Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for March 19

March 18, 2020 Updated Wed., March 18, 2020 at 6:15 p.m.

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

The Big Outside is the absolutely perfect place to be in these disrupted times. Take your dogs for a longer walk, go fishing, climb a mountain, shoot some skeet, trap or sporting clays, sight in a rifle, look for sheds, take a drive with your camera, scout your favorite spot for turkeys, practice your calling, build a blind.

Heads up

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has shifted public meetings to online or phone-based formats through the first week of April. Updated information on WDFW commission meetings, advisory group meetings, and other public meetings is available at wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/calendar.

Starting in late March through June, WDFW will again partner with Avista to remove carp from Long Lake, in an effort to improve water quality. At the same time, WDFW will also remove northern pike.

WDFW will shift in-person hunter education classes to an online format through April 15, when it plans to reassess the current situation. More information about the hunter education deferral program is available at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements/ education/deferral-program.

Overheard

Biologists with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe have resumed gill netting efforts for northern pike to reduce numbers in Windy Bay, Benewah, Chatcolet, Round and Hidden lakes. Netting in 2020 will occur until May 24 and from Oct. 1 to Nov. 31. To minimize impacts to recreational anglers, netting is suspended all weekends and during the summer from Memorial Day weekend through September. Spring netting targets shallow, shoreline habitat where pike prefer to spawn. Fall netting is used primarily to monitor the pike population response.

Fly fishing

Sunday is the last day to fish the Spokane on the Washington side. The recent cold snap slowed down the bite, but the current BWO hatch might get the fish moving again. Silver Bow Fly Shop said the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River is starting to perk up. It is mostly a nymphing and streamer game, but there has been some small dry fly opportunity if you find the right winter-style water. San Juans, small stonefly nymphs, jig nymphs and hot bead patterns are all getting some attention. Small, flashy streamers have also been productive.

The St. Joe River is fishing again with good streamer action above Marshall Creek, but the road above Avery still has 2 feet of snow. Nymphing with skwala-type stones has also been productive.

Of all the Tucannon lakes that opened March 1, Blue is providing the most fly fishing action. The Bead Head Prince nymph has been effective.

Salmon and steelhead

Chinook fishermen are picking up a few keeper-sized fish on Lake Coeur d’Alene by trolling helmeted herring in the top 30 feet. On the north end, try Beauty Bay and Wolf Lodge Bay. At midlake, Mica Bay has been decent. On the south end, try East Point, Powder Horn and Rockford Bays.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has removed the size restriction on steelhead fisheries in the Clearwater River basin and Snake River downstream of Couse Creek. The daily bag limit for steelhead in the Clearwater River, Middle Fork Clearwater River (downstream of Clear Creek), South Fork Clearwater River, and Snake River downstream of Couse Creek will be one adipose-clipped fish of any size. The North Fork Clearwater River remains closed to steelhead fishing.

The Marengo area of the Tucannon River is beginning to get a few steelhead, as is the Touchet River near the state park. So far, success has been minimal.

The adult chinook daily limit in Drano Lake has been reduced to one fish per day until further notice in the waters downstream of markers on point of land downstream and across from Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream of the Highway 14 Bridge.

Steelhead angler effort increased again this past week on the upper Salmon River, and catch rates started to improve in the upstream areas. Angler effort was highest downstream of North Fork in location code 15, but effort near the Pahsimeroi River and Challis, in location codes 17 and 18, also increased. Effort near Salmon remained similar to the previous week.

Trout and kokanee

Liberty Lake trout anglers are trolling a variety of lures through the top 10 feet of water for some nice browns and a few rainbows. Even fishing from the public access has been good at times for mostly 14-inch brown trout. Try tossing a Kastmaster or similar lure.

Blue Lake, one of the Tucannon lakes, has received a lot of fishing pressure and fishing has tapered off. There are still plenty of fish in the Tucannon lakes, but they have become tentative biters. Some anglers report that putting bottled scents on the bait will make the trout mouth it long enough to get a hook-set.

Rufus Woods Reservoir has been good for triploids, some as large as 10 pounds. Successful anglers have been side drifting and casting quarter-ounce jigs to the shore and twitching them back to the boat. The area between Seaton Grove and the Nespelem Bar, across from the net pens, has been productive.

Lake Roosevelt water level will be at approximately 1,253 feet today and holding steady for a few more days. Fishing for rainbow trout remains good for bank anglers, but trollers are taking about half as many fish. No kokanee have been reported caught for at least two weeks,

Lake Chelan kokanee running 10-13 inches have been early biters this week with fast action often followed by long dry spells. The fish have been deep.

Priest Lake mackinaw have been hitting trolled offerings recently. An old standby – the Flatfish – has accounted for some good catches recently in 40-50 feet of water.

Spiny ray

The walleye bite on area lakes and rivers has begun and will be getting better as water temperatures warm. The fish are prespawn, making them aggressive. This is the time of year the biggest fish are usually caught.

The Spokane arm of Lake Roosevelt has been a productive walleye destination for anglers trolling or drifting the main river channel. Anglers jigging north of Hunters and near Fort Spokane are also doing well.

Potholes Reservoir largemouth bass are hitting back in dunes. Several 4- to 7-pounders have been taken recently. The walleye bite is also picking on the humps in 25 feet of water.

Columbia River walleye between The Dalles and McNary are coming from 25-30 feet of water on both plugs and jigs. The eating-size males have been holding a little deeper than the big females. Info: Munden’s Rising Son Adventures: 492-8852.

After the dismal ice fishing season, perch anglers are itching to get their boats out on Curlew Lake, but they will have to wait a while longer. The lake is still covered with deteriorating ice, but the owners of Curlew Lake Fisherman’s Cove Resort say another good wind should be all it takes to open it up.

Other species

Razor clam diggers will have a four-day dig beginning Friday. State shellfish managers with the WDFW have approved a razor clam dig on evening low tides for the following beaches, days and low tides: No digging is allowed before noon when low tide occurs in the evening.

Friday, 5:27 p.m., 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Saturday, 6:07 p.m., 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Sunday, 6:41 pm.., 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Monday, 7:12 p.m., 0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

Fishing for channel cats will heat up on the Palouse River near Lyons Ferry as the weather warms. Craig Dowdy of YJ Guide Service said he will begin guided trips on April 2 and run them for more than a month. His anglers typically see a lot of action on fish running 5- to 10-plus pounds. Info: 999-0717.

Hunting

The Idaho spring black bear season begins April 15 in most units. Six Eastern Washington GMUs open for bear hunting on April 1 and the remainder open April 15.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com