Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for Sept. 25, 2025

Sept. 25, 2025 Updated Wed., Oct. 1, 2025 at 3:41 p.m.

By Alan Liere The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

Tip of the week: Snake River fishing guides who commonly use fresh-caught smallmouth bass to catch sturgeon, say that contrary to common belief, sturgeon prefer fresh bait. Lake Roosevelt sturgeon anglers have become fond of an expensive concoction called Pickled Sturgeon Candy, but they would probably do as well or better with a hunk of northern pikeminnow. A gob of nightcrawlers is hard to beat, though they don’t stay on the hook as long as pikeminnow. For added attraction, some guides tip the hook with a marshmallow.

Overheard: Recreational divers and anglers are already taking advantage of the new opportunity to include spearfishing in some Idaho waters. Divers in Lake Pend Oreille can now target walleye, lake trout and northern pike–species Fish and Game manages for reduced abundance in order to protect kokanee, rainbow trout, bull trout and cutthroat trout populations.

Idaho Fish and Game is offering a free “North Idaho Bear Fair” at the Bonner County Fairgrounds (4203 N. Boyer Ave. 83864) on Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. The event is free and registration is not required. Free food will be provided, and folks can enter to win prizes. During the event, participants will receive bear spray training, and anyone who participates will receive a canister of bear spray while supplies last. Attendees will also learn the basics of how to protect livestock, chicken coops, animals and beehives with electric fencing, and have the opportunity to use a large cider press to make fresh apple cider. (Bring your own apples and containers.)

Heads up: I got the dates wrong for Idaho’s youth, veterans and active-duty military personnel waterfowl hunt. I erroneously reported the two day season to be Sept. 28 and 29, but it is Sept. 27-28 – Saturday and Sunday.

Conversion rates (the ratio of fish passing Bonneville Dam and then entering the Snake River) for Snake River fall chinook are well below average. Because of these lower conversion rates, the number of wild fish impacts available to the fishery has decreased. By switching to hatchery fish only, harvest opportunity can be extended while minimizing impacts to wild fish.

There have been several changes in salmon and steelhead regulations and fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website before fishing. The Fish Washington mobile app also allows anglers to stay up to date on the go.

Braggin’ rights: Since Sept. 20, 2020, Jared Holt of Homedale, Idaho had held the catch-and-release state record for a flathead catfish, but in August, his wife Brandi beat her husband’s record by two inches, catching a 44-inch fish from the Snake River.

Fly fishing

The Silver Bow Fly Shop guide crew reports good fishing on the Spokane River. Chernobyls with droppers are doing well. Smaller techy nymphs like perdigons or Spanish bullets have been good for droppers. Streamer fishing has also been good, and there have been some blue-winged olive hatches later in the day.

Fishing has gotten a lot better on the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. Pack some October caddis for the afternoons. No reports of mahoganies but they should show up any day. A dropper under a hopper or October caddis is a good prospecting tactic.

Great reports come from the St. Joe River. The afternoons are good October caddis fishing. You can still fish terrestrials, and definitely pack some blue-winged olives and mahogany duns. A hopper-dropper or October caddis with a dropper is a good prospecting choice. Streamer fishing has also been picking up.

The North Fork of the Clearwater and Kelly Creek have been very good lately. October caddis have been productive and terrestrials are still producing. Streamer fishing has been excellent for the larger cutthroat.

Trout and kokanee

Fan Lake doesn’t get much attention from trout anglers this late in the year because of warm water and the huge population of small spiny ray. There are trout to be had, however, and Power Bait from shore or boat will usually take a few early and late. The lake closes at the end of September.

Trout anglers need to pay attention this time of year to determine which lakes remain open. Most of the Grant County small lakes will close after Sept. 30. Around Spokane, the lakes that close on that date are Fan, Fish, Fishtrap, Medical, West Medical, Williams and Badger. For a complete list of Eastern Washington September closures, check your WDFW Fishing Pamphlet on pages 94-98.

Fishing for triploid trout at Rufus Woods has been very good for fish averaging five pounds below the upper net pens. Jigs and bait are equally effective, but remember that if you use bait, you must count the first two fish caught as your limit.

Buffalo Lake on the Colville Indian Reservation has a variety of fish species, from bass and crappie to trout and kokanee. Most kokanee are running to almost 16 inches.

Steelhead and salmon

Despite some terrible luck while launching his boat, a friend managed to catch a jack chinook on the Snake/Clearwater confluence last weekend. He was jigging a Crippled Herring lure. He said fishing has been hit and miss, but a few anglers catch an occasional steelhead bobber fishing with cured shrimp, and-trollers are getting a few fall chinook despite fighting floating grass which fouls their terminal gear. Flows were down to almost nothing in the confluence early in the week, shutting off the bite completely.

The Lyons Ferry Bubble Fishery runs through Friday. The daily salmon limit is two adult hatchery chinook. No wild fish. From the Washington/Idaho state line to the Oregon state line (Catch Record Card Area 650), the season runs through Oct. 31, open daily. No wild fish may be retained. The daily limit is three adult hatchery chinook.

Reel Time Fishing says fishing for chinook at Hanford Reach near Vernita Bridge is ramping up and numbers are looking strong. These Hanford Reach Kings, known as Up River Brights, have a reputation for their impressive size. Hanford Reach is 40 miles of free-flowing river. Info: (208) 790-2128.

Spiny ray

This is a great time to be filling your freezer with tasty perch fillets. Friends fishing at Curlew last week said the fish were in 11 to 14 feet of water, and the biggest were running about 10 inches. He noted that in a morning’s fishing out of Tiffany’s Resort he and his partner kept four dozen “dandies.”

Long Lake is an amazing spiny ray fishery, whether you’re after walleye, bass or perch. It is one of the few lakes I know of where anglers can take big perch and smallmouth by trolling lures such as the Flicker Shad above the weeds.

Smallmouth fishing has been very good on Banks Lake. Throw lizard imitations toward the rocky shoreline in Steamboat Rock State Park. These fish are generally smaller than those taken above the weed beds on Long Lake.

Other species

The China Bend boat launch on Lake Roosevelt has been filling up with sturgeon fishermen, but there have been few reports of success for legal-sized fish. A friend and his wife landed seven sturgeon, with two 45-inchers for big fish.

Hunting

Senior pheasant hunters who participated in the early five-day hunt last week gave mixed reports, but the consensus was there is a lot of heavy dry cover, the birds are near water, and there are quite a few young birds. A friend said that despite his poor shooting, he bagged two birds and saw “maybe 18 altogether.” He was hunting near Ewan. Another friend had his Wednesday hunt cut short in 90 degree weather when his dog began showing signs of heat stroke.

WDFW has released its annual hunting prospects to give hunters a detailed look at expected conditions, harvest trends, and game activity in each of the state’s 17 wildlife management districts. This is a very thorough report, and you are encouraged to view it for whatever species you plan to hunt. Google “Washington Hunter Prospects 2025.”

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com