Ice fishing gets better up north

Ice fishing is taking off.

And the farther you travel north, the better the fishing gets, said Blake Becker, of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

Upper Twin and Round lakes are proving successful, as is Sportsman's Access on Hayden Lake.

Pike are popular right now, so drop a line with smelt and a steel leader to land those. Perch are going after tiny jig heads, tipped with a maggot, dropped anywhere from 4 to 10 feet deep.

Every lake isn't iced over.

On Priest and Pend Oreille lakes anglers are dragging lines from boats to catch trout. The lines are loaded with 2 or 3 ounce weights with some type of bright grub, like Gulp grubs, around 120 to 180 feet deep, Becker said.

To catch trout ice-fishing, like on Lake Fernan, drop jigs with maggots or use Powerbaits, like a Rainbow Powerbait, or any type of small spoon.

"It seems like the perch has been the best," Becker said of the fishing being pulled this winter. "I'm hearing a lot of numbers on the perch."

Warmer weather may change fishing outlook

Duane Sunell of Cabela's said good ice fishing was had on area lakes, but recent warm weather may change things.

Sunell said he fished Blue Lake near Priest River and picked up perch and a tiger muskie.

Others have fished Hayden and Twin lakes for northern pike and have had success using herring and smelt.

For perch, try using jigs with maggots or corn.

Sunell said anglers are still buying steelhead equipment, which is a sign that activity is still happening on the Clearwater River.

Brian Griffith of Joe Roope's Castaway Fly Fishing Shop in Coeur d'Alene said fishing on the Coeur d'Alene River is a safe bet.

"The numbers aren't high, but the quality of fish are good," said Griffith, adding that small nymphs and copper johns are working. "Any spot with a good hole and a nice ripple above it works out well."

Griffith said the river offers quiet fishing this time of year and it isn't too far away in case the fish aren't biting.

"It's only a 20-minute drive, so if it's slow, it's not too hard to come back home," he said.

Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden said steelhead fishing has leveled off a bit, but may pick up with warmer weather.