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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for May 30

Alan Liere writes the weekly fishing and hunting report for The Spokesman-Review. (The Spokesman-Review / SR)

Fly fishing

The St. Joe River is dropping but still high. Find the slower water, though, and you will find the fish. Hatches include everything from salmon flies, drakes, PMDs, caddis and yellow sallies. Silver Bow Fly Shop said to run a nymph rig or streamer rig until late morning when things warm up.

The Spokane River is open again and fishing is good despite high flows. Fish the brush close to shore. White is probably the best color.

The North Fork Coeur d’Alene is prime. Fishing has been best midday and afternoon, but dry fly fishing should get good as the warm weather continues.

Most Montana rivers need to drop quite a bit to be in fishing shape. Of them all, Rock Creek is probably the best option.

Trout and kokanee

With the warmer weather, Loon Lake kokanee will begin attracting more attention from night fishermen setting up in their favorite spots in about 28 feet of water. Recent reports say the fish are much smaller this year, but a friend who has been trolling around the point from the island says most of his fish are around 10 inches and a few have been over 11 inches.

Deer Lake is an often overlooked trout fishery. It is not unusual for trollers and still fishermen to take limits of rainbow 16 inches and better.

Angler activity at the put-and-take lakes south of Spokane was sparse during last week’s inclement weather, but recent reports from Clear, Badger, Williams and West Medical indicate the trout are hungry after the lay-off. Williams has been particularly good. Downs Lake has also been good for trout and on some days you can’t keep the largemouth off.

Triploid trout fishing has been steady but not particularly fast at Rufus Woods. The fish are running 2 to 4 pounds.

Conconully Lake is giving up some 14-inch trout and larger kokanee. Some have gone as big as 18 inches, but the fishing has been only fair.

Spiny ray

The boat launch is open at Porcupine Bay with two lanes and a dock for launching. There has been some decent walleye fishing within sight of the launch. The campground was not completed in time to accommodate Memorial Day traffic.

Lake Roosevelt walleye and burbot have been biting well in deep water south of Hunters, with the walleye coming from 75 feet of water and the burbot from over 100 feet down.

Friends fishing The Dalles area of Lake Roosevelt say there has been a lot of boat traffic from China Bend up. They feel this is keeping the bite down, though anglers are still catching decent numbers. Most of the fish have been 16 to 19 inches.

Spokane Arm walleye have averaged a little larger recently for anglers using jigs, blade baits and deep-diving crankbaits in less than 15 feet of water. There are still numerous complaints that a lot of 12-inch walleye are being cleaned.

Rufus Woods walleye fishing has been fair to good, but some have not yet spawned. Anglers report catching several fish between 5 and 11 pounds. At Banks Lake, the walleyes are scattered and bass fishing has been only fair.

The Crescent Bar on the Columbia has been a good smallmouth destination. Anglers trolling crankbaits close to the shoreline have done well. For lots of smallmouth action, hit the Snake River practically anywhere from Lower Granite Dam to Lewiston. Target areas where rocks have sloughed off into the water rather than the sheer rock faces.

The crappie spawn at Long Lake is about over, but anglers can still take a few 11- to 13-inch fish and some decent smallmouth. Anglers are still finding some big slabs at Newman and Hauser lakes and some smaller ones at Liberty. Largemouth fishing has been good at Newman and Liberty.

The spawn is over and Curlew Lake is back to its productive self for perch fishermen. Even anglers who never leave the docks at the popular resorts say it is no problem catching as many 9- to 11-inch perch as you want to clean.

Crappie have been biting at Silver Lake, but you’ll sort through many before finding a 9-inch keeper. The bluegills are taking up some of the slack with hand-sized fish. The largemouth bite has not materialized, but the occasional tiger muskie has provided an adrenaline rush for unsuspecting panfish anglers.

The underwater humps in the dunes area has been good for eater-size walleye on Potholes Reservoir. Most anglers are trolling bottom bouncers and slow death rigs. The largemouth bite has been excellent. Fish the water adjacent to beaver lodges.

A report from Lake Coeur d’Alene indicates the pike are beginning to bite, but nothing big has showed up. The fish are hitting a variety of lures in 6 to 10 feet of water.

Hunting

With spring black bear hunting season well underway, Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds hunters that using bait comes with easy-to-follow rules. Yet each spring, some run afoul with the law when their blunders could easily be avoided. Info and rules: idfg.idaho.gov/press/spring-bear-hunters-reminded-baiting-rules-0.

The deadline to apply for Idaho big game controlled hunts is June 5. Resident Idaho hunters pay a $6.25 application fee, and nonresident applications are $14.75. You can apply online, at any license vendor, at Fish and Game offices or by phone at (800) 554-8685.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com