Hunting and fishing

Fri., March 27, 2009

Alan Liere Correspondent

Tip of the week

Banks Lake walleye are holding in 40-60 feet of water, but after being brought up from that depth they often suffer “the bends” and do not survive when released. One method of release that some anglers swear by involves filing the points off a weighted treble snagging hook and attaching it to the line of a short, stout rod. Two of the filed hooks are hung on the jaw of the fish, it is held by the tail, dropped head first into the water, and sent quickly to the bottom where it easily shakes free. The best method for reducing mortality, however, is to avoid deep-water walleyes.

Braggin’ rights

George Orr, Washington Fish and Wildlife commissioner from Spokane, stuck out a continuous heavy rain Sunday to fish Sprague Lake from shore near Four Season’s Resort. He and friends landed several 2- to 3-pound rainbows, which he noted were only slightly wetter than he.

Overheard

The recently opened Bargain Hunter store at 16303 E. Sprague in the Spokane Valley off Sullivan specializes in consignment and liquidation sporting goods – a good place to sell that turkey blind, duck boat or ice fishing shanty you never use, or to buy one at a heavily discounted price. Info: 475-6049.

Heads up

Spokane Fly Fishers will be holding their annual April Extravaganza on April 8. Doors open at 5 p.m. at St. Francis School, 1104 W. Heroy. Anglers will show off their areas of expertise, and a WDFW fish biologist will answer questions. Info: Dan Ferguson, 325-8895.

•A turkey hunting seminar, by Dave Murphy of Primos, is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at The General Store.

Fly fishing

Lake Lenore is ice-free and fishing well. Amber Lake still has a lot of ice, but the edges are opening up and fly fishermen are having a blast catching and releasing big trout. Sprague Lake anglers are throwing chironomid patterns for 2- to 3-pound rainbow.

Clark Fork trout are finding a few skwalas and midges, and though flows were high at midweek, they are expected to diminish in time for the weekend.

Trout

Lake Roosevelt fishing guide Lenny Mayo echoed a sentiment trout anglers have begun to suspect for a long time – the fish just aren’t there like they should be. Nevertheless, the net pens are full of healthy fish and he is optimistic fishing will improve this year. Mayo said he recently caught three rainbow weighing a cumulative 9 pounds. He was trolling with mono on the surface with a 3/0 dodger and a Wardens Silver Magic tipped with maggots.

Anglers fishing Rock Lake in Whitman County have encountered a lot of wind recently, but it is sometimes deceptively calm at the launch. The wind can be treacherous, and it also makes it difficult to hold the boat in productive spots. Anglers with enough boat are finding lots of big browns and rainbow. Rapalas in the Fire Tiger pattern have been hot.

Liberty Lake still had some floating ice this week, but the lake is fishable from a boat. The brown trout bite has slowed somewhat, but trollers are still taking enough fish 20 inches and longer to keep things interesting.

Rufus Woods has been stingy, but is at least giving up some trout again. Around Bridgeport the best success has been near Brandts Landing, but the second net pen from the dam has been even better for anglers dragging the popular trout pellet fly. A fish of nearly 13 pounds was caught last week.

Downs Lake has been planted with 2,600 tiger trout averaging almost a foot, and a few showed up in angler catches this week. Downs is scheduled for a plant of 6,500 catchable rainbow about the second week of April.

Sprague Lake Resort is open for fishing. A friend throwing worms and marshmallows off the dock on Wednesday caught three big rainbow, had one break his line and missed several other bites. Earlier in the day, he fished without a bite across the lake at the public access

Several lakes surrounding Potholes Reservoir in Grant County have been booting out quick rainbow limits this week. Worms and marshmallows or Power Bait are popular with bait fishermen, and Roostertails have been a good choice for those who prefer hardware. Burke, Martha, Caliche and Windmill all seem to have good populations of rainbow averaging 11 inches. Caliche also has a healthy perch population.

North Twins and Buffalo lakes on the Colville Indian Reservation lakes open for fishing April 13. Both hold rainbow and eastern brook.

The Idaho winter stream season ends Tuesday except in the Panhandle Region, where it runs through May 22. Until then trout fishing is catch and release except for whitefish and brook trout, which may be harvested.

Steelhead and salmon

The Okanogan River has thawed, and though fishing is decent, steelhead are soft and sluggish. Most of the effort is from Rattlesnake Point upriver. Methow River steelhead are beginning to turn.

The stealhead season will close Tuesday on the Methow, Okanogan and Similkameen rivers as well as on the Columbia River from Rocky Reach Dam to Chief Joseph Dam to protect wild steelhead.

Clearwater steelhead are beginning to break down, a fact indicated by last week’s creel counts which showed 304 anglers on the South Fork catching 446 fish and keeping only 77. Between the mouth and the Orofino Bridge, 47 anglers averaged six hours per fish caught and nine hours per fish kept.

Lake Coeur d’Alene chinook are reportedly being caught near East Point and Carlin Bay on helmeted herring.

Spring is late and so is the chinook migration. As of Monday, only 63 fish had been counted at Bonneville Dam – the 10-year average is more than 1,354 fish. Nevertheless, IDFG has optimistically set salmon seasons beginning April 25 on the Clearwater, the lower Salmon, Little Salmon and the Snake rivers. There will also be a season opening May 23 on the Lochsa River, and one beginning June 20 on the Lower Salmon River.

Spiny ray

The ice at Coffeepot has finally broken up and the lake is fishable by boat. In addition to perch, crappie and bass, Coffeepot has some big rainbow that should be on the prowl now that the water is warming.

A few good walleye reports are coming in from near Hunters on Lake Roosevelt. Some larger fish have also been taken recently from the Spokane Arm. Pend Oreille River bays near the launch at Oldtown were still ice-covered this week and the water was low. The northern pike and bass fisheries are still a couple of weeks away.

Most of Banks Lake is ice-free, but at midweek, a dam of broken ice had blown into the Punchbowl, preventing north-to-south navigation. Anglers who find wintering areas should do well on walleye. Earlier, the north end was hot, but that fishery has since diminished and probably won’t pick up again until the prespawners show up in mid-April.

Other species

Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with a razor-clam dig starting today through Sunday at Twin Harbors and Mocrocks, while Long Beach and Copalis will be open Saturday and Sunday only. Digging on all beaches must be completed by noon. The opening of the sport clam and oyster fishing season at Fort Flagler will be delayed until May 15.

Recreational halibut fishing in most areas of Puget Sound will open April 23, two weeks later than last year because of a reduction in catch quotas for 2009.

Hunting

A Washington spring turkey season for hunters younger than 16 is scheduled April 4-5 prior to the general spring turkey hunt, which begins April 15.

The application period for Washington’s special hunt permits will begin April 20 and close May 20.

Idaho Fish and Game commissioners have adopted hunting season dates on wolves statewide, pending the expected removal of wolves in Idaho from the endangered species list. The first seasons would start Sept. 1. Quotas will be set in August.

You can contact Alan Liere by e-mail at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com