Fishing Report
Trout, Washington
It was the same old story. Fish and Wildlife Department officials and anglers hoped many of the lakes that open March 1 would provide good fishing. They were disappointed again.
Only a few of the more than 50 lakes that opened last week yielded trout limits. It looks as though Fourth of July southwest of Spokane will provide the best trout fishing the rest of this month.
Biologists knew fishing would be poor at Lenice, Nunnally and Merry lakes, selective-gear lakes that are popular with the state’s fly fishers. They were aware no yearling trout had survived and there were few carryover fish. In addition, the department didn’t stock the lakes last year in anticipation of this spring’s rehabilitation.
The few who showed up at the lakes didn’t catch any fish.
However, biologists thought the Caliche lakes in the Quincy area would produce the best fishing in the Columbia Basin. They and fishermen were disappointed.
Anglers averaged only 1.3 trout each. The yearlings were big, averaging 13 inches long. And the carryover trout were 15 to 20 inches. Maybe, the biologists said, fishing will improve later in the season.
None of the other lakes in the George-Quincy area provided fast action. Quincy and Burke were among the better producers, yielding an average of 1.3 catchable rainbows. Martha Lake gave up a few 13- to 14-inch yearlings and 15- to 20-inch carryovers. Biologists think the lake will produce better fishing as the water warms.
A few 12-inch yearling rainbows and 16- to 20-inch carryover brown trout were caught at Dusty.
Pillar was the only lake in the Pillar-Widgeon chain that produced fairly fast action. However, most of the rainbows were too small for anglers and were released. Fishermen hooked an average of eight fish each at Pillar. Sago and Widgeon lakes gave up a few fish.
Upper and Lower Hampton lakes surprised fishermen. The yearlings were 14 inches long and the carryovers 16 to 19 inches. However, fishing was slow, with the average 2.6 per fisherman.
Yearling rainbows failed to show up in large numbers at Hampton and Lower Hampton lakes. Anglers averaged 1.2 rainbows each. Biologists said the lack of yearlings “make it unlikely that catch rates will improve much this season.”
Only a few fished Lenore, and fishing was slow.
The department didn’t send anyone to check Coffeepot and the lakes in southeast Washington, Spokane regional fisheries biologist John Whelan said.
Failure of the Columbia Basin lakes to produce good fishing means Spokane-area fishermen will spend their time the rest of this month fishing the winter lakes. Fourth of July, Hog Canyon and Williams will be their destinations.
Because it holds big rainbows, Fourth of July will take the brunt of the fishing, especially weekends.
The Bureau of Reclamation is lowering Lake Roosevelt to make room for the spring runoff. As a result, fishing for the rainbows has been spotty.
Trout, Idaho
Fishing has been slow for the big rainbows in Lake Pend Oreille, but trollers have been boating a few mackinaw trout and lots of bull trout, according to Jeff Smith, owner of the Fins & Feathers shop at Coeur d’Alene.
Anglers have been trolling for rainbows off the mouth of the Clark Fork River, he said. This is the time of year the rainbows are thinking about spawning and are moving to the Clark Fork.
Fishermen also have been trolling for rainbows off Cape Horn.
They’ve been fishing for the macks near Bayview and in Idlewilde Bay in the south end and around the islands and off Whiskey Rock in the north.
Most of the small lakes in Bonner and Boundary counties where anglers have been fishing for trout are still ice-covered. However, most fishermen apparently have given up ice fishing until next winter.
Steelhead
Some Snake River tributaries could be too muddy this weekend for good steelhead fishing as the result of rain last weekend and early this week.
Most productive fishing is in the tributaries, where steelhead are getting ready to spawn or to try to spawn. Among the best, if the streams are fishable, will be the Tucannon, Touchet, Walla Walla, Clearwater, Grande Ronde and Salmon.
If the water is clear, the Clearwater’s South Fork and the holes just below Orofino should yield some big steelhead.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department’s checks along the Clearwater for the week that ended Sunday showed that the best fishing was along the stream’s North Fork and South Fork. Anglers averaged 18 hours per steelhead along the North Fork and 17 hours on the South Fork.
Average for the lower Clearwater was 28 hours per fish.
Parts of the lower Salmon River provided excellent fishing last weekend. Average for the section from Whitebird to Riggins was 20 hours. The section from Riggins to the South Fork was a good place to fish, averages ranging from 12 to 19 hours.
Steelhead have been swimming up the Grande Ronde to their spawning areas. Some of the best fishing will be up and downstream from the Washington-Oregon border.
Spiny rays
Lakes in south Kootenai County finally are clear of ice, Smith said, and fishermen are starting to fish for pike, bass and crappies. However, he added, the water is still cold and fishing will be slow for most spiny-rayed species until temperatures go up a little.
Smith said the ice is off Benewah and Chatcolet lakes and fishermen are starting to fish for bass and crappies.
“Benewah Lake is shallow and warms up quickly,” Smith said. “It’s a good early season lake for bass and crappies, as well as some pike.”
He said the lakes adjacent to the lower Coeur d’Alene River are ice-free and fishermen have been trying their luck. Black Lake is one of the better early season lakes. And Killarney also produces some pike.
“Water temperatures are approaching 40 degrees,” he said. “Fishermen will have to get their lures and bait in front of the fishes’ noses. The fish are lethargic when the water temperature is low.”
He recommended tipping jigs with maggots or mealworms.
Smith said anglers have been catching 3- to 8-pound pike from the bank at Cataldo Slough and pike from boats in the north end of Hayden Lake. He predicted some 20- to 30-pound pike will be caught at Hayden the next few weeks.
“Any weed bay with a creek at the mouth is a good place to fish for pike at Hayden Lake,” he said.
Salmon
Salmon fishing has picked up a little at Lake Coeur d’Alene, Smith said.
Trollers caught some 3- to 8-pounders last weekend while trolling plugs and herring in the top 30 feet of water. Smith said he and guide Rick Caddy rigged their clients’ rods with plugs and herring. They fished the lures and bait with a combination of planing boards and downriggers.
The two most productive plugs were jointed Rapalas and Berkley’s new Frenzy lure.
He said he expects salmon fishing to improve gradually the next few weeks.
If you are on the Coast the next week or so, you might try one or more of southwest Washington streams for chinook salmon. The Cowlitz will be open through May 31. Kalama, Lewis, Deep and Green are open until further notice.
Check with the Fish and Wildlife Department for details.
Kokanee
Lake Roosevelt is the place to go to catch big kokanee. Keep in mind, however, the Bureau of Reclamation is in the process of lowering the long lake to make room for the spring runoff.
As a result of the lowering, fishing can be spotty much of the time.
Check with the federal agency to learn what’s planned for the next few days. The ends of some boat ramps are several feet from the water.
Trout, Montana
Rock Creek and the Missouri River are the best places to catch a few rainbows.
Trout in Rock Creek occasionally will hit a fly pattern if it’s fished in front of their noses, the Kingfisher fly shop reported. If you go, have a good supply of red size-10 San Juan Worms, Kauffman stoneflies and flashback Pheasant Tail Nymphs.
Forget the Clark Fork River. The shop said fishing has been “crummy.”
Fishing along the Bitterroot hasn’t been much better. However, fly fishers, using the San Juan Worm, have hooked a few on some days.
The Missouri below Craig has been fairly productive. Fly fishers have hooked trout on the San Juan Worm, flashback Pheasant Tails, orange and red scuds, and brown Crystal Buggers.