Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for Jan. 2, 2025

Thu., Jan. 2, 2025

By Alan Liere The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

Perch fishing becomes popular with ice fishermen in the winter. It’s not happening yet, but don’t give up on it. Not only are perch usually cooperative, they make fantastic eating. There are several ways to prepare them. Steamed or boiled fillets dipped in butter make and excellent “poor man’s lobster,” but I like them rolled in flour, dipped in an egg/milk wash, rolled in Ppanko and fried in olive oil. Or skip the egg/milk wash and Ppanko and just roll them in flour. Add salt and a little pepper at the end. I like the plain Ppanko, but it also comes in a coconut version, with flakes of real coconut.

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The ramp at Blue Heron Park is pretty much the only option for launching a boat to fish on fish Moses Lake, as the water is going down quickly.

Overheard: The forecast for the salmon returns to the Columbia River are out. Last year, the forecast was for 400,000 sockeye to enter the Columbia River and the actual return was more than 760,000. Those that weren’t harvested passed through the Brewster Pool on their way to Canada. The forecast for Lake Wenatchee last year was 97,000 and more than 190,000 were counted over Tumwater Dam. This year, the sockeye forecast is 350,000 to enter the Columbia and 248,000 for the Brewster Pool. Lake Wenatchee is expected to see 94,000 sockeye. Even at the lower numbers, it should be a good salmon season.

Braggin’ rights: In total, 2024 had seven new Idaho state fishing records, which included 4 four certified-weight records, and 3 three new catch-and-release records. Records were set for channel catfish, pike Westslope cutthroat and tiger trout.

Fly fishing

The Spokane River remains fishable except for the lower river below Hangman Creek, which is off-color from heavy rains. Elsewhere, throwing streamers on the Trout Spey has been the most productive, along with running some nymph rigs through the slower water.

With the mild weather, the St. Joe remains in surprisingly good shape for fishing. There is no ice on the lower river and water clarity and levels are perfect. Mike Visintainer, manager of Silver Bow Fly Shop, fished the Joe recently and reported it to be in great shape with water temperatures 38 degrees. He nymphed up about a dozen cutthroat with a stone/worm combo, but had no luck with streamers.

The few reports from the lower Coeur d’Alene River indicate swinging streamer patterns in the slow, deep holding water is finding fish. Stick to the lower river for your best shot.

On the Spokane River, throwing streamers on the trout spey has been most effective.

Ice fishing

As of Thursday, there is little ice on lowland lakes, and even some of the higher lakes don’t have safe ice. Curlew is just starting to skim, but Bonaparte Lake has fishable ice and some big tiger trout have been caught.

Thomas Lake, up north, is being fished, but anglers there report 3 or fewer inches of ice, and even that is sketchy. Some nice perch and crappie have been caught, however.

Coffin Lake has been fishable for most of December. A neighbor who fished there recently for perch caught two 12-inch brookies and lots of 7-inchers, which he released. Oddly, he also caught two big kokanee in spawning colors. He said the brookies were caught over a gravel bottom in 4 feet of water. Coffin is regarded as a perch lake, but my neighbor couldn’t find them. The deepest water he graphed was 17 feet deep.

In Idaho, Dawson Lake is reported to have 4 inches of good ice. Anglers are catching a few small perch.

In winter, anglers are so focused on ice conditions that they forget that a lot of lakes are still wide open and good perch fishing is available in the deeper water if you have a boat. Sacheen, Diamond and Jumpoff Joe are some of the best.

Trout and kokanee

On Rufus Woods, anglers are fishing the Buckley Bar with success on 2-pound plus triploids. At the upper net pens, there is no public access, but it is the best place to catch a fish for anglers with a boat.

Coeur d’Alene Lake chinook are mostly small, but 20-inch keepers have been hitting trolled flashers and Mini Squid 100-150 feet down. A few fish are being taken in shallower water on helmeted herring, but most are deeper.

Trout fishing on Lake Roosevelt remains good, and so has the fishing on Rock Lake. Trolled Rapalas in a perch pattern consistently take browns and rainbows there. The Old Goat lure in a perch pattern and a perch pattern Apex will generally generate bites at both lakes. For those preferring to fish from shore at Roosevelt, the bay to the left of the Seven Bays launch can be good, as can the water to the left of the swimming area at Fort Spokane. Power Bait is the preferred offering,

This is a good time to get a big fish as well as nice numbers of lake trout on Chelan Lake. A lot of fishing is done in front of the Yacht Club. Kokanee are also biting.

Waitts Lake north of Spokane is ice free and providing good trout fishing for a few trollers. Most of the rainbow and browns there are a foot or more in length. Launch at the public access, and begin trolling a fly down the middle.

Steelhead and salmon

The Grande Ronde is on the high side but could be an option if the rain stops for a couple of days. The Snake or Clearwater rivers are your best bet for steelhead.

Spiny ray

The perch fishing on Moses Lake by the I-90 Bridge remains excellent from shore, boat and bridge. The fish range in size from about 9 inches to 11 inches, and even larger one are landed occasionally.

Other species

Walleye fishermen are catching as many burbot as walleye from Lake Roosevelt. To target the burbot, which seem to run smaller this year, bounce green or orange plastics on the bottom. Sweeten with a nightcrawler or chunk of northern pikeminnow.

Hunting

The Columbia River near Patterson remains the best chance for a good duck shoot at this time, but the Pend Oreille River will be good for divers and geese if the lakes ever freeze.

Canada geese are taking advantage of the lack of snow cover and feeding in fields of harvested grain and even alfalfa. Some local hunters have enjoyed some good duck hunting , but most agree most ducks either aren’t here yet in good numbers or have congregated on the lower Columbia.

A friend who hunts waterfowl near Boise said the bird flu is killing a lot of snow geese. He said there are dead and dying snows everywhere, but he has only seen a handful of dead ducks and a couple of dead Canadas.

On a recent 24-hour ride on the Amtrak from Fargo, North Dakota, where I attended a granddaughter’s graduation from NDSU, there was little to do but look out the window. Thankfully, the first several hours of the ride home were through pheasant country, providing a much-need diversion as I counted hundreds of pheasants along the tracks and in adjacent fields. I’m seriously considering driving my truck back toward Minot before the season there ends.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com.