Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for June 4

Fly fishing

Most Washington lakes have damsel or dragon fly nymphs and some are still fishing well with chironomids and callibaetis, as well as balanced leeches. Allen Petersen at Swede’s Fly Shop said Amber Lake seems to be the go-to spot with chironomids fished under an indicator. He said the earth tones such as olive, brown and even black will be sure to attract the rainbows.

Area rivers are still running high – even the St. Joe, which was fishable last week. Other fly fishing destinations are the Methow, Naches and Kettle rivers for trout and the Grande Ronde for smallmouth bass.

Trout and Kokanee

Clear Lake trollers who go deep are catching some nice brown trout. There seem to be plenty of catchable rainbow up high. Fishtrap Lake rainbow are running a healthy 12-13 inches. Successful anglers have been drifting nightcrawlers through the narrows. Badger Lake has a lot of 12-inch cutthroat in addition to kokanee. There are a few large brookies being caught at Fish Lake, but the stunted perch can be an irritation.

Sprague Lake is showing a little green, but it has not affected the fishing. A lot of huge rainbow (4-6 pounds) have been taken recently.

Idaho Fish and Game has continued stocking fish during COVID-19, and most of Idaho’s angling opportunities remain unchanged. Two places that will get generous trout stockings during June include Fernan Lake in the Panhandle Region (5,200 rainbow trout) and Kelso Lake (2,500). In the Clearwater Region, Deer Creek Reservoir will receive 2,500 tiger trout, Campbell’s Pond will get 2,000 rainbow trout and Spring Valley Reservoir will be planted with 4,200 rainbow trout.

A friend and I trolled for Loon Lake kokanee this week, finding plenty of action in the public access bay and the bay just around the corner toward Shore Acres Resort. The fish are quite small – an average of 9 inches with some barely pushing 7 inches. We probably lost as many as we kept by dragging two or three colors of leaded line and a triple-ought flasher in front of a Wedding Ring tipped with maggots. We’re hoping we get into more of the 10- to 11-inch fish when we begin night fishing with Glo Hooks in front of Granite Point Resort later this month.

Diamond Lake has been fair for rainbow trout, with most fishing in the 10- to 11-inch range. Nearby Sacheen and Davis lakes have also been fair for planter rainbow.

Coffeepot Lake can be hit or miss and reports are mixed. Trout are large, but fishing can be tough.

Warden Lake, Upper and Lower Hampton and Corral Lake in Grant County have been good recently for rainbow catchables. Anglers are trolling spinners or dunking Power Bait on a sliding sinker with enough leader to get above the weeds on bottom – about 4 feet.

Lake Coeur d’Alene is kicking out some unusually large kokanee this spring. Fish over 14 inches long are showing up for anglers trolling the top 20-30 feet of water. The south end has been best.

Kokanee fishing has been excellent on Dworshak Reservoir this week, with limits of 25 the rule. The fish are roughly 10 inches long.

Lake Pend Oreille has been kicking out some big rainbow (10-20 pounds). Anglers trolling with planer boards have done best, but a shallow-running downrigger will work.

Steelhead and salmon

Returns of upriver spring chinook to several hatchery facilities in the Columbia and Snake River basins are projected to fall below levels needed to meet broodstock collection goals. These facilities have utilized spring chinook stocks collected at Little White Salmon and Carson National Fish Hatcheries for brood when shortfalls occur. Closing the Wind River and Drano Lake fisheries will provide additional fish for these hatchery facilities and help ensure future hatchery returns and fishing opportunities.

Spiny ray

Long Lake has some color but becomes clearer the closer you get to the dam. It is reported that crappie anglers are “hauling them in,” but such was not the case for a son and his friend who couldn’t find a bite last weekend.

Friends and I tried drop-shotting for walleye in the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt near Buoy 5 this week with minimal success, and other anglers reported a similar lack of action using different techniques that day. Later in the week, things evidently picked up with reports from Porcupine Bay and the Kettle Falls area indicating worm harnesses and bottom were doing well for trollers at 35 feet.

The most consistent walleye fishing is from Kettle Falls to Northport. A friend who fished The Dalles section said there was a lot of current and you needed a 3/4-ounce jig to stay down. The fishing was good, but not as good as this time last year.

Curlew Lake perch didn’t see many ice fishermen this winter. The spawn is over and anglers are catching many 9- to 10-inch fish, according to reports from one of the resorts.

Potholes Reservoir anglers have enjoyed some excellent walleye fishing in Crab Creek, Lind Coulee and the Sand Dunes. Bottom bouncers and worms in 8-15 feet of water are finding fish along the weed lines. Largemouth bass are hitting in the Crab Creek Arm and in the dunes clear back to the Job Corp Dike. Smallmouth are more likely to be found on the humps in front of the sand dunes, the face of the dam, and the rock piles around Goose Island.

Water is warming and Lake Coeur d’Alene pike have been hitting in most of the bays. Smallmouth haven’t spawned, but a few more warm days should move them right up to the shoreline and provide some fast action on tube jigs and shallow-diving plugs.

Other species

Most beaches in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are scheduled to open for recreational clam, mussel and oyster harvest on Monday, while other areas will open later in the summer as previously planned by the WDFW. Clam, mussel and oyster harvesting seasons are beach-specific in Puget Sound. Harvesters are encouraged to check current seasons atwdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfishing-regulations.