Chinook salmon heading up Cd'A River

Anglers who are accustomed to landing native cutthroat on the Coeur d'Alene River can tie on a big bead head nymph and, with a little luck, land a chinook salmon.

The landlocked salmon - one angler reported landing one at 25 pounds this season - are going upriver to spawn. They are on their way from Lake Coeur d'Alene and are not focused on feeding so the trick is to get a big wet fly in front of their face.

This will get them angry and stir up enough aggression that they will strike the fly.

The original chinook salmon plant was in 1982 in Lake Coeur d'Alene and fall is when the largest fish of the season are caught.

Northwest Outfitters recommends that fly fishermen tie on a steelhead fly and said, as temperatures get colder, fishing for the chinook will pick up despite the fish being easily spooked.

And, in terms of cooking and eating the salmon, the sooner in the coming weeks they are caught the better.

The Valley Fishing Hole in Smelterville has seen a wooly bugger bead head in black olive and olive be successful with recent anglers. The chinook can be found toward the bottom of the river and bright, flashy spoons have been working for fishermen who are spin casting.

As for fall fishing for cutthroat, Northwest Outfitters said fishing has remained phenomenal and will continue to pick up every day with cooler temperatures.

Lighter leaders and tippets are working with mahoganies and grasshoppers. Fly fishermen should stick with mostly smaller bugs.

The cool weather really sparks the fish, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

Bass and pike fishing are getting better in the lakes, he said.

Spinner baits and Husky Jerks are recommended for the pike as well as streamers with a fly rod.

Bass can be caught with plastic baits and crank baits and also streamers and floating bugs with a fly rod, Frasca said.

The river fishing is picking up and October caddis imitations can be used along with streamers, he said.