Hunting+Fishing: Trout

Lake Chelan anglers are pounding big mackinaw in 320-390 feet of water trolling T-4 purple glow flatfish within 10 feet of the bottom at 1.7 miles per hour. The most productive area is directly uplake from the Narrows. At Dad and Darrel’s Family Guide Service, Anton Jones said this is the best chance of boating a huge Lake Chelan mackinaw. Info: 866-360-1523.

Anglers fishing Amber this week reported a few big fish (more than 19 inches), several nice ones (15-16 inches), and lots of little ones (less than 10 inches). The best bite was on the weedy end. Fishing Amber is mostly a matter of picking your poison – everything from flies to flatfish to small plugs, as long as they have single hook and are barbless. Coffeepot fly-fishermen are having best success on leech patterns.

Rufus Woods is still pumping 2- to 5-pound triploids out of several locations. Everything from plugs to flies to purple Wally Pops on bottom bouncers is catching fish, so if one method isn’t working, try something else. Some anglers have had excellent success drifting unbaited marabou steelhead jigs along the shelves, and bank anglers continue to do well on Power Bait near the net pens.

The Roosevelt trout bite is still slow, although I did hear of a group of three who caught nine in a day of fishing. All of the fish were more than 18 inches. Friends who fished from shore near Seven-Bays Wednesday caught two fish around 15 inches.

The Clark Fork has blown out, said Brooks Sandford at Clark Fork Trout and Tackle in St. Regis, Mont. Prior to the high water, it was fishing well with dry flies. Sandford said the Bitterroot is also up and the Missouri is about a week away.

The Coeur d’Alene River and the North Fork Coeur d’Alene went up 5 feet on Monday. Prior to that, both were fishing well for 10- to 17-inch rainbow and cutthroat.

Roses Lake in Okanogan County is ice free at last. Usually, there is some phenomenal ice-out fishing for holdover rainbow trout.

Lake Pend Oreille ramps at Hope, Farragut and the Islands are open, and anglers are catching mackinaw using Flat Fish or spoons. On a good day, it’s not unusual to hang 15 or more macks, but rainbow fishing has been slow.

Spiny ray

Roosevelt launches at Porcupine and Fort Spokane are in good shape, as the water level is still high for this time of year. The walleye bite seems to be fair to good in the Spokane Arm, with most anglers jigging.

Rufus Woods walleye are on and off, but when it is on, some really nice fish are taken. Early this week, it was good in the fast water between the Seaton Grove launch and the dam, and especially on Washington Flats, a 6-mile run from the launch.

Banks Lake walleye fishermen are just venturing out and no reports have come in. There was still some ice at the Coulee City end at midweek, but with the wind, ice was expected to be completely gone by Saturday. Perch fishing can be fantastic in the Coulee City Boat Basin in March once the ice goes off.

Potholes and Moses Lake walleye anglers are beginning to pick up small fish. They will reportedly begin dumping water into Moses again on Wednesday, which should stimulate the bite.

If you’re looking for crappie, Fernan Lake in Idaho is giving up 8- to 10-inchers, mainly on the east end. You can take rainbow from either end.

Water has been pouring into Lake Coeur d’Alene, which will stimulate the northern pike bite. It’s too cold for lures, so bait in the shallows is the ticket.

Steelhead and salmon

Lake Coeur d’Alene chinook are in the top 30 feet of water, hitting small diving plugs and helmeted herring. Most fish are 4-6 pounds, Fishing has been decent, said Jeff Smith at Fins and Feathers.

The best Idaho steelheading last week was the Clearwater above Orofino, the South Fork Clearwater and the Little Salmon River. This week, however, the Clearwater and its tributaries are running high and brown. Many of the fish are dark, but a few are bright.

Hopeful steelhead anglers are finding high water everywhere. The Tucannon and Touchet will probably not be fishable by the weekend. The Grande Ronde, though high, was dropping Thursday at Boggan’s Oasis and expected to be fishable by Saturday. So far, the biggest derby fish on the Grande Ronde is 9.8 pounds.

Other species

Sturgeon effort and catch remains low in the lower Columbia River. Quite a few sublegals were caught last week in the three major pools.

In Hells Canyon, boaters are picking up a few of the larger sturgeon now. FishHawk Guides reported a four-fish day recently, the largest just more than 6 feet.

Hunting

Washington’s spring turkey season will run April 15 through May 31 this year. Mick Cope, upland game manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the birds are doing well, especially in Eastern Washington. The first turkey tag is no longer included with the purchase of a small-game license.