Fishing Report
Salmon
Because the run of chinook salmon is larger than expected, anglers will get the opportunity to fish for them next week along the Clearwater River and its tributaries and along the South Fork of the Salmon River.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department warned anglers, however, that the Fish and Game Commission may close the season early if it appears the angler-catch is hampering fulfillment of hatchery quotas. The agency also noted that only portions of the streams are open to salmon fishing; anglers should check the salmon regulations pamphlet to learn which areas are closed to fishing.
The Clearwater River’s main stem and the Middle Fork, North Fork and South Fork will be open through Aug. 3. Only single, double or treble barbless hooks are allowed. Bait can be used.
No bait can be used along the Lochsa, also open through Aug. 3. Only artificial flies or lures with single barbless hooks are allowed.
The Salmon’s South Fork will be open through Aug. 2. Only single, double or treble barbless hooks are allowed. Bait is authorized.
The limit for all streams is two chinooks a day and four in possession. The season limit is 18 chinooks. No more than six may come from the Salmon’s South Fork.
Hundreds of anglers are planning for the opening of the chinook and coho salmon fishing season Aug. 1 in the Buoy 10 area at the mouth of the Columbia River. However, fisheries officials say the best fishing will be after Aug. 10, when good numbers of chinooks should be in the area.
Many will fish from their own boats. However, charter boat firms are taking reservations for fishing the area during the season.
Salmon fishing was slow last weekend at Lake Coeur d’Alene, Steve Smith of the Fins & Feathers shop said. Pressure was very light.
Trout, Idaho
The St. Joe River has dropped enough the last 10 days for anglers to wade in at many places in the catch-and-release area. The stream was running at a little more than 2,000 cubic feet per second at Avery at midweek, or about 700 cfs less than the flow July 14.
Fly fishers say the cutthroat are feeding on caddisflies, mayflies and sculpins.
The Lochsa and the Selway were higher early this week than they were on July 14, probably because of snow melt in the high country. They may be too high this weekend for easy wading and fishing.
The Coeur d’Alene and its Little North Fork are in perfect condition for fishing.
Priest Lake continues to be one of the most consistent trout producers in North Idaho.
However, nearly all the mackinaw trout being caught are small, running 2 to 7 pounds.
Most small and medium-sized lakes are yielding some rainbows released by the Fish and Game Department, but fishing has been slow, particularly during mid-day.
Trout, Montana
The Missouri River finally is low enough below Holter Dam for dry fly fishing. However, the Big Hole, which kept the Missouri too high for good fishing, still is pouring lots of off-color water into the river. The Missouri was running at about 7,500 cfs at midweek, down more than 2,000 cfs since July 14.
Guide Arnie Gidlow said that Pale Morning Dun mayflies and caddisflies have been hatching in the evenings. Most fly fishers have been using bead head patterns, such as Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Prince Nymphs, during mid-day hours. Gidlow expects Callibaetis mayflies to start hatching in a few days.
In the Missoula area, Rock Creek and the Blackfoot and Bitterroot are still higher than normal for this time of year. However, they’ve dropped considerably the last 10 days.
Kathleen O’Connell, office manager for the Grizzly Hackle fly shop at Missoula, said that golden stoneflies, caddisflies and PMD mayflies are hatching along Rock Creek. Most fly fishers, though, have been using dark Woolly Buggers and bead head nymphs.
The Clark Fork is still too high for good fishing in the St. Regis area, she said. Best fishing is just below Missoula. Because the lower Bitterroot also is still too high for good fishing, most are fishing above Darby, where Green and Gray Drake mayflies, caddisflies and PMDs are hatching.
Trout, Washington
Trout fishing has been very slow in the Columbia Basin, but the Potholes Reservoir is one spot that has been providing good fishing. Wildlife agent Dan Rahn said anglers have been catching fat 10- to 12-inch pen-reared rainbows off O’Sullivan Dam and in the Lind Coulee. More than 60,000 rainbows were reared at net pens at the Mar-Don Resort and released several weeks ago. They’ve spread out and are providing some good fishing.
Most trout fishermen in Eastern Washington are fishing deep and in the evenings. Although the best times are early and late, there are times when trout will take anglers’ baits readily during mid-day hours. Lately, for example, fishermen have been catching rainbows at Sprague Lake when the sun is high.
Several small lakes in Pend Oreille and Stevens counties still are providing good fishing, fisheries biologist Curt Vale of Colville said. One of the best continues to be Yocum, where the rainbows average 12 inches. But such lakes as Marshall, Browns, the Twins and Swan are good bets.
Kokanee
Kokanee fishing has slowed at most of the Inland Northwest lakes, possibly because of hot weather.
Still, the most productive lake in the region is Coeur d’Alene. Smith said 25-fish limits of the 9- to 10-inch fish can be caught, but trollers must put in a lot of hours to do so.
He said the kokanee are 30 to 35 feet under the surface. Most successful fishermen are letting out four colors of leaded line and using 1 ounce of lead to get their bait down to the fish.
Fishing has slowed again at Lake Mary Ronan. Mark Thomas of Camp Tuffit said anglers were catching limits last week, but the fish got lockjaw during the weekend. Few limits have come from the popular lake in recent days.
Koocanusa Reservoir is still yielding 9- to 10-inch kokanee for persistent fishermen, but the fishing hasn’t been fast.
Most of the kokanee anglers are catching lately at Loon Lake are the 12- to 13-inchers. Few of the 18- to 21-inchers have been taken. It’s necessary to fish from dawn to 8 a.m. to have a good chance of hooking a few of the fish.
Spiny rays
Anglers are continuing to catch walleyes at Sprague Lake, but fishing for crappies has slowed, Monika Metz, co-owner of the Sprague Lake Resort, reported.
Best time to fish for the walleyes is early and late, she said. Mid-day fishing has been a bust.
She said that anglers are starting to catch lots of perch at the upper end of the lake. Most of the perch are small, but some fishermen have caught fish more than 10 inches long.
The rainbows released earlier this year, she said, are about 13 inches long and they’re taking anglers’ bait from dawn to dark. The fishermen also are catching a few carryover rainbows to 5 pounds.
Fishermen have been catching smallmouth bass along the Snake River from Hells Canyon to Ice Harbor Dam. Most popular areas are from the mouth of the Grande Ronde to Central Ferry.
Moses and Roosevelt lakes and the Potholes Reservoir have been poor to fair for walleyes. Guide John Carruth of Davenport said most veteran walleye fishermen have been fishing late in the evenings at Lake Roosevelt.
Smith said Lake Coeur d’Alene has been producing some smallmouth bass from Silver Beach to Wolf Lodge Bay. Fishermen are starting to catch perch in the Spokane River in slow-moving, weedy areas. And Hayden is providing fairly good fishing for both smallmouths and largemouths.
Sturgeon
Now is a good time to fish for sturgeon. Jay Poe of Hells Canyon Sports at Clarkston said sturgeon fishing has been good along the Snake River from Hells Canyon to a few miles below Lower Granite dam. And wildlife agent Rahn said sturgeon fishing has been fair to good below Priest Rapids Dam on both sides of the Columbia.
Pike
Northern Pike have moved away from shallow water and are in 10 to 12 feet of water off the weed beds, Smith said.
Shad
About 2.5 million shad are in the Columbia River system, but interest in the slab-sided fish is waning. More than 4,500 have climbed the fish ladders at Ice Harbor Dam, and nearly as many have made their way over Lower Monumental Dam.
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