Hunting and fishing

Fri., May 1, 2009

Alan Liere Correspondent

Tip of the week

Tournament angler Ted Beach will give a free walleye fishing seminar at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council auditorium, 6116 N. Market St.

Braggin’ rights

Frank Whitney and Skipper Bill Bongers fished Lake Roosevelt Sunday from Keller to the dam with excellent luck. Both limited on kokanee, all in the 3-pound range. The rainbow caught were up to 21 inches long.

Overheard

In addition to some excellent crappie fishing and the usual pike and bass, Idaho’s Hayden Lake is giving up an extraordinary number of large trout this spring. Numerous reports claim fish in excess of 10 pounds. The fish are tight to the shoreline, so bank fishermen are catching as many as anyone.

Heads up

Rufus Woods anglers take note of these new rules, effective starting today. They were announced at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in an agreement with WDFW and the Colville Tribe too late to appear in the new Washington fishing rules pamphlet:

Kokanee and trout are both included in the two-fish daily limit (not two of each as in the past).

Chumming is no longer allowed.

State licenses are required for fishing from the Douglas County shoreline.

Tribal licenses are required for fishing from the Colville Reservation shore.

Either state or tribal licenses are valid for fishing from the water as well as within a small zone soon to be posted on the shore beside the middle net pens.

•Northwest Outfitters has reopened in a new Coeur d’Alene location, the Riverstone Complex at 2171 N. Main St. Toll free info: (888) 347-4223.

•Idaho’s hunting and fishing license fees have increased for nonresidents starting today.

•A new Idaho state law requires the owner of any boat or any non-motorized vessel – canoe, kayak, raft, drift boat – more than 10 feet long to buy and display an Idaho Invasive Species Fund sticker. Info: Idaho Parks and Recreation, (800) 247-6332.

•On seven trips into the turkey woods this spring, I have brought home two gobblers and eight ticks. When you return from your hunt, make sure to shake out your hunting duds outside and then bathe as soon as possible.

Fly fishing

Lenice and Nunnally are both producing the best fishing in years, with many large ’bows showing. Lenore is getting better each day.

The Clark Fork, the Joe and the Coeur d’Alene are running high but dropping, and this often means excellent fishing. Skwalas and March browns are hatching as well as some nymphs to midday.

Fly fishermen are catching Hayden Lake crappie by locating schools in 6-12 feet of water. The occasional northern pike provides an artery-clearing surge on light crappie gear.

Trout and kokanee

The top lakes for Inland Empire anglers on Saturday’s opener were Spokane County’s Williams (five fish per angler) and Badger (3.93 fish per angler). Okanogan County’s Pearrygin Lake (4.86 fish per angler) and Cedar Lake (3.95 fish per angler) in Stevens County, were also excellent.

Williams Lake was undoubtedly the best opening-day lake in the state. Limits were a sure thing with rainbow and cutthroat 10-17 inches as well as a lot of larger carryovers and some huge broodstock. The method didn’t seem to matter.

Nearby Fishtrap Lake was not as productive as on opening days past. Rainbow ranged from 8 inches to 5 pounds.

Badger Lake trout ran consistently larger than in almost any other lake. There were plenty of “dinks,” but it was not impossible to take home a limit of rainbow more than 15 inches.

Fish Lake anglers reported more brook trout than tiger trout. Trolling spoons was the ticket for 12- to 15-inchers.

Clear Lake anglers did quite well with lots of 10- to 13-inchers and a fair number of carryovers to 20. Both spoons and bait were effective. Needle Fish trolled just below the surface accounted for a lot of trout.

West Medical Lake had one of its poorest openers, giving up less than a half fish per angler. The trout there were 12-15 inches.

Sprague Lake trout are consistently the largest in the state. Although it is sometimes hard to find them, hooking one is like tying into a coho salmon. Last week, I watched three anglers get skunked while fishing from shore while the two fellows next to them caught seven beauties.

Rock Lake is muddy and the boat launch was empty last Tuesday.

In Pend Oreille County, Diamond Lake anglers averaged about a fish per angler. Fan Lake was slower.

In Stevens County, anglers at Deep and Rocky lakes caught about three fish each. At Waitts Lake, the fishing was not quite as good, but at nearby Jump-Off Joe, there were reports of good catches. A lot of the trout were only 6-8 inches, but numerous browns more than 20 inches were landed.

Loon Lake was slower than usual for opening-day trout, but some big brood stock as well as 18-inch carryovers sweetened a few catches. At least four mackinaw in excess of 12 pounds were landed opening day. With the ice just barely off, Loon mack fishing should stay good for a few more weeks.

As they thaw out, good fishing is available at Starvation and Rocky lakes near Colville. They both have lots of 10-to 11-inch and 12- to 14-inch rainbow from past fry plants.

Lake Ellen, north of Inchelium in the Colville National Forest, was treated last fall to get rid of sunfish and bass and has received 9,000 rainbow trout measuring 8-12 inches.

Clear and Wapato Lake in Chelan County gave up close to three fish per angler. Jameson Lake in Douglas County was a bust despite predictions of better fishing.

In Grant County, Blue, Deep, Park, Perch and Warden all averaged around three trout per angler. Okanogan’s Pearrygin Lake was phenomenal, and Conconully Lake wasn’t far behind. The area between the state park and Shady Pines Resort was the hot spot. The Leader Lake average was 3.5 fish per angler.

Lake Roosevelt trout continue to confound and frustrate most anglers. The best success has been in the top 20 feet of water on the Punk Rocker fly developed by guide Ray Bailey of R/C Guide Service in Davenport.

Priest Lake mackinaw anglers say they are not finding fish in the usual spots off points and rocky outcroppings, but they are still boating a few while trolling or jigging. Eventually, the fish will migrate back to their usual haunts

Salmon

The good news for Idaho anglers is that few chinook were caught on the lower Columbia and the season closes today. When the fish finally arrive, there should be lots of them. The Snake is high, but it should be in shape by the time the fish get there. Mid-May to mid-June should be prime time on the Clearwater.

Spiny ray

Coeur d’Alene’s shallow chain lakes are providing excellent crappie fishing. Black, Swan, Cave and Rose have been hot, and Fernan is also good. At Fins and Feathers, Jeff Smith said the Screw Grub, a jig similar to the Rattail, is selling as fast as he gets them in, but small Rapalas are also working.

Coeur d’Alene pike are spawning so the bite is off, but they recover quickly and fishing should get good again soon. In the meantime, small lipless cranks and jerk baits are accounting for some big smallmouth.

Liberty Lake docks are sheltering bass, and some are even being caught on deep water break lines. Bass fishing should improve dramatically in the next week

Eloika Lake bass are beginning to hit and keeper crappie are showing. The perch fishing is picking up again now that the spawn is over. Another lake for crappie is Banks, where the area near Steamboat Rock by the poplars is harboring lots of 9- to 11-inch prespawn fish. The fish are holding just above weed patches. Bass fishing on Banks has also been good, and walleye are waking up.

Hunting

The application period for this fall’s Idaho deer, elk, pronghorn and black bear controlled hunts starts today, and runs through June 5.

You can contact Alan Liere by email at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com