Anglers having luck on area lakes

Trout on Lake Pend Oreille, and kokanee in Spirit and Coeur d'Alene lakes.

Anglers are having good luck with those combinations, according to Treven Weaver, of Black Sheep Sporting Goods. So keep dragging lines 60 feet deep in Coeur d'Alene and Spirit lakes to catch kokanee. Wedding rings tipped with maggots are the most productive baits in Coeur d'Alene, while glow hooks, tipped with corn are popular ones in Spirit Lake.

In Lake Pend Oreille, throw lines with Powerbaits at the top of the water close to the banks and you should be able to pull out nice sized trout, Weaver said.

Smallmouth bass and pike are active in Hayden Lake, too.

Use Knotty Scotty lures to land pike and Senko worms for the bass. In both cases, anglers can cast from the banks or docks.

Largemouth bass are all the rage in Fernan Lake. Rubber patterns, like Senko worms, are good ways to catch them that are swimming around the lily pads just off shore.

Warmer, lower river water takes 'stealthy' approach

With warmer and lower water on the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers - and more hot temperatures predicted - anglers will have to change their approach, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

"Water flows are down so you have to be stealthy," Frasca said. "With the water low and clear, it's easy to spook the fish."

Frasca said hopper fishing on the rivers is "really good."

"There's still more water than usual in the rivers for this time," he said.

He recommends fishing with midges, hooper imitations and streamers. Longer and lighter leaders are the best bet.

"Go early or late in the day," Frasca said. "You can still catch fish in the rivers during the day, but you'll have to fish deeper."

Frasca recommends fishing until about 11 a.m. In the evenings, try starting around 5:30 p.m.

Bass fishing on Hayden and Coeur d'Alene is also going well.

"Plastics or 4-inch worms work," Frasca said. "They are in post-spawn, so they're moving into deeper water."

Pike are also moving to deeper depths as the water continues to get warmer.

"Both pike and bass fishing are still doing good if you want to fish 15 to 20 feet deep," Frasca said.