Fishing to get better each week
Fishermen have to hold on just a little longer for better fishing days, said Jeff Smith with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.
Salmon fishing may be sparse now on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Smith said, but fishing lines will yank up a bonanza soon enough.
"It will get better each week as we get into February and March," he said. "That's something ahead to look forward to."
For now, fishermen on Lake Coeur d'Alene should scatter their lines at deep and shallow levels, he advised, with flashers and mini squids at deep levels, and rapala or helmeted herring in shallower depths.
Walleye fishing will also start to pick up soon at Lake Roosevelt in eastern Washington, Smith said.
The peak season typically stretches from the third week of February all the way through March, he said.
"That's something that will all of a sudden be bang, there are all these fish and you'll be catching 'em," he said.
He suggested bouncing bottom with jigs and nightcrawlers for Walleye, he said.
Many are flocking to Lake Roosevelt right now for trout and kokanee, he added.
"Trolling fairly shallow with rapalas is really good there yet," he said, adding that most folks use the closest launch at Fort Spokane.
As for local fishing spots, several boats have been dotting Priest Lake in pursuit of mackinaw, he said.
He suggested drop shotting with plastic goat minnows to snag the mackinaw, or trolling with flashers and mini squids.
"It's been pretty good fishing there. The pressure has been fairly low," he said.
The chain lakes down south are seeing enough melting that folks can fish open water from the shore, he added.
He suggested bait fishing with smelt or herring.
For those still loyal to ice fishing, their best shot is Spirit Lake, Lake Cocolalla, Kelso Lake and Gamble Lake, he said.
"We're on late ice, so you're going to have to catch that on a day to day basis," he said. "Watch the edges and drill holes like in the early season, to make sure the integrity is there."
Coeur d'Alene,
St. Joe rivers
More people are starting to find their way out onto the St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene rivers, said Mark Roush of ROW Adventures in Coeur d'Alene.
"The improved winter bite started a couple weeks ago, and fish have become consistently more aggressive," Roush said.
The Coeur d'Alene River stretch from the south fork confluence to the Cataldo Mission has been the most productive for fishermen who have access to a drift boat or raft.
During this time of year, the St. Joe road is usually almost entirely closed, but due to minimal snowfall, fishermen are even able to access the upper reaches of the Joe, Roush said.
"There has been a relatively strong sub-surface bite from cutthroat, and a few fishermen have been lucky enough to hook up with a hungry bull trout," Roush said.
Olive-colored wooly buggers and black streamers are popular fly choices, and it is also smart to bring along some of your standard nymphs like copper johns, bead head princes and hare's ears.
Area lakes
Ice fishing has fallen to the wayside for many anglers, but there have been an increasing number of people firing up their fishing boats, Roush said.
On the larger lakes like Coeur d'Alene and Hayden, fishermen have been working the ice line with jigs, spoons and indigenous terrestrials.
Some of the larger pike have already started working these ice lines, so anglers have been using slip rigs with herring, smelt and perch. Some of the northern most lakes like Spirit and Priest continue to provide anglers with some good opportunities to hook up with kokanee and lake trout.
Steelhead
Steelhead fishing on the Grande Ronde has really heated back up, Roush said.
"Unfortunately, the crowds have gotten quite a bit thicker as well," he said.
The upper reaches of the Ronde have been the most productive. There are a few fish striking for fishermen who still choose to swing flies with a sink tip. Nymphing is the most popular technique currently, and most folks choose to use a slightly weighted rig with two flies, Roush said.