Hunting+Fishing

Steelhead and salmon

The Grande Ronde River near Boggan’s Oasis is seeing perfect steelhead conditions, according to guide Rick Hedding of Family Christian Anglers (869-1444). His clients are either fly fishing or drifting bobbers and jigs with excellent success. Boggan’s first steelhead derby began Thursday and runs until April 15 with a $500 grand prize for biggest fish and a custom-built Loomis rod for second biggest. In addition, there will be weekly prizes and raffles. Entry fee is $25 for adults and $10 for youths younger than 15. For applications and more information, go to www.stsfever.com.

The Clearwater River upstream from Orofino and the South Fork Clearwater are the two most productive steelhead stretches in Idaho. Anglers are averaging approximately a fish every 11 hours.

Trout

Many Columbia Basin lakes opened Thursday to trout fishing. Fish biologist Jeff Korth said Quincy and Lenore lakes are largely ice-covered, though there is fishable water at the ends of Lenore and along the shoreline at Quincy. Burke Lake is open at the boat launches, but the middle third is still frozen. Caliche Lake is completely open and recently stocked with 4,000 12-inch trout. Martha Lake is mostly open and has recently received 5,000 12-inchers. Lenice, Nunally, and Dusty are ice-free. Dusty is a walk-in restricted gear water, and should be good for browns and rainbows. It’s a tough hike out if you’re packing a float tube.

The Tucannon River impoundments in Columbia County, which also opened Thursday, are ice-free and freshly stocked, said Jim MacGregor at The Last Resort.

Closer to Spokane, anglers will have to wait to fish Amber Lake, as there is just a little open water around the edges. Coffeepot may be fishable this weekend if someone breaks through the ice between the launch and the open water in the main lake. A band of ice along the cliffs will probably make float tube launching impossible.

Triploids are still being caught on Rufus Woods Reservoir, said Ray Bailey at R/C Guide Service in Davenport (509-847-5801). One group of anglers released several dozen fish trolling Smile Blades downstream below the second set of net pens. Gordon Steinmetz at Big Wallys on Banks Lake said the new glass Rapala Shad Rap in sizes 5 and 7 are also taking a lot of fish. He recommended putting a couple of split shot right above the plug for deeper diving. At Darrel and Dad’s Family Guide Service in Chelan, Anton Jones suggested attaching a Mack’s Lures “Hot Wings” to a 0000 chrome dodger, followed by 24 inches of 8-pound test leader attached to a Wedding Ring or Kokanee Special. Add a stinger hook and bait with a night crawler.

On Roosevelt, water is up again and trollers are taking 2- to 4-pound rainbow near the surface. Guide Ray Bailey said he took limits last week near Keller trolling a Les Davis Dodger and fly with no weight 120-140 feet behind the boat.

Roses Lake west of Chelan is covered by rotten ice. It should be open water fishing within two weeks. Williams Lake near Colville was said to be kicking out some large trout for ice anglers last weekend.

Ice fishermen on Idaho’s Spirit Lake say the kokanee have disappeared. IDFG is waiting for the ice to clear so it can do some preliminary surveys to find out what is going on.

Spiny ray

Walleye anglers had a tough time last weekend at Rufus Woods, though a few small fish were taken. On Banks Lake, ice on the south end is preventing anglers from getting to Barker Flats. Anglers are catching a few perch through the ice in the Coulee City Boat Basin, but the best bite will come in open water in March.

Potholes Reservoir is ice-free, but the water is cold and the walleye bite hasn’t materialized. Moses Lake still has some ice, but the popular perch hole near the I-90 Bridge is open water.

Ice at Eloika Lake is pulling away from the shore some, but there is solid ice farther out. Perch are numerous, with the best bite early and late. Sprague Lake ice is nearly gone.

Bonneville and The Dalles pools are giving up a few walleye, and boat anglers on Bonneville Pool are beginning to take a few smallmouth bass.

Hunting

The public will have an opportunity to comment on several proposed changes in state hunting rules, some modifying seasons and special permits, during the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissions March 9-10 meeting in Olympia. The commission is scheduled to begin its public meeting at 8:30 a.m. in room 175-A of the Natural Resources Building. The meeting will continue March 10 at 8:30 a.m.

The new rulebooks for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat for the 2007 and 2008 seasons are available at Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices as well as license venders around the state.

Hunters must submit an application to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (877-945-3492) by March 13 to be eligible for this year’s spring black bear hunting permits.