Great pickings for bass fishermen

Most Inland Northwest lakes, big and small, hold bass, but some waters provide outstanding late-spring and summer fisheries for largemouth and/or smallmouth. Among them.

Banks and Moses Lakes as well as Potholes Reservoir in Grant County are popular tournament destination for good reason.

Lake Spokane, Eloika, Newman, Liberty and Clear lakes are prime bass waters close to Spokane. Silver Lake and Newman bassers must be prepared for the occasional strike by a massive tiger musky.

The Pend Oreille River near Ione is excellent for bass, with the bonus of a burgeoning northern pike fishery.

•North Idaho bass hot spots include Lake Coeur d’Alene and the chain of lakes along the lower Coeur d’Alene River.

Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork River is worth the price of a Montana fishing license.