 2006 & it has been slowly coming back. This last summer I watched a guy pull in a 24" bow , So im sure the fish that were planted , have grown pretty nicely now.
> 
> It used to be awesome to ice fish as Idaho will allow you a permit to have up to 6 poles i the water at a time. We used to sit in the middle of a circle of poles, Usually had more than one on at a time.
> 
> Devils creek used to be a really good lake to fish from, But the last couple years , it has been fished out every year. They have made a big deal out of their annual fishing tournament & More people are showing up to take less fish. It probrably does still hold a few nice fish.
> 
> I think unless your wanting to do some ice fishing , The Portneuf River would be your best bet in the fisrt of April. The river runs right through the middle of town, But if you go up the canyon, there are much better spots. I caught a 25" brown 2 years ago, but have pulled out alot of browns & bows over 20" in the past.
Click to expand...

So when are we going?


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## STEVO

> So when are we going?


Anytime you would like


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## Treehugnhuntr

sittingbull said:


> If I remember right, Oneida reservoir is real close to Lava hot springs. The tail water is called "The Narrows" and I have had some of the best fishing of my life there. One time there was a blizzard of hatching caddis and I was catching 15-18 inch rainbows every cast with a soft hackle. It's a great spot and worth checking out.


Onieda is "kind of" close to Lava.

I think you are thinking of Daniel's pond .45. The Portneuf can be decent that time of year, depending on run off conditions. It's actually fairly decent closer to McCammon, but the canyon is a lot more scenic, just a little more gradient.

Try Dempsey Creek and the little Bear as well.


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## Packfish

045 is probably thinking of Crowthers-------- they drained it last fall- replanted it but needs a little time. The narrows and Oneida are quite a ways away unless you are coming home thru Preston and if so then that opens up a multitude of places from Chesterfiels, Black Canyon, Narrows and all the Preston area lakes, Like was said the Port Neuf will probably be your best bet but if you are coming down thru the Preston area and Grace PM me and I will give you updates on what's been going on.


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## .45

Packfish said:


> *045 is probably thinking of Crowthers*-------- they drained it last fall- replanted it but needs a little time. The narrows and Oneida are quite a ways away unless you are coming home thru Preston and if so then that opens up a multitude of places from Chesterfiels, Black Canyon, Narrows and all the Preston area lakes, Like was said the Port Neuf will probably be your best bet but if you are coming down thru the Preston area and Grace PM me and I will give you updates on what's been going on.


Thanks for that information...  ....It seems like a nice quiet place on a sunday morning in the summertime....


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## cacherinthewry

You can't ever fish the Portneuf through town. It is permanently closed to fishing between the bridges at either end of town. And you won't be able to fish the immediate area either, as the upper Portneuf falls under the Idaho general regulations, and is closed that time of year. The lower river is slow and has a lot of carp, but not much for trout fishing. Check the Idaho proc for general season dates, and look at the area waters listed there for open stuff that time of year.

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/rules/


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## Treehugnhuntr

cacherinthewry said:


> You can't ever fish the Portneuf through town. It is permanently closed to fishing between the bridges at either end of town. And you won't be able to fish the immediate area either, as the upper Portneuf falls under the Idaho general regulations, and is closed that time of year. The lower river is slow and has a lot of carp, but not much for trout fishing. Check the Idaho proc for general season dates, and look at the area waters listed there for open stuff that time of year.
> 
> http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/rules/


I guess I was speaking of the section to the north when you cross over the river before going up the canyon towards lava. Is that closed as well? If it is I guess I'll say "oops" cause I have unknowingly fished it. But yes, there were a lot of suckers.


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## STEVO

It seems the regs have changed a bit. I know it used to be a big fishing area by those dome cabins right as you come into town. I think the area that is closed is only about a mile or two stretch right in the middle of town where all the kids tube down the river. If you go to the end of town, It looks like you can still fish up to Kelly Toponce road, But it is now catch and release only. I believe that only changed this year, or mabey last. there are some nice fish in that area.

PORTNEUF RIVER Cutthroat 2 None under 16".
From American Falls Reservoirupstream to the Center Street bridge inthe city of Lava Hot Springs.Open all year.

From the Center Street bridgeupstream to the East Main Street bridge.Closed to fishing.

From Pebble Area Bridge upstream to steel bridge on Kelly-Toponce Road. Cutthroat 0 Catch-and-release


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