Alan Liere’s weekly fish and game report for Nov. 10

Wed., Nov. 9, 2016

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

Three maps designating public lands near Pullman, Spokane and Walla Walla are now available for $9 each plus tax through the DNR map sales web page or in Spokane at the BLM Spokane District Office, 1103 N. Fancher Road in Spokane Valley. The maps highlight public lands managed by DNR, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the State Parks and Recreation Commission, as well as lands managed by federal and other public agencies.

Braggin’ rights

At age 72, I was pretty sure my chukar hunting days were long past, but I surprised myself and two much younger friends, Mark Midtlyng and Brian Quinnett, by sticking with them (sort of) on a three-day chukar hunt in eastern Oregon last week. The younger men shot eight-bird limits three days in a row. I shot a total of seven during the three days but counted the adventure as one of my best hunting trips ever. The dog work was excellent, the country was beautifully rugged, the companionship was exceptional, and my body held up (sort of) ’til the end.

Overheard

The objective of the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward program is to pay recreational anglers to catch and remove pikeminnow. This year, more than 225,000 northern pikeminnow were caught with the largest payment of $119,341 going to an angler who caught 14,019 fish.

Fish biologists estimate whitefish make up over 50 percent of the Banks Lake fish population, and this is negatively affecting other fish deemed more desirable. Recently, WDFW has been netting Banks Lake whitefish as part of an on-going study for determining population and reproduction, and trying to decrease the number in the lake. WDFW is trying to determine if a commercial fishery for whitefish is feasible, but so far they have found no one, not even the food banks, that want them.

Heads up

In last week’s Braggin’ rights section, I reported that Otto Klein of Spokane tagged a nice 6x6 bull elk near Anaconda, Montana. This week, while preparing to take the head and horns to a taxidermist to have a European skull mount made, some lowlife stole the head and rack from the truck parked in front of his south side home. Have some information? Call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Fly fishing

The annual Spokane Fly Fishers Fly Auction will be held on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at St. Francis School, 1104 W. Heroy. The fly auction is a major fundraiser for the club. Donated flies may be checked in between 5:30 and 6:45 and there will be time before the auction to preview the inventory.

Two fly-tying classes are being offered by Silver Bow Fly Shop this month. A level one class will be offered on Monday and Tuesday, and a level two class will be held next Wednesday and Thursday. Call (509) 924-9998 for details and to sign up.

Temperatures and water conditions are favorable for late-season fly fishing trips to local rivers. All should have some dry fly action at mid day, and nymphing will get the day started. On the North Fork Coeur d’Alene, fishing should be good from Pritchard down.

Silver Bow Fly Shop says the bobber game with a double bead stone and bead or egg pattern is doing the best for Grande Ronde steelhead. The Snake and Clearwater and ’Ronde are at good levels.

The Clark Fork flows have been up and down and the river is off-color but fishable. Most trout are holding in the deeper waters with some feeding on top in the afternoons.

Salmon and steelhead

Fishing on Idaho’s Clearwater River has been good over the past week. The Reel Time Fishing crew has been averaging from six to 10 Steelhead boated per day with double-digit hookups most days. The majority of fish come from side-drifting eggs and yarn combinations, but backtrolling plugs such as the Maglip 3.5 has also been effective. Both stretches of the Clearwater, as well as the Snake, are producing one fish per nine angler hours.

Anglers are now allowed to catch and retain coho salmon and steelhead on the mainstem Columbia downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge near Pasco. Wild Snake River fall chinook salmon have cleared the Columbia River, and there are more coho and hatchery steelhead available for harvest.

The requirement that anglers must release Ringold Hatchery steelhead with a one-quarter-inch diameter (round) hole punched in the upper lobe of the tail fin has been repealed effective today. Anglers may now keep all Ringold steelhead with both the adipose and ventral fins clipped from the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco to the old Hanford town site wooden powerline towers.

Trout and kokanee

Sprague Lake rainbow are pretty close to the surface, hitting spoons, flies and Wedding Ring-type spinners. A piece of worm added to the hook will increase hits. Some days, most of the fish are under 18 inches, but on others, many run 18-22 inches. Most Sprague Lake anglers practice catch-and-release this time of year as the fish take on a muddy taste in the fall.

Friends reported Rock Lake is still a bit low for easy launching of a big boat. Although the fishing was not fast, they caught several 18-inch rainbow by trolling gold colored Flatfish.

Amber Lake is kicking out trout as large as 3 pounds, but the fishing slows way down after 11 a.m. Flies are the usual fare, but barbless plugs and lures have also been effective. Amber is catch-and-release at this time, and closes at the end of the month.

A friend who fished Lake Roosevelt out of Fort Spokane four times last week said limits came between 1-2 hours for everyone on the boat. Even so, the fish checker back at the launch said not everyone was doing as well, and suggested an unwillingness to try different set-ups was the reason. It is pretty much agreed upon by anyone who successfully fishes Roosevelt these days that a fly, especially in perch colors, with no dodger is most effective. Mornings are best.

Lake Chelan is again producing some nice catches of 12- to 13-inch kokanee in the vicinity of the Yacht Club. Mack’s Mini Squids and Wedding Rings along with a 0000 dodger have worked well. Depths vary, so watch your sonar and run your gear just above the fish. You may have to look for them awhile as the biters appear to be tightly schooled. Chelan Lake macks are also biting deep near the Yacht Club, in the Narrows and in the Barrens.

Spiny ray

Area walleye are still scarce, especially those over 14 inches. Jigs and nightcrawlers at about 40 feet will still entice Lake Roosevelt ’eyes, but few are what would even be described as “eaters.”

Other species

Due to elevated marine toxin levels, WDFW has canceled five days (Nov. 12-16) from a razor clam dig that was tentatively planned at Twin Harbors and Long Beach. Shellfish managers still hope to move forward with three days of digging (Nov. 17-19) at four Washington ocean beaches, pending the results of further testing for domoic acid. Levels of domoic acid have been elevated for several weeks along Washington’s southern coast, at Long Beach and Twin Harbors. However, toxin levels at Copalis and Mocrocks have consistently met state health standards and both are also being considered for the Nov. 17 opening.

Hunting

Hunting season for wild turkey gets underway Nov. 20 in eastern Washington.

The late-season modern rifle whitetail season ends Nov. 19 in Washington. Game checks indicate success has been similar to last year. As the bucks move further into the rut, success will improve.

Washington pheasant hunters were taking advantage of the dryer weather this week and some reported finding pockets of birds around St. John, Endicott, Colfax and Steptoe.

If you’re wondering where the ducks and geese are, you’re not alone. With temperatures in Edmonton, Alberta, way above freezing, it’s likely the birds are cleaning up the pea and grain fields, and with open water they are in no hurry to leave.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere @ yahoo.com