Hunting & Fishing

Trout, Washington

Although many Eastern Washington trout lakes hold growing populations of spiny-rayed and other competing species, the region’s anglers still can experience good trout fishing.

Best bets for the next few days:

Spokane region - Fishtrap, Amber, Diamond, Cedar, Bayley, Rocky, Starvation. Columbia Basin - Dry Falls, Lenice, Nunnally, Lenore, as well as Rocky Ford Creek. Okanogan and Douglas counties - Aeneas, Alta, Long, Wannacut, Blue, Jameson.

If you want to catch big trout, fish the selective fishery and fly fishingonly waters. Limits are low, but the fish are big. One rainbow out of Lenice will weigh more than a limit of five at most lakes.

For best results, fish this month. Anglers will quickly milk the populations of the most popular lakes, including Fishtrap, Rocky, Starvation and Cedar, which were excellent last weekend.

Trout populations in Okanogan and Douglas country lakes will last a little longer because there are so many lakes filled with trout.

Don’t overlook Williams and Badger lakes. When I visited them opening day, many anglers left with limits. Most trolled baited lures behind multiple flashers. Trout at Williams were 10 to 11 inches long; those at Badger were 9 to 10 inches.

Because the two lakes are filled with bass, the state cut trout plants drastically last year. Consequently, anglers likely will skim the cream of the crop in a couple of weeks.

Another lake to consider is Mudgett, in west Stevens County. Nearly all the rainbows caught at the little lake were 11 to 13 inches.

Bayley, a fly fishing-only lake, apparently holds enough 14- to 22-inch trout for good fishing this spring. Fishing was good Sunday.

Spin and fly fishermen were delighted with their catches last weekend at Dry Falls, a selective fishery lake. The rainbows averaged 15 inches and were plentiful.

Fishing wasn’t nearly as good at Lenice, another selective fishery lake, but the rainbows and browns averaged 18 inches. Average size at nearby Nunnally was 15 inches.

A big surprise to anglers was Jameson in Douglas County. The Fish and Wildlife Department had warned anglers that access to the lake might be limited on opening weekend as the result of flooding. However, water subsided, a road was graded, access was good and fishing was excellent.

Fishing was light, said Trudy McDonald of Jack’s Resort, likely because of the flooding reports.

Wannacut in Okanogan County is a good bet. Most who fished it last weekend took limits of rainbows averaging 11 inches.Pearrygin, Alta, Patterson and

Long are good bets for pan-sized trout, but fishing probably will be slow at Conconully lake and reservoir and at Leader, Fish, Blue and Big Twin.

The rainbows in Ell, a selective fishery lake, are big, averaging 17 inches in length. Most rainbows caught at Aeneas, a fly fishing-only lake, averaged 16 inches.

Spiny-rayed species

Bass fishing is picking up at numerous Washington and Idaho lakes as the water warms. Bass are moving to their spawning areas and are hitting anglers’ lures.

Mike Mielke of the Sprague Lake Resort said fishermen have caught some 17- and 18-inch largemouth bass in recent days. A few 20- to 23-inch walleyes have been caught, but perch and bluegill fishing has been slow.

Anglers have caught some largemouth bass and walleyes at the Potholes Reservoir, but Mike Meseberg of the Mar-Don Resort said unsettled weather has affected fishing.

Some anglers, casting small plastic tube lures in shallow water around the sand dune islands, have taken nice bass.

Some limits of walleyes were caught last weekend in the Crab Creek area, in Lind Coulee and around Goose Island. Most anglers are trolling crawler-baited spinning lures or diving plugs.

Ross Fister of the Fins & Feathers shop at Coeur d’Alene said bass fishing has been picking up at most North Idaho lakes. He also said crappie fishing has been excellent at Fernan and the lakes adjacent to the lower Coeur d’Alene River.

Fishing, Indian reservation

Good-sized rainbows and brook trout are taking anglers’ lures at Buffalo and the Twin lakes on the Colville Indian Reservation.

Colville tribe fishing permits are $15.50 for three days, $20.50 for seven and $30.50 for the season.

Kokanee

A lot of anglers will be spending time trolling and still-fishing for kokanee at Loon Lake this year. The sockeyes are 12 to 13 inches long now, Joe Haley of the Granite Point Resort said, and many probably will be 15 inches in July. They have been only 10 to 11 inches in early May the last few seasons.

Fishing was slow at Chapman Lake during the opening weekend.

Trolling for kokanee and rainbows at Lake Roosevelt has been poor the last several days.

Turkey hunting

Idaho’s spring season will end Sunday, but Washington’s will continue through May 15. Indications are that hunters have done well this spring.

Hunting pressure has been light in turkey country the last couple of weeks, but probably will pick up.Biologists said the nesting season is about over and hens are leaving their nesting areas. Toms that wouldn’t respond to calls during the season are now more likely to come to a hunter.

Trout, Missoula area

Rivers in the Missoula area were still clear and fishable at mid-week and some mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies were hatching.

Trevis Allen of Streamside Anglers said Gray Drakes are the predominant bugs on the lower Clark Fork. Fly fishers are using No. 12 extended body gray Parachute patterns and Gray Wulffs to imitate the mayflies. Also hatching are small brown caddisflies and Skwala stoneflies.

Best March Brown hatch is along

Rock Creek. However, most fly fishers have been using nymphs, including Hare’s Ear, Prince and Woolly Buggers.

Trout, Idaho

A 19-pound, 14-ounce rainbow was the largest caught on opening day Monday at Lake Pend Oreille. It was boated by Ed Rivers of Cocolalla and entered in the Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club’s spring Kamloops and Kokanee derby.