Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for April 13

April 12, 2023 Updated Wed., April 12, 2023 at 9:21 p.m.

By Alan Liere For The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

Wild turkeys typically spend the winter down low, then follow the snowline up as the snow recedes. With snow still blanketing some spots this year, it may be a while before hunters start to see turkeys back in the places they hunted them during past, milder springs. It would be a smart move to start low and work up as the season progresses.

Braggin’ rights

Idaho Fish and Game fisheries staff started collecting broodstock fish on the South Fork of the Clearwater River Feb. 3 to use for the hatchery broodstock program. When things wrapped up March 23, volunteer anglers had tubed 781 steelhead, 580 of which met the hatchery origin and length requirements for broodstock. Thanks to the hundreds of volunteer anglers who signed up to participate and make this program a success.

Heads up

The annual Kid’s Fishing Day at Clear Lake will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. p.m. May 6. Register on-line by going to wdfw.wa.gov and clicking the “Fishing and shellfishing” tab across the top, then scroll down to “Fishing events”. For $10 each, kids 5-14 years of age get a t-shirt, a fishing pole and lots of help from dozens of volunteers to catch some pretty big fish. These volunteers will do everything from baiting hooks to cleaning fish. It’s a great way to introduce kids to fishing, as the lake is stocked a few days before so the fish are hungry. Clear Lake is south of the city of Medical Lake. The event, limited to the first 850 sign-ups, is at the Fairchild Air Force Base Recreation Area. Early registration is recommended.

The Deer Lake Property Owners Association’s fishing tournament on May 6-7 is paying $10 for each lake trout weighed in, $300 for the most total weight by a single angler and $200 for the largest fish. Registration forms, available at http://www.dlpoa.com/, may be turned in Friday, May 5 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. or at 8:00 a.m. on May 6 at the Deer Lake Resort (509) 233-2081). There is no charge to enter. Overnight accommodations are available at the resort. Parking and launching at the public access are free and $20 at the resort. For more information contact Kevin Santora at (509) 994 4005.

Idaho Fish and Game staff along with NRA certified instructors will again be teaching Handguns 101 – A Fundamentals Workshop on May 6 at the Farragut Shooting Range Center in Athol. The class is geared toward new or potential gun owners with little or no experience with handguns. Registration is required and can be completed at: https://register-ed.com/events/view/195712. IDFG is also offering a unique opportunity for youth ages 10-16—Introduction to Youth Archery. Youth bows, arrows and targets will be provided by Fish and Game. The series includes four sessions to be held on Tuesday afternoons, from 4:30-5:30pm, May 16, 23, 30 and June 6, at the Farragut Shooting Range Center. Registration is required and available on the IDFG website.

Overheard

If you are one of the many anglers who participated in the 2023 Kootenai River Angler Science Program, make sure to turn in your completed creel packet by May 1 for a chance to win some great prizes. You can turn your packet in at the Fish and Game Panhandle Region Office, Far North in Bonners Ferry or North 40 Outfitters in Ponderay.

Lake Spokane (Long Lake) is expected to be at full pool by the end of the week. There are some large rainbow trout available once the lake settles down and clears up from the quick influx of water.

Fly fishing

Allen Peterson of Swede’s Fly Shop on Garland said there are sections of Crab Creek near Ritzville that have some side eddies where anglers using brown and olive streamer patterns on a sink tip line with a short tippet can catch rainbow and brown trout in the upper teens.

Petersen recommends a short fluorocarbon tippet for strength and nonrefraction and adds that access is for the stouthearted as there is some considerable bank climbing to reach the fishable sections.

Lake Roosevelt trout can and will change their striking habits for no particular reason in a matter of days.

Swede’s Electric Bugger is a proven trolling pattern for stubborn trout. Use a sinking fly for trolling with a sink rate of 7 inches per second.

Most of the lakes around the region that opened on March 1 are fishing well. Amber, Coffeepot, Deer, Dry Falls, Lenore, Lenice, Nunnally and Quincy lakes all would be good choices using subsurface patterns in the shoal areas when temperatures increase slightly. Medical Lake has been a bit of a disappointment this spring.

The North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River is lagging behind the usual schedule of spring fishing – like everywhere across the West - but it’s still putting out some fish, Silver Bow Fly Shop said. Some dry fly fishing is going on with skwalas, nemouras and March browns. It’s nothing crazy, but a few fish are looking up. The usual nymphing and streamer fishing is always on the menu for this time of the year.

The lower St. Joe River has been fishing well. Slower currents and winter style water are and still will be best. The lower Clark Fork River near St. Regis is also a good option. It is definitely a nymphing game before things warm up midday.

Trout and kokanee

Several hundred lowland lakes throughout the state open for fishing on April 22. Most waters around the region will be stocked with trout by then. You can check if your favorite lake has been stocked using WDFW’s catchable trout stocking reports, or you can see all lowland lakes near you on the WDFW website.

WDFW biologist Randy Osborne outlined some good bets for the lakes in the Spokane area.

He said Badger Lake is probably the best family fishing lake around with rainbow, cutthroat, kokanee and about 75 yards of shoreline available for those without a boat.

Osborne said Williams Lake in Spokane County was rehabilitated last fall and has been stocked with 21,000 catchable (10- to 12-inch) rainbow and 500 brood stock rainbow running 17 to 20 inches.

West Medical is loaded with big fish (browns to 23 inches and rainbow to 24 inches) but it also has a fair number of catchables of both species. Clear Lake will be good again for brown and rainbow trout to 18 inches. So will Fishtrap, which also has rainbow up to 19 inches.

Osborne said Fish Lake will probably not be good as it is loaded with small perch. There’s still a chance to catch a big brookie or tiger trout. For some reason, a few individuals got the impression Fish Lake was open and have been fishing there illegally all winter.

In northeast Washington, Waitts, Cedar and Starvation lakes in Stevens County and Diamond and Sacheen lakes in Pend Oreille County are prime opening day fishing lakes. Where ver you fish this year, clean up after yourself. Some fishing access on private land around area lakes has been lost because of anglers who leave trash behind.

April 22 is the start of the annual trout derby in Washington waters, with thousands of dollars in prizes available to anyone with a valid 2023 fishing license who pulls in a tagged fish. No entrance fee or registration is required. Just catch a tagged trout anytime between April 23 and Oct. 31 and you win.

Spiny ray

If you intend to fish the Spokane Arm, you’ll have to launch at Seven Bays as the Porcupine launch is out of the water. The reservoir has been stained recently, so bright swimbaits and Senkos are best. The fishing has been good for all sizes of walleyes.

Walleye fishing continues to be decent on Potholes Reservoir. Fish the rocks and humps around Goose Island and the Crab Creek channel. Largemouth bass have moved into the sand dunes and are being caught in 2-10 feet of water.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Alan Liere’s fishing-hunting report for April 13

Fly fishing

Trout and kokanee

Spiny ray

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