Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for March 29

Wed., March 28, 2018

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

Kyle Jones, of Jones Sport Fishing, knows how to catch walleye and his favorite method is to slowly troll a bottom bouncer (also called a bottom walker) and worm harness. He emphasizes, however, that you need to fish with the rod in your hand rather than putting it in a holder. With the rod in your hand, you can make sure that you are always near the bottom. To stay there, you need to actively fish your rod, lifting it often to make sure you are maintaining contact. If you do not feel it touch bottom, you need to feed more line. You should be able to maintain contact with the bottom with every small lift and drop and this will also help you detect bites. When heaviness occurs, lift the rod steadily without jerking and begin reeling.

Overheard

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has approved spring chinook fishing on the Clearwater, Snake, Salmon and Little Salmon rivers to start on April 28 and run until closed by the Fish and Game director. Fisheries managers are forecasting a run of 66,000 spring chinook – roughly double last year’s return and slightly above the 10-year average of 62,000.

Heads up

—State fishery managers anticipate that sufficient chinook salmon remain to allow Marine Area 9 to run through April 15 as scheduled with a daily limit of two hatchery chinook. This excludes year-round fishing piers. Anglers must release coho and wild chinook.

—The eastern Washington winter lakes – Hatch, Williams and Fourth of July – will be closed after Saturday.

—Hunters who want to pursue moose, bighorn sheep or mountain goats in Montana this fall will have until May 1 to submit their applications. The online application process is available to hunters until 11:45 p.m. on the deadline day, but FWP is encouraging hunters to complete their applications ahead of the absolute deadline to avoid any potential for unforeseen troubles. Paper applications and regulations are available at all Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks offices and license providers. Online applications and regulations are here . Follow the “hunting” tab.

Fly fishing

North Fork Coeur d’Alene River cutts are beginning to take midges and bwos on top. The bite usually picks up after noon, but until then, nymphs or streamers will get the job done.

The skwala activity is picking up on the St. Joe. Use small dry flies to prospect. Afternoons have been best.

The Clark Fork River is seeing midge activity from late morning into the afternoon. Overall, the fishing has been good, better above St. Regis than below. Fly fishermen are mostly nymphing.

Amber Lake is fishing very well, says Silver Bow Fly Shop. Chironomids are your best bet, but leeches are doing well too. The west end and shoreline areas have been most productive. Coffeepot Lake is also fishing very well with leeches down deep. Medical Lake is ice free and trout are hitting close to the banks.

Salmon and steelhead

The 2017-18 Hanford Reach steelhead fishery daily limit was reduced to one fish to ensure that the Ringold Springs Hatchery would meet the 2018 broodstock collection objective. That objective was achieved on March 26, so the daily limit has been increased to two hatchery steelhead for the remainder of the season. The boat (and bank) fishery from the Hwy. 395 Bridge to the wooden powerline towers closes on Saturday. The “bank only” fishery adjacent to the Ringold Springs Hatchery (described on page 54 in the 2017-18 Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet) continues through April 15.

Most of the steelhead caught in Asotin County now are coming from the intake at the Orofino hatchery and up the South Fork Clearwater. Anglers are still taking some fish from the Grand Ronde, however. The water is high – marginally fishable – but the steelhead are surprisingly bright. Shuttles are running at Boggan’s, and there are cabins to rent. The fire this winter affected only the main lodge/restaurant. Info: (509) 256-3372

Lake Coeur d’Alene chinook are up high in the water column and anglers trolling helmeted herring, Deep Down Husky Jerks or Rapalas at around 30 feet are finding success. Many of the salmon are undersized, but an outing usually results in at least one keeper.

Trout and kokanee

Liberty Lake was planted with triploids last Tuesday and a lot have already been caught.

The north side of Sprague Lake is a few degrees warmer than the south side, and anglers trolling there are catching an assortment of rainbow trout between 14 and 20 inches. It’s not fast fishing, but it’s a nice break from TV basketball, and there have been rumors of much larger trout being landed.

Deer Lake still has a lot of ice, but it has pulled back from the shore and is probably not fishable. A late ice-out bodes well for good mackinaw fishing on top once the lake is clear.

Rock Lake is high and muddy. Launching is easy, but fishing is slow. A few brown trout – some as large as 20 inches – were landed recently, however, and trollers report catching a lot of small rainbow.

Kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan has been good most of the winter, and it is really starting to heat up now with heavy catches of fish running 12-16 inches. All boat ramps are good, but starting next month the Mill Bay launch will be closed. Anglers are launching at the state park and motoring up to the yacht club. The ’kokes are spread out – some as shallow as 50 feet and others over 100 feet.

Closer to home, Hayden Lake is also kicking out some beautiful kokanee up to 16 inches. Anglers are trolling for suspended fish over very deep water.

Spiny ray

Long Lake largemouth anglers who have located pockets of water higher than 50 degrees are catching some decent-sized bass on swim baits. Most of the reservoir is colder, however.

A bass tournament scheduled for last week at Newman Lake was canceled because of ice and moved to Silver Lake, but no bass were caught.

The south end of Eloika Lake is ice-free, so launching at the public access is possible for bass fishermen hoping to get a jump on the bite. Nearby Bear Lake is still covered by ice.

Curlew Lake is still ice-covered, but the ice is changing color, which usually indicates breakup is near. No one has been fishing for a week.

The Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt looks like chocolate milk, but a few anglers dunking dark-colored jigs are catching fish in 25-30 feet of water from Buoy 2 down. There have been a few decent reports from jiggers in the vicinity of Two Rivers and Outhouse Flats. Walleye are just beginning to move up the Spokane Arm. In two weeks it should be very good.

Banks Lake walleye fishing is said to be picking up, and the Columbia River has been excellent for several weeks. It should stay that way at least through April.

Potholes walleye anglers aren’t having much luck right now, but the rainbow fishing is said to be decent in the vicinity of Medicare Beach. The fish are generally 3 pounds and better.

Because of the limited steelhead season this year, a friend in Clarkston says the Lyons Ferry Marina is full of guide boats offering walleye trips.

Lake Coeur d’Alene is still low and cold, and pike anglers are waiting for the water to come up enough to draw the big females to their spawning beds. Currently, dead smelt under a bobber are enticing a few fish from Blue Creek Bay. Also in the Coeur d’Alene area, crappie are biting at Lake Fernan.

Hunting

Idaho’s general season youth turkey hunt runs April 8-14. Licensed youths ages 10-17 on April 8 may participate. In Washington, the youth season is April 7-8.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com