Weekly hunting and fishing report

Thu., May 7, 2015

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

You can waterproof nearly anything with this simple recipe: To 1 quart of mineral spirits mix 1.4 ounces of clear silicone caulking in a 2-quart container and stir to break it up. Next, put a lid on the container and shake vigorously. Paint the solution on the chosen object, covering it completely. Allow the object to cure for 24 hours before exposing it to water.

Braggin’ rights

• The Long Lake Classic bass tournament on Lake Spokane (Long Lake) last weekend saw many bass weighed in. Justin Cox and Ben Schilling had a first-day, five-fish total of 29.05 pounds, including a 7.68-pound largemouth that won the big-fish award. Cox and Schilling went on to win the tournament with a two-day total of 39.16 pounds. The top eight angling teams weighed in two-day totals of more than 30 pounds with the top four exceeding 35 pounds.

• Although not as many big rainbow as expected were netted, the Lake Pend Oreille Spring Tournament was a success. Derek Blanchard took first place with a fish weighing 21.16 pounds followed by Vern Scott with a 20.5-pounder. In the mackinaw division, Edwin Dickson took first prize with a fish of 23.58 pounds and Bert Dennet took second with one weighing 21.50 pounds.

Heads up

As hunters are planning fall hunts and selecting special permit opportunities to apply for by May 20, they should check out possible long-term closures on U.S. Forest Service roads in areas of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest where wildfires burned last summer. These closures could significantly complicate access to some favorite spots. It’s up to hunters to check out access before applying for permits.

Overheard

I have heard with a bit of skepticism of wolf sightings within 30 miles of Spokane, but if the large, dark creature I saw in my pasture ripping into a freshly killed whitetail was not a wolf, it was the biggest, boldest, strongest coyote I have seen. Ignoring my barking dogs that charged within 50 feet of it, as well as my shouts from the front porch, it tore off an entire front quarter from the mature doe and carried it off at a trot.

Fly fishing

The North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River is running at June levels and there are a lot of bugs. A stone fly imitation with a mayfly dropper should get you fish.

Amber, Medical, West Medical, Newman, Sprague, Rock and Liberty lakes have been good for fly fishermen stripping nymph patterns along the shorelines and weed beds.

Salmon and steelhead

Catch rates were low for last week’s salmon opener in Idaho, but the fish are on the move and appear to be generally larger than in years past. By this weekend there should be 10 times as many fish in Idaho as on the opener. Fish counts over Lower Granite Dam have exceeded 3,000 fish per day since April 29.

The Clearwater River is producing more chinook each day. Some anglers are doing well by flatlining a K-15 Kwikfish with a sardine wrap in 8 feet of water on the lower river near Lewiston.

Four sections of the Snake River remain open to fishing for spring chinook three days a week. Below Ice Harbor Dam and Lower Granite Dam the fishery is open on a Sunday-through-Tuesday schedule until further notice. Upriver fishing is open on a Thursday-through-Saturday schedule below Little Goose Dam and near Clarkston. The catch is near quotas, so watch for salmon closures on short notice.

The lower Yakima River is open for hatchery spring chinook fishing from the Highway 240 Bridge in Richland to the Grant Avenue Bridge in Prosser, but fishing has been slow. On Saturday, the upper section of the river will open for hatchery chinook from the Interstate 82 Bridge at Union Gap to the BNSF Railroad Bridge.

Trout and kokanee

The bay in front of Swawilla Basin on Lake Roosevelt has been a productive spot this week for rainbow and a few kokanee. Anglers trolling the top 25 feet of water with an assortment of lures are enjoying steady action. An orange Kekeda fly has been one of the top producers.

The north end of Curlew Lake is a good place to anchor for rainbow running 11-15 inches. Some larger fish have been taken around the docks using PowerBait.

Deer Lake anglers are catching a few decent macks as well as rainbow trout. The macks have been hanging closer to shore than would be expected. Two fish more than 10 pounds were reported coming from 20 feet of water.

Loon Lake trollers are seeing good kokanee action but the fish are mostly less than 10 inches. Rainbow are hitting, both species 20-30 feet down on the north end. Many of the rainbow are more than 20 inches

Williams Lake produced 6.2 fish per angler on opening day and the bite is still good. There are some rainbow and tiger trout more than 20 inches being caught. Clear Lake anglers also averaged 6.2 fish each on the opener, mostly rainbow. West Medical wasn’t quite as good but catches were still decent this week and some of the fish are more than 17 inches. Badger Lake was not expected to be good, but it is still producing some large rainbow. Fish Lake has some big rainbow as well as brook trout, but the bite has been slow.

In Stevens County, Rocky Lake anglers averaged 5.7 fish each on the opener. The fishing has slowed some but remains good. Most of the rainbow are 11-12 inches with carryovers of 14-18 inches. Waitts Lake is giving up rainbow to 22 inches and browns up to 14 inches. Also in Stevens County, Starvation and Mudgett lakes are giving up rainbow in the teens with the larger fish in Mudgett. Deep Lake anglers are catching 11-inch rainbow and kokanee. Cedar Lake catch rates have been low, but there are quite a few 15- to 17-inch carryovers.

Fishtrap Lake in Lincoln County was good on the opener and remains so. It has a lot of 10- to 12-inch trout and some much larger.

Anglers fishing in Grant County’s Blue Lake are doing well. It holds both rainbow trout and some 14- to 15-inch steelhead. Park Lake, above Soap Lake, has also been good for 14-inch rainbow and some huge browns. Both of these lakes also have perch and bass. Deep and Warden lakes are giving up trout of around 12 inches.

Kokanee fishing on Lake Chelan has been spotty, but the lower basin is giving up some beautiful 14- to 18-inchers. Trollers are going down about 60 feet. Orange and pink flies behind a dodger have been good.

Spiny ray

Eloika Lake largemouth are hitting an assortment of spinner baits, tubes and jigs. Most of the fish caught this week were the smaller males.

The Snake River is finally more than 50 degrees and smallmouth bass are beginning to bite. The Grande Ronde should be getting good. Walleye fishing has been good in The Dalles and John Day pools and bass should start biting there and in the Bonneville Pool as the water warms up.

Porcupine Bay on Roosevelt was good for lots of small walleye this week. Farther up The Arm, the bite is still on.

The Potholes Reservoir walleye bite dropped dramatically this week as the fish are either spawning or just coming off the spawn. It should pick up again soon.

Other species

The Columbia River Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery Program started last Friday. The program has a higher base reward ($5) and a newly revamped tier structure paying anglers up to $8 for each pikeminnow at least 9 inches in total length from areas of the Columbia and Snake rivers. Specially tagged fish are worth $500. Info: (800) 858-9015.

There will be four days of morning razor clamming on various Washington beaches beginning today and running through Sunday when the digging time is extended to 1 p.m. because of a late low tide. Long Beach and Twin Harbors will be open all four days and Mocrocks will be added for days 2-4.

Contact Alan Liere @spokesmanliere@yahoo.com