Fishing Report

Idaho streams

Some North Idaho streams, including the Coeur d’Alene River and its tributaries, should be low and clear enough for fair to good fishing when the streams open for the season Saturday.

Because of a low snowpack, the runoff this year peaked early and the streams have been dropping and clearing faster than usual the last few weeks. Low temperatures the second week of this month have retarded the runoff.

With the Coeur d’Alene the lowest and most clear of the Panhandle’s streams, the river almost certainly will be crowded during the Memorial Day weekend. The St. Joe is still quite high, but the popular river is dropping and could be clear and low enough for good fishing in a week or two. That would be good for anglers. The river remained high through July last year.

Numerous small Panhandle streams are clear and low. They’ll attract lots of fishermen this weekend.

The Lochsa and Selway are lower than normal for this time of year, but they’re still too high for good fishing. However, the high water won’t deter some anglers.

Idaho lakes

Priest Lake is the place to go to catch good-sized trout. Jeff Smith, owner of the Fins & Feathers shop at Coeur d’Alene, said anyone who knows how to catch mackinaw trout at Priest can take a two-fish limit in an hour or so and head for home.

Trout, Washington

Trout populations in most of Eastern Washington’s lakes are gradually disappearing as the result of almost continuous fishing pressure since they opened to fishing a month ago.

With rare exceptions, it takes more than an hour or two to catch enough fish for a meal or two. In fact, fishing can be downright tough at times, particularly when there are no insect hatches and weather conditions are not conducive to good fishing.

As usual, the most productive waters should continue to be West Medical, Williams, Badger and Fishtrap in the Spokane area, lakes in the Little Pend Oreille chain, Marshall, Yocum, Deep and the small lakes in Ferry County, Blue and Park southwest of Coulee City and most of the put-and-take lakes in Okanogan County.

Several lakes and reservoirs best known for their walleye, bass, crappie, perch and bluegill fishing are good choices for a few trout. Among them are Sprague Lake and the Potholes Reservoir.

Rainbows released into Sprague several weeks ago are a foot long and there seems to be a fair number of carryover trout to more than 6 pounds. Mike Mielke, co-owner of the Sprague Lake Resort, said anglers, most of whom were fishing for walleyes, have been taking limits of rainbows.

Pacific Lake could be a good choice. About 10,000 sterile rainbows, mostly more than 13 inches long, recently were released into the lake. Nearly all the rainbows that were in the lake last fall apparently migrated out during high water.

Quality waters

Mayflies, midges and damselflies are hatching at several selective gear and fly fishing-only lakes. However, hatches have been sparse at a few of the lakes managed for big fish.

Although Amber has continued to be one of the most productive lakes in the Spokane region, Bayley, which earlier produced good fishing for 14- to 18-inch rainbows, has been hard on fly fishers.

Ell Lake in the Aeneas Valley seems to have a fairly large population of big rainbows and fishing has been good much of the time. However, the lake has been pounded hard by fly and spin fishers the last couple of weeks; as a result, fishing could be difficult.

Most popular lake in Eastern Washington during the Memorial Day weekend likely will be Chopaka, a small, fly fishing-only lake northwest of Loomis. At least one big West Coast fly fishing club, probably two more, will have their annual outings at the lake.

Chopaka has one of the most consistent hatches of Callibaetis mayflies. This year’s hatch started early this month and should be going strong this weekend.

Blue Lake in the Sinlahekin holds lots of big rainbows and may provide fly fishing just as good as that at Chopaka, and it has a good campground.

Dry Falls, Lenice and Nunnally, all selective gear lakes, almost certainly will attract large numbers of anglers during the Memorial Day weekend. Insect hatches have peaked at those lakes.

Kokanee

Numerous anglers caught 10-fish limits of 10- to 14-inch kokanee at Lake Mary Ronan on opening day Saturday, said Gary Thomas, an owner of Camp Tuffit.

The popular lake in northwest Montana was dotted with boats for the opener, he said. Sunday, rain kept many would-be anglers off the lake. Fishing was better for the still fishermen, Thomas said, but some trollers also took limits.

Kokanee fishing was fair last weekend at Lake Coeur d’Alene, Smith said. Most anglers trolled near the surface to catch kokanee that averaged 10 to 11 inches.

Kokanee fishing has been surprisingly good at Loon Lake. Joe Haley, manager of the Granite Point Resort, said a few experienced anglers have been taking 10-fish limits. Most of the kokanee boated have been 14 to 15 inches long, but some have been 10 inches.

Several mackinaw trout were caught last weekend. Jim Brophy of Spokane and son Dan caught four Sunday. The largest weighed 14 pounds. John Tracy caught two macks.

Anglers have been catching 20-fish limits of kokanee that average 12 inches long at Koocanusa Reservoir, Conrad Coggeshall, owner of the Koocanusa Resort, said. The kokanee are still at 55 to 60 feet, he said.

Trout, Montana

Trout streams in the Missoula area are still high, but they’re starting to provide fair fishing, according to Doug Best, manager of Grizzly Hackle International at Missoula.

“Rock Creek and the Blackfoot should be low and clear enough for good fly fishing in another week,” he said. “Salmonflies were starting to hatch along lower Rock Creek last week, but cold weather and rain stopped the hatch. We need some good weather.”

Expect golden stoneflies and salmonflies to be hatching along the Clark Fork River this weekend, Brooks Sanford, owner of the Clark Fork Trout & Hackle shop at St. Regis, said. In addition, caddisflies should be hatching in the afternoons and evenings. The stream was still high and off color at mid-week, but may be in fishable condition this weekend, he added.

Spiny rays

This is the best time of year to fish for bass in Inland Northwest waters. Temperatures in the shallow water at most lakes is running 58 to 65 degrees, ideal for bass fishing.

Smith said nearly every North Idaho lake that holds bass has been providing excellent fishing on calm, balmy days.

Bass fishing also has been good to excellent at numerous Eastern Washington lakes and reservoirs, including Long, Banks and Moses lakes and the Potholes Reservoir.

Smith said several North Idaho lakes also are yielding good numbers of crappies. Among the best have been Hayden, Hauser, Cocolalla and the lakes adjacent to the lower Coeur d’Alene River.

Pike

If you’ve been thinking of fishing for pike, go to Lake Coeur d’Alene the next two weeks. Smith said the pike have finished spawning and are in shallow water looking for food.

He suggested anglers fish in 1 to 2 feet of water in Cougar, Wolf Lodge, Mica and Harrison bays.

Salmon

Six hundred anglers entered the Lake Chelan Sportsmen’s Association’s annual chinook salmon derby last Friday through Sunday. Fishing was so tough they entered only 23 chinooks.

Smith, who fished all four days with friends and family, said the largest chinook caught weighed 21 pounds, 2 ounces. The angler who boated the fish took home $5,000. Salmon fishing has been slow at Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Free fishing No license is required to fish in Washington or Idaho on special Free Fishing Days. Free Fishing Day in Idaho is June 6. Washington will double the pleasure with free-fishing weekend, June 6-7. Information: Washington Fish and Wildlife Department in Spokane, (509) 456-4082. Idaho Fish and Game Department in Coeur d’Alene, (208) 769-1414.