Brownlee Reservoir

Brownlee Dam is a hydroelectric earth fill embankment dam on the Snake River on the Idaho-Oregon border, in Hells Canyon (river mile 285). It impounds the Snake River in the 58-mile (93 km) long Brownlee Reservoir. It is part of the Hells Canyon Project that also includes Hells Canyon Dam and Oxbow Dam, built and operated by Idaho Power Company.

Brownlee Reservoir — This 58-mile long reservoir separating Idaho and Oregon was in many experts opinion the best warm water fishery in the western United States. That was back in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Oregon State record smallmouth bass was caught at Hewitt Park in 1978. The current state record flathead catfish was caught in Brownlee. In 1988 & 89 the Idaho fish and game and the Oregon department of Fish and Wildlife in cooperation with Idaho Power Co. took a creel census. That census showed that Brownlee produced more fisherman hours than any other body of water in the state with the exception of the ocean.

The following fish species have been reported to inhabit Brownlee: Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegills, several species of bull heads, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, sturgeon, red eared sunfish, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, and more recently brown trout and walleye.

From Road Tripper