Fishing Report

SPINY-RAY FISHING

Fishing for walleyes is picking up fast at several eastern Washington lakes. And bluegills are starting to take anglers’ lures at Sprague Lake.

This may be a good year to fish for walleyes at Sprague Lake. Mike Mielke of the Sprague Lake Resort said that numerous 18- to 20-inches were caught last weekend.

In addition, a 13-pound walleye was taken a week ago.

Fishermen have had to release nearly all the walleyes they hooked at Sprague the last few years because the fish were less than 18 inches long. It’s apparent that there are enough keeper-sized walleyes in the lake now to make fishermen happy.

Mielke said that a few fishermen caught 8- to 9-inch bluegills last weekend. Although the bluegills were caught in deep water, the fish probably are getting ready to spawn. Water temperatures are in the high 50s to low 60s.

The bluegill population may no longer be as large as those of 1985 through 1992. Pressure on the fish has been heavy and there was a big dieoff of the species last year.

Mielke said that fishermen now are catching keeper-sized smallmouth bass. Fishing for the smallmouths was good last weekend.

Walleye fishing has been fabulous at the Potholes Reservoir and its Lind Coulee, Rod Meseberg of the Mar-Don Resort said.

“We’ve seen many walleyes in the 4- to 6-pound class and lots of smaller keeper-size fish,” he said.

Most anglers troll Bait and Blade spinners or Double Whammey lures baited with either night crawlers or frozen minnows.

Popular areas are the Crab Creek channel to the power lines, around a large sand dune island near the channel and near the island in Lind Coulee.

Bass fishing is starting to peak at North Idaho’s lakes. Jeff Smith of the Fins & Feathers shop at Coeur d’Alene said.

Surface water temperatures are in the high 50s and low 60s; consequently, the bass are near their spawning beds.

Fishing has been especially good at Lake Coeur d’Alene and at the lakes adjacent to the lower Coeur d’Alene River.

TROUT, WASHINGTON

Hatches of Callibaetis mayflies are in full swing at many of the region’s lakes and damselflies are starting to hatch.

Chopaka Lake, a fly fishing-only lake northwest of Loomis, is attracting fly fishers from throughout the Northwest. The mayflies are hatching in large numbers at the popular lake.

Mayflies also are hatching at some other Eastern Washington lakes, including Dry Falls, Lenice, Nunnally, Bayley, Amber and Williams.

It’s apparent the trout population in Lenice Lake, one of the most popular selective fishery lakes in the state, is down considerably from those of the last few years.

Anglers say they’ve caught large rainbows, but fishing has been slow even though chironomid hatches have been big.

Little Merry Lake, adjacent to Lenice, is plugged with weeds.

Anglers who fished Dry Falls this week said the lake is now covered with “gunk” and that “angel hair,” a thread-fine weed, is making fishing difficult.

Anglers are still taking five-fish limits of pan-sized trout at Fishtrap, West Medical, Diamond, Williams and Badger, but they’ve had to spend more time to catch a few fish.

The small lakes in northeast Washington are providing good fishing. The most productive lakes are Marshall, Skookums, Browns, Mystic, Yocum and the lakes in the Little Pend Oreille chain. The majority of the lakes hold cutthroat.

Jameson Lake in Douglas County is still a good bet for rainbows averaging 12 inches and for some 18- to 25-inch Lahontan cutthroat that migrated from Grimes to Jameson this spring following flooding.

Most of the lakes that hold pansized trout in Okanogan County are still worth fishing. They include Alta, Big Twin, Leader, Patterson, Pearrygin and Spectacle.

Sidley, near Molson, holds some big rainbows.

KOKANEE

Resorts at Lake Mary Ronan in northwest Montana will be jammed with anglers this weekend for the opening of the season Saturday.

Most anglers will fish for kokanee, the species that attracts fishermen from throughout the Inland Northwest.

Gary Thomas of Camp Tuffit said the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Department sampled the lakes’ fish population recently and caught lots of 12- and 13-inch kokanee and 10- to 11-inch perch.

The 12- and 13-inch kokanee are the 4-year-olds that may provide most of the fishing this year. The department also came up with 6- and 7-inch kokanee.

The department reported last year that the growing perch population may affect the kokanee population. Big perch are expected to eat kokanee fry planted yearly.

Loon Lake is still kicking out 10-fish limits of 12- to 13-inch kokanee, Joe Haley of the Granite Point Resort said.

Although surface temperatures have risen slightly, he said, the kokanee still haven’t moved to deep water. Most trollers have been letting out one to four colors of leaded line, the number depending on the kind of terminal gear used.

As usual, most fishermen are trolling dodgers or multiple flashers ahead of small, baited lures.

Fishing for the big kokanee in Lake Roosevelt could improve. The lake’s level was about 33 feet less than full pool at mid-week and the Bureau of Reclamation said it intends to stabilize the lake at about 1,257 for a few days.

When the water level is stable, fishing often picks up.

Fishing for kokanee at Chapman continues to be slow. Kokanee fishing has been excellent at Idaho’s Spirit Lake. Smith said anglers, jigging with bead chain weighted spinners and glow hooks baited with maggots or corn are catching 25-fish limits of 9-inch fish.

CHINOOK SALMON

Numerous Spokane-area anglers are at Lake Chelan taking part in a four-day chinook salmon derby sponsored by the Lake Chelan Sportsmen’s Council. The tournament will end Sunday.

First prize is $4,000 in cash. The entry fee is $35.

Salmon fishing could be as good at Idaho’s Lake Coeur d’Alene this weekend as at Chelan Lake. Smith said trolling for the chinooks has been good the last week, with persistent anglers catching chinooks up to 15 pounds.

TROUT, MONTANA

Most of the trout streams in the Missoula area are high and muddy. It is possible that the upper Bitterroot above Hamilton, and particularly the North Fork, may be clear enough this weekend for good fishing. Phone a fly shop at Hamilton or Missoula for latest conditions.

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