Ice fishing thins; Chinook caught on Cd'A

With recent warm temperatures, ice fishing in North Idaho is getting thin.

"I'd be really leery any place you go," said Steve Holweg of Cabela's. "Obviously farther north and higher elevations is better, but I'd still be careful."

Holweg said a good rule of thumb with ice fishing is to have 3.5 to 4 inches of clear ice and 6 inches if there's snow and ice mixed.

Holweg said he's hearing good reports of hooking chinook while trolling on Lake Coeur d'Alene. He said herring, flies and mini squids should do the trick.

"I'd also try running some plugs because you just never know," he said.

Holweg said Lake Roosevelt on the Washington side also continues to be popular.

"Both trolling and fishing from shore have been outstanding," he said.

Power bait, nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and marshmallows are working well.

Holweg said fly fishermen he has spoken with are heading to Roosevelt these days rather than trying the Coeur d'Alene or St. Joe rivers due to the high water on those streams.

"I wouldn't even attempt to river fish," he said.

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The recent water flow has made things interesting for local fishing, according to Jeff Smith with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"Lake Coeur d'Alene has gotten a lot of water in and out in the last week or two. It must be stirring the fish around a bit," Smith said on Tuesday. "That would be a good bet for this weekend."

Any bay on the lake should offer a shot at catching northern pike, he said, which are appearing a little early because of the shifting water patterns.

Many are using smelt or herring, Smith said. Some are fishing on a bobber.

Salmon on Lake Coeur d'Alene is just fair, he added.

"They're just scattered," he said. "One good thing with the water flow, the best odds are going to the south end of the lake."

He suggested fishing some lines shallow, around 20 to 30 feet, with herring or Rapalas.

"If you have enough people and poles, you might still try a flasher and a mini squid down deep, like at 90 feet," he said.

The fish size will range between 3 to 10 pounds, he predicted.

There's also open water fishing for trout on Spirit Lake, Smith said, though the conditions are worse.

"You should be equipped for winter launching. The ramps are slippery," he said, advising sand and chains to expedite launching.

He suggested jigging for the trout on a drop shot rig, or bouncing a three-quarter to one-ounce glow-in-the-dark jig off the bottom.

Many are baiting the jigs with fish bait or nightcrawlers, he added.

Ice fishing these days is tricky, he admitted.

"Those lakes up north you can still get on," he said, referring to bodies like Upper Twin Lake and Kelso. "You're going to really have to watch the edges."

Most are using a suspended worm or a wax worm to nab trout on Kelso, he said.

Ice fishing might not be in its last days, he added.

"If we get a couple cold nights, that'll change quite a bit," he said.

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With off and on freezing and fluctuating temperatures, it's a mesh of fishing seasons in North Idaho.

Ice fishing is still in gear on smaller lakes, such as Kelso, Fernan and the Twin Lakes.

Keeping up with ice fishing means anglers should use a Swedish pimple, jigs, or a glow hook and bead chain, with a chunk of worm or maggot to land trout and perch and crappie.

But bank fishing is also a go for spots where there's not any ice, said Josh Kinghorn of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

The same fish are chasing lines with sized six to eight bait holders with a chunk of worm or marshmallow, with a split shot and size 5 to 7 weight.

Pike are active on Lake Coeur d'Alene, especially by the Wolf Lodge area, chasing pike rigs with smelt. Same is true near the Sportsman's access on Hayden Lake.

Steelhead season on the Clearwater River is still a go, too. The B run of the season starts right about now, meaning bigger fish are making the river swim. Anglers shouldn't change their formula for going after the bigger fish, Kinghorn said.

Use slip bobbers and jigs. Jigs should be black and white, green and black, and red and black patterns. When trolling for the fish from a boat load lines with shrimp, shrimp oil or egg hooks. Switch to yarns and egg patterns that work especially well this time of year, Kinghorn said.

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The rivers are still flowing fast, but they're finally starting to fall.

According to Mike Beard of Orvis Northwest Outfitters in Coeur d'Alene, the high, heavy waters in steelhead country are just about fishable - particularly the south and north fork of the Clearwater.

"This is the week that I think stuff is going to start opening up," Beard said.

Once the river is inside its banks, clarity will be key, he added. Fly-casters should fling big, dark flies while the water is still cloudy. Try big leeches, big intruders or weighted jigs in pink, purple or green.

Dead-drifting and swinging are both viable tactics these days.

Safety is paramount when wading a steelhead river, Beard said. Anglers should wear studded boots and use a wading staff.

"I would say, based off your experience, usually with such a high water event, a lot of runs are going to get switched around," Beard said. "So, we're going to have to learn the runs again."

Local streams are still too high for trout fishing. Both the Coeur d'Alene and the St. Joe have been above flood stage in recent weeks, and Beard wouldn't recommend them.

"They're always fun to go look at," he said, "but actually getting in the water, I'd be really leery of."