Spring has sprung on area lakes, rivers

Spring fishing has been warming up lately.

At last check, anglers were turning their attention to more traditional spring season fishing, such as casting for cutthroats on the Coeur d'Alene River. They're casting lines with Sculpin fly patters, tan and olive-green colored, typically around size 10 or so.

But chinook are being pulled from the north end of Lake Coeur d'Alene, said Tina Padgitt of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

Anglers are dropping lines loaded with herring helmets usually, she said, while crappie and perch are being pulled from Fernan Lake.

Anglers can cast from the banks there, using little jigs, to catch them, she said.

Earlier in the month, pike were chasing lines with smelt at Fernan as well.

The fever has hit for spring fishing on Lake Coeur d'Alene, said Jeff Smith with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"Even though it doesn't look or feel like spring, the spring fishing is on right now," Smith said.

Chinook fishing has been fairly strong, Smith said. Chinook are now up high, from the surface to 30 feet deep.

That makes the salmon accessible for anyone with a small boat, he pointed out, whether they're equipped with downriggers or not.

"You don't have to have all that stuff to do it," Smith said. "I see a lot of small boats out there this time of year."

Fishermen can keep two chinook over 20 inches, Smith noted, recommending use of a Fire Tiger Rapala or helmeted herring.

With the herring, Smith recommended putting a half ounce or ounce-and-a-half of weight in front of it before letting it out.

He saw a 12-pound salmon weighed in recently, he added.

"A lot of people look forward to this time of year for salmon," he said.

Lake Fernan has plenty of fishing opportunities, too, Smith said.

Perch fishing has been pretty consistent there, he said.

He recommended fishing for perch with bobbers and small jigs underneath.

Most bait with a maggot or two, he added.

"If you go down that far end, you'll see people fishing for them," he said.

Some are also catching rainbow trout at Fernan, he added.

He suggested using nightcrawlers or Powerbait.

"You should catch a few rainbow," he said.

Rose Lake also offers fishing for perch, blue gill, crappie and largemouth bass, Smith said.

"It's a good early season lake, like Fernan is," Smith said. "The ice goes off and the fish start biting."

For the panfish, he recommended using a bobber and jig and some bait. He advised using a lipless crank bait for the largemouth bass.

"There's usually a handful of bass in Rose, from the 5 to 8 pound range, caught in this early season," he said. "That's not the average, but there are some dandies in there."

Even in some blizzard like conditions, trout fishing has been decent on local waters.

"We are expecting more rain this week which should bring the rivers back up for a few days," noted Pat Way of Orvis. "Clarity is typically the main issue when the water comes up."

There are some eastern Washington lakes that are fishing well. Amber, Coffee Pot, and Medical lakes have had decent reports the last few days.

If you head for local trout rivers, make sure to check on what the current flows are and wade cautiously. Fish inside seams with stonefly nymphs and streamer patterns.

"We are entering that time of year when the river graphs resemble a roller coaster," Way said. "If the river settles down and warm weather continues, look for Skwala stoneflies soon. This can be some of the best trout fishing on local rivers all year."

Steve Holweg of Cabela's said, if the weather is nice, anglers may try trout fishing from a boat in area lakes.

Try nightcrawlers on the bottom or fish with a bobber 4 to 6 feet deep with a small jig.

"Keep trying until you find something that works," Holweg said.

If you're trolling, go slow and try a wedding ring with a spinner behind it.

The water level has risen on the Coeur d'Alene River to where fishing is marginal, but that should change again soon, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

"It will start to drop again," he said.

However, fishing on the St. Joe River remains a viable option.

Nymphs and streamers are the ticket.

"There's a few hatches starting," Frasca said.

Pike fishing with bait on Coeur d'Alene and Hayden lakes is also picking up, he said.

Lake fishing in North Idaho will improve starting in mid-April when Fish and Game begins its stocking schedule.

Fishing on lakes in eastern Washington is going well, Frasca said.

Steelhead fishing on the south fork of the Clearwater River also continues to be a popular choice.

"It gets pretty crazy (busy) down there, but you can still catch fish," Frasca said.