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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Go Fishing 2015

A guide to fishing lakes and streams in the Inland Northwest.

Sports >  Outdoors

Woman on the Fly

Heather Hodson is on a mission to remind fly fishers about an often-neglected angle to the sport. “It’s really fun,” she said.

Sports >  Outdoors

Field reports: Coast salmon seasons set by Pacific council

FISHING – Washington’s 2015 salmon fishing seasons were approved this month by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, with some Puget Sound fisheries constrained to protect wild salmon listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. For coastal waters, a recreational chinook catch quota of 64,000 fish was set, an increase of 4,900 fish from 2014’s quota.
Sports >  Outdoors

Yakima fly fishing peaks with dry run

Fly fishing can sometimes be just like any other method for hooking a trout. Sometimes fly fishers get their jollies casting a weighted Woolly Bugger and stripping it back as fast as possible to trigger strikes – much like casting a Rooster Tail spinner.
Sports >  Outdoors

Anglers find fish willing on opening day

Saturday’s opening of Washington’s lowland trout fishing season was blustery, wet and cold, but anglers who toughed out the conditions were handsomely rewarded. Overall, Spokane-region lakes produced some of the best opening day fishing in years, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife surveys.
Sports >  Outdoors

Trout anglers maintain a soft spot for panfish

While trout are the most popular species sought by freshwater fishermen in the region, according to agency surveys, many anglers were hooked into the sport by panfish. Perch, bluegills and crappie can offer lots of action and tasty white-flesh table fare.
Sports >  Outdoors

Public access issues remain for Chapman Lake

Chapman Lake, a once-popular trout and kokanee fishery south of Cheney, will remain closed to drive-in public access this season. After decades of providing sportsman access, owners of the former Chapman Lake Resort locked the gates in 2011 on the only road access to the lake.

Blog Posts

Sports >  Outdoors

Emphasize fun while fishing with kids

FISHING -- Fishing is a time-tested, generations-approved way to have quality time with kids. But keep it cool. Going fishing is a way to get away from the pressure kids feel in mainstream sports and school. Idaho Fish and Game staffers have assembled some kid-fishing...
Sports >  Outdoors

Video: Prep inflatable life vest for boating season

WATERSPORTS -- With their small, comfortable size, inflatable life jackets make it easy and convenient for boater to wear a PFD while on or around the water. But these self-inflating vests require a little preparation for the season that’s best done at least a day...

Sports >  Outdoors

Video helps anglers connect with North Idaho pike study

FISHING -- A northern pike monitoring project on Idaho Panhandle waters helps biologists work to strike a balance between the species popularity with anglers as well as the toothy predator's potential to impact other fish species if its numbers are not kept in balance. Fish...
Sports >  Outdoors

Washington sets ocean salmon fishing seasons

FISHING -- The 2015 recreational ocean salmon fishing seasons have been announced by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as follows: Effective dates and Locations: Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) May 30-June 12 - Open seven days per week, 2 salmon daily limit. Release wild...
Sports >  Outdoors

Williams Lake fishing derby benefits Shriners Hospital

FISHING -- The 12th annual Klink's Resort Charity Fishing Derby to benefit Shriners Hospital for Children is set for Saturday, May 17, at Williams Lake south of Cheney. In 11 years, the event has raised about $60,000 for kids in need of skilled medical attention....
Sports >  Outdoors

Pikeminnow reward season kicks off with higher bounties

FISHING -- Anglers can help save salmon and get paid to do it by going fishing. The Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Program kicked off its 2015 season on the Snake and Columbia rivers this week, and anglers already are cashing in on a more lucrative pay-out...
Sports >  Outdoors

How fast can a salmon swim upstream to Idaho waters?

FISHING -- How long it takes for salmon to travel from Bonneville Dam to Idaho? Joe DuPont, Idaho Fish and Game regional fisheries manager in Lewiston looked at data and came up with answers to that often-asked question from curious anglers. On average, an adult...
Sports >  Outdoors

Low flows, slow fishing mark Yakima springer opener

FISHING -- Wishing was slow for lower Yakima River anglers out last weekend for the May 2 opening of spring chinook fishing. Flows averaged 1,800cfs and fishing was slow for both salmon and bass, said Paul Hoffarth, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist....
Sports >  Outdoors

Bassers catch load of lunkers in Lake Spokane charity event

FISHING -- Anyone with doubts about the lunker bass fishing potential of Lake Spokane (a.k.a. Lone Lake) should note the stats from the May 2-3 tournament organized by the Spokane Bass Club. Justin Cox and Ben Schilling weighed in a first-day, five-fish total of 29.05...
Sports >  Outdoors

Saturday was perfect fishing day for 700 kids

FISHING -- The cheerful squeals of kids catching their first fish was all the reward dozens of sportsmen and sportswomen needed for their hours of work organizing the annual Kids Fishing Day, May 2, at Clear Lake. More than 700 kids took part in the...
Sports >  Outdoors

Take a kid fishing, hook him/her for life

FISHING -- In Thursdays package of Fishing 2015 stories, I used a file photo of a successful young angler for a story about crappie fishing. It struck a chord with Mike Meseberg of Mar-Don Resort on Potholes Reservoir: Thephoto is of Levi Meseberg as a...
Sports >  Outdoors

Blustery weather doesn’t dampen opening day fishing success

FISHING -- Saturday's opening of Washington's lowland trout fishing season was blustery, wet and cold, but the anglers who toughed out the conditions were handsomely rewarded. Overall, Spokane-region lakes produced some of the best opening day fishing in years, according to Washington Department of Fish...
Sports >  Outdoors

Barbed hooks OKed for salmon in Wind River area

FISHING -- Anglers will be allowed to use barbed hooks through June at Wind River and Drano Lake while fishing for hatchery chinook and steelhead, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced. Location and effective dates: Wind River from mouth (boundary line markers)...
Sports >  Outdoors

Reader photo: Ospreys put on fishing clinic at Fernan Lake

OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY -- If you haven't been checking out The Spokesman-Review's Outdoor Reader Photo Gallery, you don't know what you're missing. Tim Colquhoun, for example, just posted a dramatic photo series of an osprey diving into Fernan lake to snatch a big fish. Awesome. Check...
Sports >  Outdoors

Anglers find big difference between Medical lakes

FISHING -- There's a big difference this week between Medical Lake and West Medical Lake near the Cheney. Fishing will open at West Medical with the general lowland lake season opener on Saturday, April 25. The daily limit will be five trout. Use of bait...
Sports >  Outdoors

Discarded fishing gear has fowl impacts

FISHING -- Anglers have a responsibility to gear up properly to reduce break offs and clean up line and tackle as much as possible, whether it's theirs or that of another fisherman. A lot of critters are out there making a living in and under...
Sports >  Outdoors

Big Hole brown trout survive threat in good shape

FISHING -- Fly fishermen will be interested in the latest news coming from Western Montana's Big Hole and Bitterroot rivers: Record brown trout numbers cited as reason for fungus in Montana river The spread of a fungal infection known as Saprolegnia in the Big Hole...
Sports >  Outdoors

First of Snake springer fishing seasons starts April 19

FISHING -- Two sections of the Snake River, below Ice Harbor Dam near Pasco and below Lower Granite Dam, will open to fishing for spring chinook salmon Sunday, April 19, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday. Two other sections of the river...