Hunting & Fishing

Turkey hunting

In anticipation of seeing lots of wild turkeys, hunters this weekend will camp near areas where they have spotted flocks to be ready for the opening of Washington’s spring gobbler season Monday.

Meanwhile, hunters holding turkey permits in Idaho will continue pursuing gobblers in Benewah, Latah, Clearwater and Nez Perce counties. The general turkey season in those counties opened April 8. Other parts of Idaho’s Panhandle open April 29.

Thousands of Washington hunters have scouted turkey country and made arrangements with property owners to hunt on their land. For those who haven’t contacted property owners, getting a place to hunt the first part of the season will be difficult.

Most prime turkey spots in Stevens and Lincoln counties are either closed to hunters or open to friends and relatives of landowners. The two counties are among the top turkey producers in the state.

There are some flocks in Ferry and Pend Oreille counties. Most are on private land, but a few are on Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land.

Biologists believe this will be an excellent year in Eastern Washington.

Thousands of acres of private land will be open to turkey hunters in Asotin, Garfield, Columbia and Walla Walla counties. Landowners, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, permit hunter access and post “Feel Free to Hunt” and “Hunting Only by Written Permission” signs.

There are numerous wild turkey flocks along the north edge of the Umatilla National Forest. Because the forest is open to all hunters, however, hunting pressure usually is heavy, especially the first few days of each season.

Access to turkey flocks adjacent the Tucannon River above the Wooten Wildlife Area will be difficult. The Forest Service and Columbia County have closed the road and will not open it to public traffic until after the turkey season.

The road was severely damaged during February floods.

Montana’s general turkey season will open Saturday.

Trout, Washington

Lenore Lake may be one of the most productive spots for good-sized trout in Eastern Washington this weekend. As the result of warm weather, the chironomid hatch has intensified and anglers fishing with chironomid pupa patterns have started hooking fair numbers of big Lahontan cutthroat.

The best time to fish the lake southwest of Coulee City is from mid-April through May. Until last weekend, the water temperature was too low for big insect hatches.

Fly fishers have learned that sizes 12 and 14 Black Swannundaze Chironomids are ideal for fishing the lake during the massive chironomid hatches. They usually fish the patterns in 10-foot deep water in the south end of the lake.

Fishing has continued slow at most of the lakes that opened March 1. Fishermen have had good luck, however, at several year-round lakes, including Susan and the Windmills on the Seep Lakes Recreation Area.

Lake Roosevelt

Walleye fishing has been slow the last week, fishing guide John Carruth of Davenport reported.

The apparent reasons, he said, are the continued drawdown of the big reservoir and movement of mature walleyes to their spawning areas.

Fishing for rainbows and kokanee has been spotty, he said.

Chinook salmon

More than 300 are expected to take part in the Spring Chinook Derby Saturday and Sunday at Lake Coeur d’Alene. The winner will take home $1,000.

Jeff Smith of Fins & Feathers, sponsor of the derby, said the entry fee will be $10.

Anglers are wondering whether Lake Coeur d’Alene will clear up. The big lake has been muddy since the February floods and it’s nearly impossible to see a lure more than 2 feet under the surface.

Still, fishing has been good at times, Smith said. Lately, he said, anglers have done well in the Harrison area trolling helmeted herrings, plugs and flutter spoons from near the surface down to 20 feet. Anglers have also caught chinooks in the Tubbs Hill area.

Northern pike

Lake Coeur d’Alene has been too low for good pike fishing, Smith said. The level is coming up and pike fishing should pick up.

Pike fishing has been good in the north end bays of Hayden Lake.

Steelhead

This is the final weekend for fishing some of the tributaries of the lower Snake River. The Grande Ronde, Walla Walla, Tucannon and Touchet rivers will be closed to steelhead fishing after Monday.

Fishing was fairly good last weekend along rivers clear enough for steelhead to see lures.

Montana rivers

Baetis mayflies are hatching on the lower Clark Fork River. Fly fishers are hoping to see some Skwalla stoneflies and March Brown mayflies before the river gets too high and muddy to fish as the result of the spring runoff.

Some fly fishers said they’ve done well the last couple of weeks.

Spiny-rayed species

The water warmed enough as the result of mild weather to start walleyes and rainbows biting at Sprague Lake, Monica Mielke of the Sprague Lake Resort reported.

She said anglers caught lots of bullhead catfish ranging from 12 to 14 inches last weekend. Fishermen also caught keeper-sized walleyes from 18 to 22 inches. Several also caught 3-1/2-pound rainbows. No perch, crappies, bass or bluegills showed up in the catches.

If you want to catch smallmouth bass, fish in the vicinity of Steamboat Rock at Banks Lake. Carruth said the 182 participants in the tournament last weekend hooked numerous smallmouths to more than 3 pounds.

Three Idaho lakes - Hayden, Rose and Fernan - have provided fair to good crappie fishing. Smith said the biggest crappies, some weighing more than 2 pounds, are coming out of Hayden.

Bear hunting

Montana’s spring black bear season will open Monday. Bear licenses are $120 for non-residents and $15 for residents.

A new regulation requires successful hunters to use the meat from the bears they kill.

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