Hunting+Fishing

Fri., May 23, 2008

Alan Liere The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

» Life jackets are an essential part of boating safety equipment and should be worn at all times while on the water. Of the 676 recreational boating fatalities in 2004, 90 percent of the victims were not wearing their life jackets.

Braggin' rights

» Bob Purdy of Colbert was trolling a Rapala in 30 feet of water at Loon Lake on May 15 when he hooked and landed a 17-pound, 10-ounce mackinaw. Purdy said the fish, which was 36 inches long, still doesn't beat the mack his wife caught seven years ago on opening day – 19 pounds, 14 ounces.

Overheard

» A fishing report from guide Tim Johnson in Clarkston sums up the state of river fishing in Washington and Idaho this weekend: "The fish are out on the bank, walking. It's easier than dodging the trees in all the rivers. Fishing, at this point, does not exist and probably won't until next month, judging by stream- flow forecasts."

Heads up

» With the higher-than-average snowpack and water content in the mountains and the warm air temperatures, flows on area rivers are expected to continue to increase. In addition to the fast, frigid water, snags and debris create dangerous conditions. High water has forced the closure of access sites on many rivers.

“Lake Roosevelt is still a possibility for walleye and trout fishing if you stay out of the tributaries. As of Thursday, Roosevelt was at 1,245 feet and rising, making ramps at Spring Canyon, Kettle Falls, Hunters Camp, Porcupine Bay, Seven Bays and Keller Ferry usable.

“The end of May and the beginning of June is the peak fawning and calving season for deer, elk and antelope, and many game birds are bringing off broods at this time. If you find baby birds or other animals that seem to be abandoned, leave them alone, as the mother is usually hiding nearby.

Trout and kokanee

Williams Lake is still full of trout. The annual Klink’s Resort Fish Derby last weekend saw plenty of limits of 11- to 12-inch trout and a lot of 3- to 5-pounders. Kevin Jones of Spokane won the derby with a fish weighing 5 1/2 pounds. A Triple Teaser and three colors of leaded line is always effective at Williams.

Fishtrap Lake appears to be holding trout of many different sizes. Anglers who troll single barbless lures, however, have been releasing the 9-inchers and coming in with limits of 11- to 14-inchers.

Anglers fishing off the dock at Four Seasons Resort on Sprague Lake are catching limits of trout, many of which are 16 inches long.

Fly fishers, especially those adept with chironomid patterns, are enjoying good trout fishing at many of the region’s lakes, from Sprague Lake north to McDowell Lake in the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge.

Deer Lake anglers are casting and trolling Roostertails for limits of planted rainbow, but the bag is usually enhanced with at least one carryover rainbow or brook trout to 21 inches. The Narrows has been good for the larger fish. Deer is also giving up macks in the 4- to 8-pound range.

Waitts Lake is good for 10-inch rainbow and brown trout averaging 4 pounds. Nearby, Jump-Off Joe is yielding 18- to 23-inch browns and 9-inch rainbow to trollers.

Loon Lake continues to give up an occasional mackinaw, and kokanee anglers say they are catching limits of 10- to 12-inch fish. That’s as large as Loon Lake kokes have been in May for many years.

Kokanee fishing on Davis Lake has been fair for 9- to 10-inchers with an occasional fish to 13 inches.

Fishing for kokanee on Lake Chelan is one of the hottest things going in Central Washington. Action is fast near Lakeside Park in 20-50 feet of water. Anglers are only allowed to launch from the beach at Lakeside Park until Saturday, but productive water is a short run from Mill Bay in Manson.

At Tiffany’s Resort on Curlew Lake, Doug Malsam said the trout fishing is the best it’s been. He reports that limits of 13- to 15-inch fish are the norm. Last fall’s plants are 7-10 inches.

Dworshak Reservoir kokanee fishing has been excellent. While the overall numbers are down, the sizes are up. Still-fisherman report good results using baited Glo-hooks early and late and fishing shallow (down to 10 feet) during the early-morning and late-evening hours. Trollers do well throughout the day.

Koocanusa Reservoir in Montana is rising 3 feet a day, making fishing tough. Before all the water, trout fishing was good with a lot of 3- to 6-pounders and kokanee fishing was fair for 6- to 11-inch fish. Koocanusa will improve when the lake settles.

British Columbia’s Kootenay Lake is kicking out fewer Gerard rainbow than in years past. Dolly Varden, however, are biting well. A 22-pounder was caught this week.

Salmon and steelhead

There are salmon in that mud somewhere in the Snake, as 1,478 fish crossed Lower Granite on Monday and 544 on Tuesday for a season total of 19,575. Because of conditions, no chinook fishing is taking place except on the North Fork Clearwater River below Dworshak Dam and the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam. IDFG said most anglers are using diving plugs or jet divers and bait rigs, while bank anglers are plunking bait or using side planers.

Spiny ray

Bass fishing at Jump-Off Joe is causing more excitement than the trout fishing. Several fish more than 6 pounds were reported this week. A similar report comes from Sacheen Lake.

Earlier in the week, anglers were catching smallmouth and largemouth from Long Lake. The smallmouth were ranging up to 3 pounds and the largemouth to 5 pounds.

The Pend Oreille River is up dramatically this week, but anglers are still catching northern pike in the sloughs. The bass are in the brush.

Most Banks Lake walleye appear to be in 30-50 feet of water, so bottom bouncers and spinners are popular on the north end. Most fish are fairly small, but a 12-pounder was weighed in last weekend. Bass fishing was slow at Banks last week, but a lot of big perch were taken by walleye anglers.

The walleye and bass bite has picked up on Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir, but nothing particularly large is reported.

Liberty Lake crappie seem to be schooled in age groups, so anglers who start catching 6-inchers keep catching 6-inchers. There are larger crappie in the lake. George Orr and John Kallas of Spokane fished Liberty this week, catching dozens of small crappie, a few smallmouth, two dozen “keeper-size” perch, and two large catfish.

The place for large crappie is Newman Lake. Anglers working the docks report “dinner plate”-size fish. Eloika is seeing some 10- to 11-inch crappie, and the largemouth fishing has been good close in. A lot of fish more than 4 pounds are showing. Eloika perch are through spawning and on the bite again.

Curlew Lake anglers say they are seeing plenty of bass and tiger muskies in the shallows, but the fish have been reluctant to bite. Things will bust loose when the water warms and stays that way.

It is possible Idaho’s Fernan Lake has already peaked for crappie, but a friend fishing there Wednesday said he caught a lot of nice bluegill.

Other species

The shad run on the Columbia is increasing steadily with 1,153 fish over the dam Tuesday for a total of 15,408. Anglers are beginning to catch shad in the Gorge.

Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with a final razor clam dig Saturday at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches. Low tide will be 9:58 a.m. No digging will be allowed after noon.

Hunting

Washington hunters have until June 18 to apply for special moose and deer permits.

Idaho’s spring turkey season ends Sunday and Washington’s ends May 31. Don’t forget to call in or email your report.