Hunting + fishing

Fri., April 9, 2010

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

Despite variations in tone, nearly all hen turkey calls follow a basic rhythm. Listen to wild turkeys and you will notice this. It is more important for you to have the right cadence than the right sound when calling.

Braggin’ rights

For years, Spokane taxidermist Dale Moffat has taken kids on their first hunts. Last weekend, he shivered in a turkey blind on the youth opener with Connor Butner, a freshman at Central Valley. After passing on several jakes, Butner finally killed a big tom at 19 yards – his first turkey. Moffat said their hands were so numb they had to warm up in the truck before they could notch the tag.

Overheard

Ethanol, a strong solvent added to gasoline, can accelerate the deterioration of fuel system components such as fuel lines, causing them to fail while also increasing the level of risk for fire or explosions. It is particularly tough on small engines such as boat motors. The EPA calls for 10 percent ethanol in our gasoline, but this summer, EPA will decide on whether to allow a 50 percent increase in the amount of ethanol in the nation’s gas.

Heads up

•Registration deadline for the May 1 Kids’ Fish-In event for 5- to 14-year-olds is Thursday. The $5 per child fee includes a T-shirt, rod and reel, and help in catching and cleaning up to three trout. The 45-minute fishing sessions run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fairchild AFB access site on Clear Lake. Get registration forms at the WDFW office, or download at www.gopaw.org/kids_ fish-in_program.

•A free seminar on fishing Lake Roosevelt will be presented by Alan Roberts on Thursday, 6:30 p.m., at Mark’s Marine, 14395 N. Government Way in Hayden.

•Idaho’s chinook salmon fishing seasons opens April 24 in the Clearwater River, Snake River, Little Salmon and the lower Salmon River. It is shaping up as a slow opener. Only a handful of fish have crossed Lower Granite Dam.

•The Washington Fly Fishing Fair is April 30-May 1 at the Kittitas County Events Center in Ellensburg. The event includes fly-tying demonstrations and seminars, classes on casting, drift boat handling and safety. Featured fly-tier is Skip Morris; featured caster is Brian O’Keefe. Info: www.washington- councilfff.org.

Fishing derbies

Three popular fishing derbies are coming up:

•The Lake Roosevelt Two Rivers Spring Fishing Derby, April 24-25; pays the top four places for both largest rainbow and largest kokanee. Entry $20; forms available at Skipper Bills, Two Rivers Marina and Two Rivers RV Park.

Info: (800) 722-4031.

•The Red Covey Memorial Spring Salmon Derby on Lake Coeur d’Alene, April 17-18; guarantees a first-place pot of $1,000, daily prizes and an eight-place payout. Tickets $20, available at Skipper Bill’s in Spokane Valley or Fins and Feathers in Coeur d’Alene.

•The K&K Spring Derby on Lake Pend Oreille, April 24-May 2; payout for the top five places for rainbow and mackinaw. Tickets $40 for adults, no charge for youth, available at Skipper Bill’s.

Info: (509) 928-1000.

Fly fishing

The North Fork Coeur d’Alene is up a little bit, but pocket fishing in the lower sections is still good. Baetis and midges are the ticket. No word on the St. Joe, but it should be getting good from Avery down. Subsurface nymphs are drawing strikes on the Clark Fork. Nymphs under an indicator as well as floating flies are taking trout from the Yakima River.

Rocky Ford and Crab Creek remain productive, but Washington selective-gear lakes are still a little cold for consistent fishing as there is not a lot of bug activity. The best success has come on chironomid patterns.

Steelhead are still catchable, but some fish are already making redds and wade- fishing will disturb them.

Salmon and steelhead

The south end of Lake Coeur d’Alene has provided good chinook action from the surface down to 30 feet. Diving Rapalas and helmeted herring are taking fair numbers of 3- to 8-pound fish, said Jeff Smith at Fins and Feathers. Smith said the fish aren’t necessary hanging over deep water, and he has taken several close to shore in some of the bays. Smith also said the lake was up at midweek and the boat ramps at Higgins Point, Rockford Bay, Third Street and Spokane Point were usable.

There have been some phenomenal steelhead catch rates in the Salmon River system, particularly from the Lemhi River to the Little Salmon River. The season is winding down and fish quality is deteriorating.

Spring chinook fishing on the Columbia River was good last week above St. Helens.

Trout and kokanee

The word from Lake Roosevelt is that trout and kokanee fishing has been fair to good all week throughout the system. The fish are still suspending at 10 feet and up.

Rufus Woods anglers who started out on plugs and spinners say they had to switch to Power Bait and jigs to get their fish this week. No monsters have been reported recently, but there have been quite a few 4- to 8-pounders.

Liberty and Coffeepot lakes have been slow, but a single warm day and things could change quickly. Rock Lake browns continue to bite, but the lake has been stormy to the point of being dangerous.

Martha Lake in the Columbia Basin isn’t seeing many anglers, but those who are trying this desert water are finding a lot of 12- to 15-inch trout by throwing flies and spinners and even jigs. The lake is low and clear.

Koocanusa Lake in Montana is kicking out 50-fish limits of kokanee to jiggers on sunny days between Libby Dam and Yarnell Island. The fish have been suspended at 20-30 feet, hitting baited Swedish Pimples or Glo-Hooks. Fish size is 6-9 inches. Big rainbow trout have also been on the bite, favoring Lyman and Rapala plugs in the first 30 feet. The annual spring kokanee tournament is scheduled for May 15-16. Info at koocanusaresot.com.

Spiny ray

Lake Coeur d’Alene pike are finally finding enough water to move into some of the bays. Herring close to the bottom under a bobber is most effective. Also in Idaho, Fernan Lake has been good for 10-inch crappie. Scented Screw Grubs have been effective. Rose Lake should not be overlooked, especially as a family outing.

Sporadic reports filter in regarding Newman Lake muskies. This isn’t a fast fishery by any means, but one good fish will make an entire fishing season. The bass bite on Newman is slow. Eloika Lake is the same.

The Spokane arm of Lake Roosevelt is closed, but walleye anglers are taking fish by Two Rivers.

In Moses Lake, the Lind Coulee is producing. Walleye fishing is said to be excellent in The Dalles Pool.

Other species

A few legal-sized sturgeon are being caught by boat and bank anglers in the gorge as well as in the Portland to Longview area.

April 16 is the beginning of the lingcod fishing season off Neah Bay in Marine Area 4.

A razor clam dig is tentatively planned at various ocean beaches on morning tides April 16-18, pending the results of marine toxin tests.

Hunting

Thursday is the beginning of the general spring turkey hunts in Idaho and Washington. Both run through May 31.

Contact Alan Liere by e-mail at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com.