Hunting+Fishing

Steelhead/salmon

Steelhead are pouring over Bonneville Dam this week at the rate of approximately 1,800 a day. Little Goose is counting nearly an 800-per-day average, and Lower Granite is averaging nearly 600 with higher counts toward the end of the week. Asotin guide Rick Hedding said his clients took 10 steelhead at the confluence of the Clearwater Wednesday morning, drifting shrimp under a bobber. Two of the fish were wild.

Chinook fishing is pretty slow at Pateros and Wells Dam, The fish remain in fair shape with a few bright ones in the mix. Fishing should begin improving soon.

On the Hanford Reach, catch rates for chinook at Vernita, Wahluke and Ringold are increasing. There have also been incidental steelhead catches. Water levels have been at historic lows, which make it difficult to launch at all primitive boat launches. If low water flows continue, the Wahluke Boat launch will be the only accessible paved ramp in the Upper Reach.

Coho are present around Camp Kalama on the Kalama River, and the next two weeks should be the peak chinook entry into the river.

North Fork Lewis River anglers averaged a coho per rod this week. A good number of jacks are being caught. Washougal River fall chinook are being caught from the lower river. On Drano Lake, anglers averaged a steelhead per rod including some larger “B” runs and a few fall chinook.

Not all Coeur d’Alene chinook have gone to spawn. There are still fish to be had at 70-90 feet trolling Mini Squid and flashers.

Trout and kokanee

Fly fishing for trout on the Grande Ronde River has been spectacular. The fish, ranging from 10-17 inches, are most likely young steelhead that have not left the river. To be considered a steelhead, the trout must be 20 inches and longer. The Ronde is low, running at only 500 cfs.

At Silver Bow Fly Shop, Sean Visintainer said the St. Joe River has been good. He recommends Parachute Ants and hopper patterns. Visintainer said North Fork Coeur d’Alene is only “okay.” He suggests running a dropper such as a Copper John under your ant or hopper. The Spokane River has been decent in the lower stretches and the Clark Fork is starting to fish. Trout are moving into the flat water.

This is a spectacular time to fish dry flies in small streams in the upper Stehekin Valley. A mixture of rainbows, cutthroat and cutbows are eagerly taking size 12 or 14 Stimulators.

Fishtrap, Williams, Badger, and Amber lakes south of Cheney are experiencing very good trout fishing. At Fishtrap, try along the east shoreline for fish to nearly 4 pounds. Flies on top or Power Bait on the bottom have been equally effective. On Badger Lake, cutthroat are being caught all over the lake, but the area under the power lines seems to be best. Wedding rings and flashers have worked well. Standard gear at Williams is Power Bait, worms, or marshmallows on a 30-inch leader under a sliding sinker drifted along the bottom. Amber Lake trout ranging 17-21 inches are cooperating with fly fishermen. Try a beadhead olive body Carey. The fish have been found at all depths.

Koocanusa kokanee are beginning to turn a little, and the larger ones are moving north to spawn. There is still good fishing for 6- to 9-inch fish on the troll at 30-40 feet. Bull trout should begin moving back into the lake around Oct. 1. To fish for them, you need a free punch card from Montana Fish and Parks.

Loon Lake kokes are still biting. There have been reports of fish up to 14 inches taken at twilight with limits before dark by still-fishermen in the Sockeye Hole and the big bay south of Granite Point.

Tiffany’s Resort on Curlew Lake reports fairly easy limits for trollers on trout averaging 15 inches.

Idaho’s Cocolalla Lake is producing 14-15-inch rainbow. Try trolling or using a bucktail spinner.

Spiny ray

Sprague Lake is experiencing a phenomenal smallmouth bite. Fish to 3 1/2 pounds are reported. Anglers are catching crappie and a few walleye off the dock at Sprague Lake Resort. Long Lake smallmouth fishing has also been excellent, as has Potholes Reservoir and the Pend Oreille River.

Eloika Lake weeds are dying back some and perch and crappie are biting. For the crappie, use the smallest chartreuse jig you can find.

Bluegill anglers are catching fish all over Potholes Reservoir, and crappie are coming from under the MarDon dock. Walleye seem to be most numerous around Goose Island and at the mouth of Lind Coulee. Successful anglers are trolling Shad Raps.

Moses Lake bass fishing is excellent for both species. Crappie fishermen are taking good messes of fish under the I-90 Bridge, and smallmouth anglers are making good catches along the Radio Tower Bridge.

Smallmouth bass fishing is reportedly incredible from Lewiston into Hell’s Canyon. On the Clearwater River, bass anglers are doing well upriver upstream of Orofino.

Crappie fishing on Hayden, Thompson and Benewah lakes in Idaho has been good. Northern pike fishing is also picking up on the northern end of Hayden, as well as on Coeur d’Alene, the Chain Lakes and Fernan. Rapalas are working for fish running 3-10 pounds.

The fall walleye bite is just getting started on the Columbia around Pateros, with some nice-sized fish. Elsewhere, the bite has been slow. Banks Lake is probably still the best bet for a chance at a walleye dinner, though Rufus Woods Reservoir has been productive at times also.

Last weekend’s bass tournament out of Coulee Playland Resort on Banks Lake saw 111 teams weigh in 896 bass. The first-place team was Robert and Jeffrey Flowers from Roy, Wash., with a total weight of 38.40 pounds. Most largemouth were caught on topwater or weedless dark-colored plastics. The majority of smallmouth were caught on spinner baits and dark colored plastics.

Other species

Catfishing in deep water near the Lyons Ferry grain elevators is excellent. Channel cats 2-8 pounds are hitting cut bait or nightcrawlers.

Hunting

Idaho sage grouse and chukar open Saturday, and sharptail Oct. 1. IDFG is asking sage-grouse and sharptail hunters to mail in one wing from any bird they harvest if they can’t find a wing barrel. Hunters who did not receive a mail-wing envelope can still participate by contacting a regional Fish and Game office.

WDFW Assistant Wildlife Biologist Dana Base said this is another tough year for forest grouse. Friends hunting near Power Lake saw a dozen or so birds Tuesday, but my evening expedition near Waitts Lake produced only two shots. Base also noted the buck to doe ratio in the northeastern units is down slightly over last year, and big bucks (five points or better) are rare. A survey of 1,158 whitetail in Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry counties counted 27 bucks per 100 does but only nine trophy animals.

The two-day Washington early youth season runs Sept. 22-23 for both upland birds and ducks. In Idaho, the youth season for waterfowl is Sept. 29-30. For pheasants, it is Oct. 6-7.