Kokanee biting well on Lake Cd'A

Kokanee are biting well on the northern end and east arm of Lake Coeur d'Alene, says Jeff Smith of Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"That should continue to get better each week here through September," Smith said.

The kokanee are at scattered depths, he said, some as shallow as 10 feet, others as deep as 40.

"You have to spread your lines out," he advised.

Most fishermen are trolling with a flasher and wedding ring spinner behind it, baited with maggots or white corn.

The kokanee run about 8 to 10 inches a line. There's a six catch maximum.

"With a little effort, you should have no trouble getting your six," Smith said. "It's pretty fun, really."

Catfish are still chomping on the east end of Fernan Lake, too, he added.

Most dough baits will do the job, molded to a treble hook and fished with a bobber.

"Those (catfish) have been anywhere from two pounds to 12 pounds," he said.

Bass fishing is also big on Hayden Lake right now, both smallmouth and largemouth.

The smallmouth are typically found around 25 to 30 feet deep, he said, and he suggested fishing with jigs right off the bottom.

"We usually use a twintailed grub on a jig," Smith said. "That seems to work as good as anything."

He also suggested fishing off rock shelves and from the edge of deeper weedlines.

For largemouth, he said, fishermen have been pitching the shallow grass with either a rubber worm or topwater frog.

The Coeur d'Alene River is still a great spot for catch and release of cutthroat trout, Smith said.

"We've been still selling lots of grasshopper patterns for flies, and some small Caddis flies," he said.

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It's starting to get cold, and the bass are getting a little spooked, but there should be another month of good fishing before the fish dive down deep and stop eating as much.

It's not until temperatures drop into the 50s or low 60s that the fish become less active, said Josh Kinghorn of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

So right now, smallmouth bass on Lake Coeur d'Alene and Hayden Lake are still chasing crank baits, tube jibs, curly tails and any small plastic patterns.

On the Chain Lakes, largemouth bass are going after Senko worms, and most crawdad imitation patterns. Rooster tails or spinner baits with a trailer are also popular.

Summer colors and darker fall colors for the patterns are both working right now. Cinnamon colors also work as the summer tails into autumn.

Lighter pumpkin shades along with red and orange autumn colors are both effective at this time of year as well, Kinghorn said.

And at least one more good month of bass fishing is out there.

"Weather is the main, main thing," he said. "We still have another couple months."

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"It is just getting to the point where the cutthroat tend to get pickier," said Mike Beard of Orvis Northwest Outfitters in Coeur d'Alene.

The river fish are used to low and clear water, and used to pressure, Beard said, calling for a stealthier approach.

A longer leader and smaller diameter tippet size will go a long way, he said.

Attractor patterns and hoppers are still working midday, but they're seeing more refusals since they're seeing all day hatches.

"Now that we're getting back into fall cycle, it's very important to match the hatch," Beard said. "Good bugs are PMDs, smaller caddis, blue wing olives, rusty spinners and mahoganies."

Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe rivers

The Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers are still fishing well, said Mark Roush of ROW Adventures in Coeur d'Alene.

"Terrestrials are still getting some looks from hungry cutthroat," he said. "There have been some small mayfly hatches throughout the day, and a pale morning dun will usually do the trick for fish that are looking up during these hatches."

Parachute adams and orange-bodied caddis have also been productive flies recently.

Stripping buggers and leeches through deeper holes and behind structure have triggered some of the larger fish to eat aggressively, Roush said.

Area lakes

The smallmouth fishing has been exceptional on Hayden Lake and several of the Chain Lakes, Roush said.

"Deep-diving rebel crawfish, chartreuse spinner baits, Yamamoto grubs and Senko worms have all been lucrative choices for fishermen," he said.

Pike have continued to sporadically eat spinners and Husky Jerks on Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and the Chain Lakes.

Anglers are still pulling trout and channel catfish out of Fernan with regularity.