Fall has the fish biting

Fall fishing is in full effect from here to Lewiston for fishermen looking to get outside.

From Benewah Lake to the Clearwater River at the confluence near Lewiston, anglers have their choice of baits, fish and casts.

Crappie on Benewah and Hayden lakes are chasing standard jigs, crappie nibbles and bobbers, said Brad Zierer, of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

The best spot for pike is Lake Coeur d'Alene, especially in the bays like Cougar Gulch or Kidd Island. Using any type of spinner baits or roosters tails is your best bet, as is looking for large mouth bass in the Chain Lakes.

On the Coeur d'Alene River, colder temperatures means the fish are in the deeper pools, so nymph patterns are much preferred to dry flies now.

Come Friday, steelhead season will be open up on the Clearwater River.

It's open at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers now, so anglers can catch the trout using fresh shrimp, with oils, off lines that use divers in the front to sink the bait.

Bobbers with steelhead jigs are also working well, and should through the winter and into the spring.

It's that time in the chinook salmon cycle when the big fish are biting in Lake Coeur d'Alene.

Jeff Smith, with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop Guide Service, said the fall chinook season is turning out to be a good one.

"We're excited about the sizes of fish we're seeing. They're not trophy fish, but they're 8-, 9-, 10-pounds," Smith said. "The numbers seem to be a little better than we thought too, which is encouraging."

Last weekend, anglers on one of the Fins and Feathers guide boats pulled in several fish between 6- and 10-pounds.

"That was a good catch since they just fished Saturday morning," Smith said.

Mid-lake near Carlin Bay is traditionally a good spot to find chinook at this time of year, he said.

"I've caught a few around Tubbs Hill," Smith said.

Wherever you go, if you're looking for chinook, you have to go deep.

Smith said 100 feet or better, and suggests using flashers or mini-squids.

Kokanee are still chomping on lines in Lake Coeur d'Alene.

"They're starting to get their spawning colors, but should be good throughout the month," Smith said.

Wedding ring spinners baited with maggots or corn continue to work well for many kokanee fisherman.

"Anything on the east arm of the lake is a good place to look for them," Smith said.

There's a big opener Friday when steelhead season opens on the Clearwater River near Lewiston.

"There are plenty of fish in the system so we think it's going to be a good opening," Smith said.

If you're casting from the shoreline, the popular method is the slip-bobber with a jig, Smith said.

For whatever reason, trout fishing has slowed this week on the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers, according to Pat Way of Orvis Northwest Outfitters. The fish are taking very small flies or large streamers, but no medium-sized presentations.

"It was either big or little, not a whole of in-between going on," Way said.

There's still good insect activity, he added, but the prime fishing window is getting shorter. Instead of hooking trout all afternoon, anglers are only catching fish from noon until 3 p.m. or so.

"But the good news is that the steelhead fishing continues to improve," Way said. "The Clearwater is giving up some nice fish, and the Snake as well."

Traditional flies like green butt skunks, signal lights and bright kilowatts are attracting steelhead, he said. The most productive hours are generally right after sunup and just before dark.

Instead of wearing out their arms with long one-handed casts, some anglers have opted for spey rods, Way said, the big two-handed sticks that can fling flies a long way.

"Spey rods are certainly perfect for that big water (on the Clearwater and Snake rivers)," he said. "You reach out there a lot farther with the spey rod. But really it's a matter of efficiency."

Fisherman who cast with spey outfits, he explained, don't tire as easily, and they keep their flies in the water much longer than one-handed anglers.

But even with the best equipment, Way said steelhead might still prove elusive.

"Everything you know about trout doesn't apply anymore," he said. "They hold in different places. I look for what I call soft water, which is moving, but not really, really fast."

Because steelhead are so big and strong, he added, they can be almost anywhere in the river. The key is covering as much water as possible. Fishermen should cast quartering downstream, he said, and let the fly swing.

Steelhead anglers should always be ready for a challenge - even Way, an experienced guide, sometimes gets stumped.

"Every time I think I know something about them, I'm either humbled, or really surprised," he said.

St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene rivers

These rivers are continuing to fish well into the fall, said Mark Roush of ROW Adventures in Coeur d'Alene.

"Most fishermen are having the best success while using October caddis patterns, spruce moths and parachute adams in a variety of sizes and patterns," Roush said.

With the cooler temperatures ahead, nymphing and pulling steamers will become increasingly more productive, Roush said.

Fishermen looking to start their steelhead season should head down to the Clearwater River as the fishing has been quite good.

The Snake and Grand Ronde rivers have not turned the corner yet, but should do so soon, Roush said.

Area lakes

Smallmouth bass fishing continues to be consistent on Hayden, Hauser and the Chain Lakes, Roush said.

Morning and evenings will be productive, but as the temperatures drop, the fishing should be better during the heat of the day, he said.

Crank baits, senko worms and dark-bodied spinner baits will all work well, Roush said.