Panhandle Region Fishing Information
Weekly Fishing Report
Updated: June 26, 2008
This report highlights a few of the best places to fish, what anglers are using and what they are catching. The information is compiled from regional Fish and Game fishery managers, local tackle shops and anglers. Other general regional information is available below.
New Rules for 2008: If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check the rules before you start fishing. There have been numerous changes for the Panhandle Region. The most notable changes are as follows:
- Fishing for cutthroat trout has been changed to catch-and-release in the entire Spokane River drainage, Lake Pend Oreille and Clark Fork River. These changes were made to increase the number of big fish or to help protect their declining numbers.
- The winter stream season has been extended this year allowing fishing (catch-and-release for trout) in most of the major rivers from December 1 to Memorial Day weekend.
- The bass regulations have also changed in the Panhandle. Bass fishing is now open year round in all lakes. In addition, the general regulations have changed to 6 bass (largemouth and smallmouth) of any size. Previously anglers were only allowed to keep bass larger than 12 inches. Exceptions to this exist in Anderson Lake, Blue Lake, Chase Lake, Hayden Lake, Pend Oreille Lake, Pend Oreille River, and Robinson Lake where only two largemouth bass over 16 inches in length are allowed.
RIVER AND STREAM FISHING: Fly fishing on the CDA River was good last weekend. Fly fishermen are using dry flies, but nymphing is also a good tactic in these early, high water periods. Cutthroat and cutbows are striking on stimulators, greendrakes, copper johns, prince nymphs and attractor patterns-anything big is working well for 12" to 18" fish on the Coeur d'Alene, Saint Joe and Clark Fork rivers. The water is cold on the Saint Joe but it should be warming up as the week progresses. Fishing is the best from Avery down. You can now get into the upper river through Clark Fork. Green Drakes, BWO’s, and Golden Stones are all making their appearance.
LAKES: Pend Oreille Lake is coming on strong. Bass fishing has been outstanding all over the lake as conditions warm. The “Monarchs” are fishing very well for lake and rainbow trout. Apexes, jigs, and Lymans are all working very well. For macs, be sure to tip your Apex with a little piece of night crawler. You will find bluebacks around 25 ft. down while fishing on Coeur d'Alene Lake; they usually range from 11"-13". Anglers are using Ford Fenders and trolling gear including double whammy with corn or maggots. Bass and pike haven't spawned yet so they are hungry.
Note: The "no wake" restriction on Coeur d'Alene Lake has been lifted, but boaters should still be very cautious because of all the floating debris in the lake. Bass are "fishing well" on Coeur d'Alene Lake (small mouth and large mouth) and on the Chain Lakes (largemouth). Try plastics and crank baits for northern pike. Kokanee and Chinook fishing has picked up with warming water temperatures.
Priest Lake boat ramps are functional and fishing has been good for lake trout. Hayden Lake is especially good for smallmouth and largemouth bass right now. Many anglers are using leech patterns under strike indicators. Fishing at Cocolalla is great right now with several types of trout available including cutthroat, brookies, browns and rainbows. Most of your catch would be 8"-15" rainbows. Use leech patterns under strike indicators as you would in Hayden Lake.
Save the Lake Pend Oreille Fishery
Go fishing and cash in! Lake trout of any size and rainbow trout more than 13 inches long from Lake Pend Oreille count for the $15 cash reward. Rainbow trout more than 13 inches caught in Lower Clark Fork River below the railroad bridge at Clark Fork (open all year) and from Lightning Creek, Grouse Creek and Pack River between April 1 and August 31 are also eligible. Gillnets and trapnets that have been used to reduce the lake trout population have been removed until late August. Boat ramps are open and functional.
Tagged Fish
Anglers catching tagged fish may get a reward. Check here for information.
Family Fishing Waters
In response to angler's requests for more family-oriented fishing opportunities and simplified rules, Fish and Game has developed Family Fishing Water Rules. These are designed to be easy to use and waters were selected which provide settings for a great fishing trip for families, kids and first-time anglers. Panhandle family fishing waters are Antelope Lake, Bull Moose Lake, Day Rock Pond, Elsie Lake, Fernan Lake, Granite Lake, Jewel Lake, Kelso Lake, Lower Glidden Lake, Post Falls Park Pond, Round Lake, Sinclair Lake, Smith Lake and Steamboat Pond.
Rules for family fishing waters:
- Year-round season
- Limit of six trout and six bass
- No limit on other species
- No length limits
- Standard fishing gear (Includes the use of a hook and line to catch fish. May also include the use of a rod and reel.)
See the links below for more info on the Panhandle Region Family Fishing Waters program including page 8 of the 2008 fishing seasons and rules brochure.
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General Regional Information - Spring 2008
The following provides an overview of fishing in the Panhandle Region. It is not intended to be a real time report of current conditions.
Spring is a transitional time when water conditions change rapidly and fish become more active as temperatures warm. Because fish are cold blooded animals, their activity level and vulnerability to anglers will change as weather conditions change. Many fish spawn in the spring, both in lakes and in area streams and rivers when water temperatures and flows are just right. Fishing is restricted in some areas during this time of year to protect spawning concentrations of fish. This report will give you some ideas on fishing opportunities during the spring.
Lake Pend Oreille
The $15/fish incentive for rainbow trout over 13 inches and any size lake trout harvested from Lake Pend Oreille will be in place through 2008. The bounty also applies to the Clark Fork River and starting April 1 Lightning Creek and tributaries, Grouse Creek and the Pack River. Deep water trap netting and gill netting will also be active during March, April and May. Up to 14 trap nets will be set around the lake. Watch for the orange buoys and avoid trolling with downriggers in the vicinity of trapnets.
For anglers wanting additional information on both lake trout and rainbow fishing techniques, two DVD's have been developed; "Reliable methods of catching lake trout on Lake Pend Oreille" and "Catch a Kam with Captain Ken". Loaner copies are available for check out at area libraries in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden, Sandpoint and Priest River, and at the IDFG Regional office in Coeur d'Alene. You can order your own copy from from oakeysmokes@hotmail.com.
Lake trout anglers generally are trolling or jigging just off the bottom using the same techniques as described for Priest Lake mackinaw below. Lake Pend Oreille is so deep that areas of suitable depth are limited to the flats in the north end of the lake around the islands, off the mouth of the Clark Fork River, along the Green Monarchs, Garfield Bay, Whiskey Rock and in the south end around Cape Horn and off the Eagle Boat Ramp in Idlewilde Bay.
When water temperatures are cold and uniform top to bottom, a variety of lure types can be effective on rainbow trout. Many rainbow trout anglers like to fish with planner boards 50-100 ft. off the side of the boat and then troll surface flies another 150-200 ft. behind the board. The board slicing through the chop creates a real erratic movement. The 3-4 inch long flies need to be tuned so they troll upright, rather than tilted to one side or the other. Other anglers like to troll Rapala, Rebel, Lyman or Apex type plugs near the surface or at depths to 50 feet.
Bull trout are fairly numerous in Lake Pend Oreille, but they are closed to harvest. Make sure you can tell the difference between a lake trout and bull trout before you harvest a fish. Westslope cutthroat trout are limited in number in the Pend Oreille system and harvest is now closed. Lake whitefish are very abundant in Lake Pend Oreille and their distribution overlaps that of lake trout (mackinaw) very closely. They eat primarily invertebrates, so they are difficult to catch. The few angler that do catch lake whitefish carefully anchor over concentrated schools and then fish with relatively light line and small glow hooks baited with a single maggot. Lake whitefish have relatively small mouths, so a small hook and minimal sized bait is recommended. The bass limit on LPO and the Pend Oreille River is now 6, with no more than 2 largemouth bass, and largemouth must be at least 16".
Coeur d'Alene Lake
Coeur d'Alene Lake provides a diverse fishery for both cold and warmwater species. For 2008, the limit on kokanee and chinook is 6 to reduce harvest on kokanee and increase harvest on chinook to reduce predation pressure on young kokanee. Landlocked chinook salmon are in transition from their deep water habitat during the winter to shallow water areas in the spring. Many chinook anglers like to fish on or near the surface during the spring when water temperatures are in the 40's and fairly uniform from top to bottom. Flutter spoons, Lyman plugs and herring in a helmet are all good spring time type lures. As water temperatures warm and the fish go deeper, many anglers will switch to flasher with a fly or hootchie. Kokanee fishing generally starts in the southern portion of the lake around the mouth of the Coeur d'Alene River and then the fishery moves north as the spring and summer progresses. Westslope cutthroat trout are the native species in Coeur d'Alene Lake, but their numbers are greatly reduced from historic levels. The regulations for cutthroat trout are now catch-and-release in the entire Spokane River drainage (Spokane River above Post Falls Dam, Coeur d'Alene Lake and all tributary streams).
Warmwater anglers enjoy some of the best northern pike fishing in the region in the Coeur d'Alene Lake/Lateral Lake system. Many anglers start by fishing the bays (Cougar, Mica, Wolf Lodge, Rocky Point) from shore with a dead smelt, herring or skinned perch under a bobber, or fished on the bottom. Shoreline access may be limited by low lake levels. Lake levels will fluctuate greatly during the spring depending on runoff conditions because Post Falls Dam does not close and "take control" of the summer pool level until sometime generally in mid June in most years. Generally by mid April lure fishing will become productive. Once the water warms to about 45 degrees, slow retrieve a large red and white Daredevil, J-13 broken back perch or black over white colored Rapala, or double bladed spinner bait. Coeur d'Alene Lake has perch and crappie, but few anglers fish for them. Seek out structure in bays for the best opportunity. The Coeur d'Alene system hosts numerous bass tournaments for both smallmouth and largemouth bass each year. Both species are found throughout Coeur d'Alene Lake. Smallmouth bass are most numerous along rocky shorelines of the lake. Largemouth bass are most numerous in the weedy bays. Concerns about negative impacts on the popular largemouth fishery have prompted a moratorium against redistributing tournament caught smallmouth bass into the Lateral Lakes.
Priest Lake
Spring fishing for mackinaw on Priest Lake was traditionally one of the best season openers of the year. As the water warms and becomes uniform in temperature, lake trout can be caught near the surface on light spinning tackle pulling spoons or plugs early in the morning or in the evening. The most consistent method however is bottom trolling with downriggers or leaded line. Try trolling slowly just off the bottom using big spoons, Flatfish, Kwikfish, Litefish, Apex, Rapala, Rebel, or Lyman type plugs or dodgers with hootchies or flies on a short leader. A small strip of fresh cut bait or night crawler will greatly improve your chances of a hook-up. Natural color combinations of black or blue over silver or white are good choices for lures, as are lighter colored, fluorescent and glow-in-the-dark colors. Jigging with baited lead headed jigs, spoons and buzz baits over rocky out crops and drop-offs is also a proven technique for catching mackinaw if you find concentrated fish. Use low or non-stretch line because many of the fish are holding in 140+ feet of water and it is difficult to detect a bite and set a hook with monofilament line. Reel fish up slowly from those depths to prevent bloating. Not all boat ramps may be accessible at this time or year due to low lake levels.
Ice Fishing
Smaller lakes in the northern part of the region will provide ice fishing into mid March, but warm days and rainy weather will lead to dangerous conditions. Honeycombed ice and thin ice around openings and the shoreline creates hidden hazards. What seems to be firm ice in the morning may literally melt under your feet later that afternoon. Be real careful out there!
Lowland Lakes
Trout stocking typically begins in April once load limits are lifted on rural roads and the tanker trucks can access local waters. All the trout that are stocked in north Idaho are raised at southern Idaho hatcheries and they need to be hauled here in the state's two tanker trucks. Most lakes receive catchable rainbow trout, although we do stock fingerling cutthroat, rainbow trout and kokanee fry in some lakes. We also maintain fisheries by stocking channel catfish and tiger muskie in certain lowland lakes (see IDFG website stocking information for lake and species specific information).
Warmwater fishing will improve as the water temperature warms. Northern pike are generally the first species to become active in the spring. Fernan, Twin, Spirit and Hayden lakes all provide northern pike fishing. Try the techniques mentioned for Coeur d'Alene Lake above. Perch are also an early season species. Perch generally concentrate in mid to late April to spawn, so they are vulnerable in shallow water both pre and post spawn. Crappie will become active in shallow water during warm days, usually hugging the northern shorelines where the sun warms the shallows. Try around the lily pads or shallow brush or trees where structure provides cover. Bass will become active on warm days, but you will need to check the regulations of the lake you are fishing. Many lakes do not allow harvest of bass until July 1 to protect spawning bass.
River and Streams
In the Panhandle Region there are a limited number of large rivers that remain open year round, including the Moyie, Kootenai River, Pend Oreille River, Priest River, and the slack water portions of the St. Joe and St. Maries rivers. IDFG extended the Winter Stream season to the Friday before Memorial Day weekend on the Coeur d'Alene, Little North Fork Coeur d'Alene, North Fork Coeur d'Alene, South Fork Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, St. Maries, and Spokane River from the stateline upstream to Post Falls Dam. All other streams in the region are managed with the general stream and river season of Memorial Day Saturday in May through November 30.