Alan Liere’s fish and game report for July 6

Fly fishing

Silver Bow Fly Shop says wade-fishing spots are improving daily on the Big Spokane River, and upper and lower, are both good. Caddis pupa and anything subsurface with peacock in it has been hot lately.

Drake style patterns, pmd’s, and caddis will get the most attention on the North Fork Coeur d’Alene. The St. Joe River remains excellent. The closer you get to Avery and further up will be best. A straight dry, double dries, or a dry/dropper will all work.

Most rivers in Montana are now fishing pretty well. The Clark Fork is back to being fishable again with clarity improving daily. A foam bug with a pmd, caddis, or Royal Wulff trailing off the back would be an excellent choice as dry fly fishing improves. For nymph fishing, try a Double Bead or Pat’s Stone with a worm, caddis pupa, or pheasant tail. For streamers, go big with olive and yellow or straight black.

Salmon and steelhead

With salmon season changes being implemented on short notice, Idaho anglers are encouraged to keep current on seasons, boundaries and limits by visiting the Fish and Game website at idfg.idaho.gov/fish/chinook/rules.

Salmon are moving up the Columbia River. The season opened on Saturday on the upper river in most sections above Priest Rapids Dam. From Wells Dam to Brewster, the season opens on July 16. WDFW regional fish biologist Jeff Korth says the run is a bit low, but healthy. All wild adult chinook must be released, but up to two adult hatchery chinook can be kept in the daily limit of four salmon. Any sockeye may be retained.

Chinook anglers at Chelan Falls are catching good numbers of hatchery fish. Below Wells Dam, fishing has been slower, but the fish are there.

Trout and kokanee

I thought I knew everything there was to know about fishing for kokanee at night on Loon Lake, but this year I have taken only 17 fish in five trips. I have been fishing the east side in 30-32 feet of water.

Anglers at Liberty and Clear lakes in Spokane County are catching rainbow and brown trout, as well as perch, crappie and bass. Downs and Sprague lakes also produce catches of really nice bass and rainbow trout. Downs also has large perch, though they are sometimes difficult to find.

Upper Twin Lake in Lincoln County has been fairly productive, yielding catches of 14- to 15-inch rainbow trout. Lower Twin has big largemouth, perch and crappie.

Long Lake is still producing catches of the rainbow trout stocked annually for the last several years. This year’s stocked trout are still fairly small, running 8-9 inches, but the carryovers from previous year’s plants run 16-19 inches.

With rising air temperatures throughout the region, anglers fishing the early morning and late evening hours should continue to find active fish in the region’s lowland trout lakes, including Spokane County’s Badger, Williams, Fish, and West Medical. Morning and evening fishing is also productive on many northeast district waters, according to Bill Baker, WDFW district fish biologist. Even lakes at high elevation, like the Little Pend Oreille chain of lakes in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, provide more opportunities early and late in the day.

Recent jumbo trout plants in the 3-4 pound range have made for some great fishing in Leech and Dog lakes in Yakima County and Cooper and Lost lakes in Kittitas County.

Spiny ray

Banks Lake walleye fishing has been hot and cold with some of the best action at Barker Flats. Most fish have been found in less than 20 feet of water. Walleye anglers on Lake Roosevelt are having moderate success.

Walleye fishing below McNary Dam continues to be hot. Bottom Walkers and worm harnesses in 30 feet of water have proven effective. The fish are sitting on current edges.

Randy Osborne, WDFW central district fish biologist, says Spokane County’s Newman, Bonnie and Eloika lakes are good bets for largemouth bass, yellow perch, and crappie. Anglers can also find lots of bass and perch in Spokane County’s Silver Lake, though the perch are quite small. Fishing at Long Lake is really good right now for smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Several mixed-species waters are now providing good fishing in northeast Washington. These include Deer Lake in Stevens County for smallmouth and largemouth bass, Diamond Lake in Pend Oreille County for yellow perch, and Waitts Lake in southern Stevens County for yellow perch. Waitts also has some excellent brown and rainbow fishing.

The Snake and Palouse rivers have been good this month for smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and crappie. The Grande Ronde River in Asotin County and the Tucannon River in Columbia and Garfield counties also provide fair fishing in July for bass and trout.

Some of the Idaho Chain Lakes, particularly Killarney, have been good for pike this week, but the bite is early. Try spinnerbaits and spoons.

A friend who fished Curlew Lake this week said he saw a number of dead tiger muskies. If you’re going to target the big fish, have a plan in effect for releasing them safely. This would entail keeping them in the water and having a jaw spreader and good pair of needle nose pliers handy.

Other species

Sturgeon are still attracting angler attention near Kettle Falls, but many fishermen have already taken their two-fish season limit. YJ Guide Service, (509) 999-0717, reports that though the catching can be erratic now, clients have caught as many as 19 sturgeon on a good day, including several oversized fish.

Anglers may catch and keep legal-size white sturgeon in Lake Wallula (McNary Dam to Priest Rapids/Ice Harbor dams) through July 31. Fish must measure 43-54 inches (fork length) to be retained.

Shad have reached McNary and Ice Harbor dams in numbers that make for great fishing. Averaging 4 pounds, they’re fairly easy to catch and there are no limits.

Hunting

Resident Idaho hunters wanting to purchase a general season elk tag in a capped zone will need to keep two dates in mind. On Monday, all resident capped elk zone tags, except for the Sawtooth Zone, go on sale at 9 a.m. at Fish and Game offices, license vendors, with a credit card by going online to idfg.idaho.gov, or by calling (800) 554-8685. On Wednesday, resident Sawtooth Zone A and B elk tags go on sale, with half of the tags sold at Fish and Game offices and license vendors-only starting at 9 a.m.. The remaining half of the resident Sawtooth tags will go on sale online-only at noon.