April and early May are the perfect times to fish FGR as the fishing is great and the ramps are lonely. Reservoir elevation is 6,027 ft, approximately 13 ft below full pool.

Lake trout: Recent fishing reports indicate lake trout fishing has been great. The best reports have come from around Buckboard, Pipeline, Sheep Creek, Antelope Flat areas. Small lake trout are being caught trolling and by jigging, located in 20-80 ft of water on flats adjacent to deep water habitat, cliffs and ridges. If you are looking to catch a small laker from shore, this is the time to do it! Larger lake trout fishing has also been good, with these individuals 60-100 ft deep out toward the main channel near cliff edges and other structure. Lake trout are commonly observed on the bottom, but will also be suspended in the water column. Suspended fish are typically the most aggressive too. We recommend the best fishing times to target lake trout are morning and evening, but on some days lake trout can be aggressive and feed all day. Good lures to jig include jigging spoons, rap baits (like jigging Raps or Tikka minnows), and jigs in 1/4-1/2 ounce weight or 3-4 inches in size. Larger lures will be needed for trophy lakers. If you are trolling, small spoons, dodger/squids, or crankbaits have been successful. Tip the lures with a small amount of bait, like sucker or chub meat. In open water habitat in the southern part of the reservoir, trolling can be effective as well, using small spoons, dodger/squids, and crankbaits. Good colors to try include pink, white, orange, glow and chartreuse. If you're not marking fish, move, and if you're not catching marked fish, change your presentation. This is a great time to target lake trout, specifically small ones that are overabundant and consume kokanee salmon. Please help the resource by harvesting some of the overabundant lake trout under 25 inches. As a reminder, there is no limit for lake trout 25 inches and under and can now be legally wasted in either state. This size class of fish makes exceptional table fare. For more information on areas and techniques to target lake trout and burbot, visit Weblink

Kokanee salmon: Kokanee fishing has been better this spring than in several years past. Experienced anglers are taking home limits on many days both trolling and jigging. Fish are 0-60 ft deep. 

Rainbow and cutthroat trout: Fishing has been good for boat anglers in the backs of coves and bays in 15-50 ft of water. Both species will hit small spoons and dodgers/squids while trolling, but also small jigging spoons tipped with bait. These fish will often be suspended. 

Smallmouth bass: No reports but yesterday observed bass in the Cedar Springs Marina for the first time this year. Any day now. Use crankbaits or ned rigs and target structure. 

Burbot: No recent reports as burbot are not as commonly targeted in the spring. Target burbot on flats adjacent or around rocky cliffs and slopes, where burbot spend daytime resting. For the best fishing, target burbot at night along rocky points and shorelines in 30-40 ft of water, using glow-in-the-dark lures like Yamamoto grubs, Radical Glow tubes, Ned's Bait Box plastics, and Northland Buckshot spoons. Tip the lure with a small piece of sucker/chub meat, recharge the glow frequently, and jig or deadstick the presentation a couple of inches from the bottom. Please remember all burbot must be killed.