Hunting and Fishing
Salmon and steelhead
Salmon fishing on the Snake has been “pretty dang good!” according to Jeff Jarrett of Jarrett’s Guide Service. He said there are lots of chinook in the river, and though it has been high and muddy, it doesn’t seem to bother the fish as long as there is at least a couple feet of visibility. Unfortunately, the Snake closes Monday evening from Southway Bridge to Heller Bar. The stretch from Dug Bar to Hells Canyon Dam remains open until August 1.
There have been 3,500 salmon harvested from the Clearwater so far this year, said Larry Barrett, biologist for Idaho fish and Game. Barring share harvest issues, it will stay open until August 15. As Clearwater spring chinook get further up the river, they slow down and pack up. Phil Amsden at Buana’s Guide Service in Spokane said fishing has been excellent near the hatchery. He had 11 anglers out on two trips last Sunday and hooked 42 bright fish. Info: (509) 276-6762.
Spiny ray
“The usual sturgeon, catfish, bass, perch, crappie & some really nice walleye,” are being taken from the Snake near Starbuck, reports Verna Foley of Darver Tackle. The walleye are coming from the vicinity of Texas Rapids. She said the water temperature is still a little cold for the pike minnow fishermen to do very well.
Walleye fishing has been fair and bass fishing good on the three Columbia River pools. A few legal sturgeon, also, are coming in.
On Lake Roosevelt, bottom bouncers and Double Whammies are taking fish in 13 feet of water. Gordy Olson and Bruce Hulse won first place in last weekend’s Big Wally Walleye Classic on Banks Lake with 26.06 lbs. The bass fishing on Banks has been better than the walleye fishing with good numbers of both smallmouth and largemouth showing.
Walleye in Moses Lake are finally turning on, but the smallmouth, which are in the middle of their spawn, are monopolizing the action. At Potholes, Mike Meseberg said the walleye fishing has been spotty because of the weather. He added, however, that surface water temperatures are in the low 60-degree range and the walleyes are ready to explode.
Trout and kokanee
At Priest Lake, guide Rich Lindsey of Blue Ribbon Charters reports good mackinaw fishing. Clients recently boated six fish between 22 and 33 pounds as well as quite a few 18- to 20-pounders. Info: 1-208-661-6969.
Evidently, not all of Loon Lake’s macks have headed for the bottom. Jerry Tomlin, who was fishing kokanee on the surface with monofilament, no weight, and a wedding ring took a nine-pounder this week.
Dworshak Reservoir near Orofino has been surprisingly good for early season kokanee with fish running 10 to 11 inches. The south end of Lake Coeur d’Alene appears to have the region’s largest kokes right now at 11 to 12 inches.
Anglers need to keep an eye out for bull trout as the Idaho general fishing season begins May 29. Bull trout are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and are strictly protected by federal and Idaho law. These fish must be returned immediately and unharmed to the water. Those unfamiliar with bull trout can see it pictured in color in the Idaho fishing rules brochure.
Clark Fork water levels have been fluctuating too much for great fishing, but if the flows keep falling, things will change quickly. Info: (406) 728-7766.
Locally, most of the put-and-take lakes still have good populations of trout. Fishtrap has been particularly productive for anglers drifting a worm and marshmallow combination. The nasty weather last weekend kept a lot of anglers home, but Evan Johnson was an exception, fishing Waitts Lake in a downpour for fast action. He said he was trolling a Swedish Pimple tipped with worm. The Swedish Pimple is my favorite ice fishing lure, and I have also done well with a fluorescent red one on Loon Lake kokanee. I’ve never tried trolling one though.
There have been reports of good rainbow catches on Sprague and Rock Lakes, said John Kallas of Valley White Elephant. Big Roosevelt ‘bows have been cooperative in the Swawilla Basin, and you’ll probably pick up a few smallmouth, too. Be carefully while boating the reservoir this weekend, as the water has come up quickly and is full of wood, some of it pretty big and partly submerged.
WDFW fish biologist Jeff Korth reports that rainbow trout fishing is still very good on Blue and Park lakes in Grant County.
Other species
It’s time to go fishing for shad, said WDFW regional Fish Biologist Joe Hymer. With cumulative shad counts of 294,000 at The Dalles Dam and 119,000 at Bonneville Dam as of May 24, anglers should get out soon or they might miss out on the action.
Halibut fishing near Ilwaco and Westport has been excellent, said Greg Bargmann, WDFW marine fish manager. Many anglers go 20 to 50 miles out to get a halibut, then spend the next day fishing for lingcod and black rockfish closer to shore.
Though catch-and-release only, sturgeon fishing in Hells Canyon is worth the price of a charter. Seeing an sturgeon clear the water in its sailfish imitation is breathtaking.
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