Local fishing improving

Jordan Smith at Fins and Feathers said chinook are still biting the herring with helmets around 15 to 40 feet deep.

"This hot weather is pushing them down into the deeper waters now," he said. "And its spreading them out a bit too."

Smith said he expects the pike to really start hitting the husky jerks and even some spoons as the water levels rise and the fish complete their spawn.

"They are just wrapping up their spawning this week, and once they are done, they tend to get really active and aggressive," he said.

Kokanee are really starting to hit on both Coeur d'Alene and Hayden lakes, and while the bite is slowing down a bit on Hayden, the kokanee they are catching are pretty big.

"The kokanee they are catching on Lake Coeur d'Alene are between eight and 12 inches," Smith said. "The fish on Hayden are a different species and I had one guy send me a picture of four fish that he caught. They were all over 16 inches." Smith said the Hayden strain will likey get up to 20 inches long in the next couple of years.

Trout fisherman are having quite a bit of luck on Fernan. Both trolling and bank fishing with worms and marshmallows are effective, Smith said.

As warmer temperatures melt the remaining snow in the mountains, area fishing is only expected to get better and better, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

"It will get better every week unless it starts to stay hot for a long time," he said.

The Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers were still rising earlier this week, but the runoff is tapering.

"The rivers are both clear," Frasca said. "Even though they're high, they're fishable."

Try streamers, nymphs, indicators or an occasional dry fly.

Frasca said stone flies are hatching on Coeur d'Alene and there are still some March browns.

If anglers choose to wade, use caution due to rising river levels.

After the levels drop and the water becomes more clear, fishing can become a little trickier and anglers will need to use a stealthy approach.

On area lakes, crappie are starting to come into more shallow water. Try indicators and leeches if you're fishing with flies or Marabou jigs with a bobber.

Trolling for kokanee on Hayden Lake is starting to heat up, Frasca said.

"They've only had kokanee a couple years and people are finally realizing they're there," Frasca said. "Kokanee is a bonus on Hayden."

Area lakes have been stocked so now is a good time to get out, Frasca said.

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Steve Holweg of Cabela's said he's heard nothing but positive fishing reports lately.

"They're doing well with kokanee and bass on Hayden," he said. "Whether you're fishing off the bank for trout or panfish or trolling, everybody seems to be doing great. It's that time of year again."