Alan Liere’s weekly fish and game report for Sept. 22

Wed., Sept. 21, 2016

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

When an angler gets snagged, even if for only a few seconds, the tip of the hook can become bent. Check this by sliding it over a thumb nail. If the hook is dull or blunt, it won’t grab. Needle nose pliers can straighten the tip, and a good file can make it sharp again.

Overheard

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s report on 2016 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations indicates overall duck numbers in the survey area are statistically similar to last year and remain steady. Total populations were estimated at 48.4 million breeding ducks, which is 38 percent above the 1955-2015 long-term average. American wigeon, redheads and scaup showed the greatest increases.

–Idaho Fish and Game researchers are experimenting with a way to eliminate unwanted fish populations by planting monosex fish whose offspring can only produce males. They say stocking YY-male hatchery fish into a body of water with an undesired fish population could change the sex ratio to all males within a few generations, and the unwanted fish population would eventually fail to reproduce and therefore die off. Once accomplished, Fish and Game would stop stocking those fish and fisheries managers would then restock that body of water with a more desirable fish species. Sounds good, but what about all the undesirable fish that are not altered and will keep on breeding with other unaltered fish?

–The Bonneville Power Administration’s Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward program is over budget with one month remaining in its season, due to increased monetary reward and resulting higher angler participation. So far this year, about 205,000 pikeminnow have been turned in for rewards, more than the 200,214 fish returned in 2015. The highest tally was 267,414 returns in 2004.

Heads up

Sean Visintainer will be the speaker at the annual steelhead clinic at Silver Bow Fly Shop from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday. The seminar will cover steelheading gear, techniques, rigging, where to fish and when to go. Call the shop (509) 924 9998 to sign up. Cost is $20.

–The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun its winter recreational vessel lock schedule. Recreational boaters may lock past dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers almost any time during daylight hours.

–Idaho Fish and Game’s Hunting Passport offers novice hunters, both young and old, the opportunity to hunt for one year before needing to complete a hunter education course. It allows anyone who has never held a hunting license – resident and nonresident – to hunt for one year when they are accompanied by a mentor and participating in the Mentored Hunting Program. New hunters must be at least 10 years of age to hunt big game, turkey and sandhill crane and 8 years to hunt most other game birds and small game that do not require tags

Fly fishing

Trout fishing has been pretty consistent on the Spokane River. Caddis are showing in the afternoon, but morning hours have mainly been nymph and streamer fishing. Silver Bow Fly Shop says that as the temperatures drop, fish will move toward the slicks.

The St. Joe should be a great option until late October. The mid and lower stretches are usually good now.

The North Fork Coeur d’Alene is low and clear. Use long, fine leaders and make the first cast count. Mahoganies, October caddis, blue wing olives, and midges are all on the menu, but the terrestrial game is still going during the midday.

Salmon and steelhead

Vernita Bridge chinook fishing is still only fair, but overall size has been good and fishing improves daily. The fish are being caught at all depths, but most anglers are fishing right off the bottom. Guide Kyle Jones says his best action has been downstream trolling flashers and Brad’s Superbaits.

Hanford Reach chinook are brighter than the fish at Vernita, but the fishing is just starting to get good. The limit is three adults and three jacks, wild or hatchery.

Anglers probing the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake are having good luck with slip bobbers and dyed shrimp in 23-30 feet of water. Friends who fished there most of last week were able to put several hatchery steelhead and a 15-pound hatchery chinook in the cooler. Trollers are also taking fish.

Bobber fishermen near “The Wall” at McNary Dam are catching a few steelhead. At Little Goose Dam, anglers long-lining are having sporadic luck for steelhead off the lower wall.

Trout and kokanee

Friends who fished Amber Lake on Monday said small gold Hot Shots allowed them to catch and release at least a dozen trout over 15 inches. They also noted that it appeared a lot of smaller fish have been recently planted.

Waitts Lake trout anglers are trolling spinners or flies at mid-lake and finding an excellent bite. The fish are mostly running from 12 inches up to 16.

North Idaho’s Kootenai River is producing its best trout fishing in years thanks to a nutrient enhancement partnership between Idaho Fish and Game and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho. The Kootenai River’s canyon section flows between Montana’s Libby Dam and Bonners Ferry, and Fish and Game biologists have seen a boost in both numbers and average size of trout there since the project started. Many long-time anglers in the Bonners Ferry area say it’s the best fishing they’ve experienced in years.

Loon Lake kokanee are acquiring their spawning colors, with the 12- to 13-inch males showing the most changes. The flesh is still good even though the fish are slimy and not as pretty as they were a few weeks ago. A good hook-set is needed as the upper mouths have become very hard.

Spiny ray

Bass are becoming more aggressive as they put on the feedbag for winter. Newman Lake largemouth fishing has been excellent, and crappie fishing has been very good at times. With some 30-degree nights, surface weeds at Eloika Lake will begin to die back and bass and crappie will be more accessible. Eloika has been tough to fish this summer because of the heavy weed growth. Diamond, Liberty and Sprague lakes have given bass fishermen some good afternoon action. Crankbaits and plastics are both working well

Coeur d’Alene pike are cruising for food outside the weed beds. Spinnerbaits have been effective, but so have spoons. Hayden Lake has seen a good pike bite lately.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the Snake is at its peak. Green 3-inch tubes and grubs with red flake work very well. Pend Oreille River smallmouth are also very active.

Other species

The first razor clam dig of the fall season is planned for mid-October on four ocean beaches, with additional digs tentatively scheduled through December. WDFW estimates the total razor clam population on Washington’s ocean beaches has increased slightly over last year, with Long Beach the highest in 25 years. The population at Twin Harbors is also strong, though Mocrocks and Copalis show population declines. The first proposed razor clam digs begin on Oct. 14 at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.

Hunting

Hunters needing to sight-in a rifle or dust a few clay targets before the October openers can find a comprehensive list of shooting ranges by visiting www.wheretoshoot.org.

Washington quail and chukar open on Oct. 1. As always, there are pockets with plenty of birds and places that produced last year that seem devoid of decent populations. Anglers in the Snake River Canyon are hearing a lot of chukars around Lewiston/Clarkston.

A friend and I hunted pheasants in the Palouse on Monday on the senior/disabled opener. We struck out after two hours of walking in one location but got into a fair number of birds during another two-hour walk near Winona. Conditions were dry and dusty, but the dogs performed admirably. We didn’t see many other hunters except at one register-to-hunt site. Birds ranged from mature to barely colored.

Youth across Idaho have an early shot at waterfowl and pheasants. The youth early season will be Saturday and Sunday for waterfowl and Oct. 1-7 for pheasants.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com