Steelhead fishing on the Ronde a good bet

Recent colder weather has slowed fishing on the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

"Trout fishing slows down from now until spring when the water gets cold," Frasca said. "River fishing around here is pretty quiet. Since the rivers have come up, they're pretty cloudy."

Frasca said the best bet may be steelhead fishing on the Grand Ronde River.

The Clearwater River, meanwhile, is "OK, but not great," he said.

On the lakes, bass and even pike fishing have slowed down.

"It's getting really hard with artificials, but you can catch with bait," Frasca said. "If you've got the nerve to sit out there, you can still catch a nice fish. The die-hards with good rain gear and gloves can throw plugs, spinner baits and spoons."

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There are still plenty of options for fishermen itching for a hefty catch, said Dale Odenbaugh with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

The biggest activity on Lake Coeur d'Alene is chinook salmon, Odenbaugh said, which are hitting on herring and mini squids.

"They're kind of in the main channel heading north," he said, suggesting dropping lines in Carlin Bay. "(Fishermen) are fishing 80 to 100 feet deep."

He reminded anglers that the chinook must be 20 inches to keep.

"They're catching some that are under 20 inches but they're also getting a couple, two or three a day, that are over 20 inches," Odenbaugh said.

Pike fishing is still decent, too, he said, in lakes like Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Chain Lakes.

He recommended using jerk bait or spoons.

"Work it slow," he advised.

Smaller lakes like Fernan, Hauser and Kelso are ideal for trout fishing these days, Odenbaugh added.

He suggested fishing with PowerBait and a nightcrawler off the bottom.

"They're feeding them pretty heavy," he said. "They're getting pretty big."

Some are also pulling apexes at Lake Pend Oreille, he said, which will catch trout and mackinaw.

"(The fish) have actually been pretty decent," Odenbaugh said, noting that a 23-pound fish was caught there recently. "They're saying the fishing may be a little slower now, but the fish are bigger."

A few folks are still fly fishing on the Coeur d'Alene River for cutthroat and rainbow trout, he said.

"Virtually anything is working this time of year," he said of flies. "Those fish are hungry. Some like big flies, some like itty bitty flies. Whatever you can tie on."