Hunting and fishing

Fri., Nov. 11, 2011

By Alan Liere spokesmanliere@yahoo.com

Tip of the week

If you want to introduce a young child to fishing, match the length of each trip to their enthusiasm level, even if that means going home early. Even if fishing from shore or ice with a fire and lots of warm clothes, load up with toys and special food treats. If the kids stay interested in fishing, they won’t have the time or inclination for less desirable activities.

Overheard

Among its sportfishing rule change proposals for 2012-2013, WDFW has included one which raises the limit on San Poil Arm walleye from eight to 16 with no size limit. Most local walleye fishermen, walleye clubs and walleye guides feel this proposal is unfounded and preposterous. “This is just another attempt to rid Washington waters of a non-salmonid species,” one said. “When are these folks going to admit walleye are a popular, money-generating species in this state? There is no scientific basis for upping the limit on walleye.”

Braggin’ rights

Duck hunting was poor at Sprague Lake last weekend. At noon, Spokane residents Bill Blosser and Roy Crosswhite dug out their fishing rods and tried for trout. “They practically jumped in the boat,” Blosser said. “It was the best fishing I’ve ever had at Sprague.” Included in their limit catches was Crosswhite’s 27-inch rainbow weighing 8 pounds. A nightcrawler and marshmallow sandwich under an egg sinker accounted for the fish, all caught by drifting between the big island and Four Seasons Resort.

Heads up

Idaho wolf-trapping seasons open Tuesday and run through March 31 in several Idaho zones. People concerned about traps and dogs should carry wire cutters for snares. Dogs caught in traps often become agitated or panicked and may bite the person trying to free them. Put a blanket or coat over the dog's head to protect yourself from being bitten, and push down hard on the trap’s springs or lever. If necessary, contact a local Fish and Game conservation officer for help.

• Several deer have been found shot and wasted along Sandhill Road near Winchester this fall. Anyone observing suspicious activity in this area or with information about a specific crime should contact the Fish and Game office in Lewiston at 208-799-5010 or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999. Callers may remain anonymous and will be eligible for a reward.

Fly fishing

Subsurface stuff is doing a number on Amber Lake cutts. Nymphs or big Wooly Buggers have been effective.

Steelhead and salmon

Steelhead are being caught everywhere, although the bite would be better described as slow than “hot.” Low, clear water is making the fish spooky in some of the popular rivers.

The Snake and Salmon rivers are giving up the most steelhead per hours fished, although the Clearwater is not terrible at one fish per every 11 angler hours. The best average catch rates were at the Salmon from Vinegar Creek to South Fork Salmon River and the Snake downstream to Heller Bar from the mouth of the Salmon.

Steelhead anglers backtrolling scented plugs in Hells Canyon from the Interstate Bridge to Hells Canyon Dam are doing fairly well.

Fair steelhead fishing can be found in the Wenatchee, Methow and Okanogan rivers. With bigger flows than last year at this time, the Wenatchee is floatable. The extended warm fall has kept the Okanogan River in great shape, but it will freeze quickly if temperatures drop a little more. Spinners such as the Blue Fox will work in the Okanogan.

The Similkameen River is open to steelhead fishing. This is small-stream fishing at its best. There are many good holes near the town of Oroville below Enloe Dam.

Anglers are finding a few steelhead below Chief Joseph Dam, but the triploid fishing is much better and some of these are just as large as the steelhead.

The Grande Ronde is a great river to float during steelhead season. Trolled Hot Shots will do well if you allow the plug to bump the bottom. The Grande Ronde is also popular with fly anglers for fish of around 7 pounds.

Coeur d’Alene Lake chinook are on the bite and the majority of anglers are netting two to three keepers each.

Trout and kokanee

A friend fishing from shore to the left of the public ramp caught a 25 1/2-inch rainbow on bait Wednesday at Sprague Lake, but he noted that trollers dragging small plugs in orange and black were also connecting.

Rock Lake has been good this week for trollers. The fish, a 50-50 mix of rainbows and browns, are hitting plugs along the shorelines at depths of 10-15 feet.

Depending on who you talk with, Lake Roosevelt trout fishing is either picking up or getting worse. WDFW fish biologist Chris Donley said Roosevelt won’t be as good this winter as last, but there are still lots of fish. Those anglers with positive reports have all had one thing in common – they’re trolling fast – 2.7 to 3.3 mph with no bites coming outside those parameters. Long-lining with enough lead to get down 15-25 feet works for some, but others are going to the same depth with leaded line or downriggers. As always, flies and flashers, jointed Rapalas, Rippin’ Minnows and Apexes are the most popular presentations.

Still fishing for triploid rainbows has been good on Rufus Woods Reservoir, but anglers dragging flies and casting spoons into shore are taking their share. Most fish are holding at depths of 15-25 feet.

The Medicare Beach area of Moses Lake heats up for large rainbow this time each year. Bait fishermen, even those confined to casting from shore, are doing better than trollers. The biggest trout reported this week weighed 6 pounds, and a lot of fish between 3 and 4 pounds were landed. Also in the Moses Lake area, Upper Goose Lake has a good population of rainbow ranging from 7-14 inches. Trollers have done well with dodgers and Wedding Rings along the edges. A recent report said a speed of 2 mph or higher worked best. With the fish close in, shore fishermen are doing well casting Power Bait.

Spiny ray

The walleye bite on Lake Roosevelt is normally not the best at this time of year, but some anglers say they are doing well in the Spokane Arm on respectable-sized fish.

Potholes Reservoir can be productive for walleye, but you can’t count on it. Some days are on, some aren’t. There has been some good walleye fishing on Rufus Woods, and the water below Wells Dam will produce until the temperatures drop again. Banks Lake walleye have been surprisingly difficult to find, but the bass bite can get good. Crank baits and jerk baits on the back side of Steamboat Rock and in Devil’s Lake and the Punch Bowl areas are taking a lot of fish.

You can still catch northern pike on the Pend Oreille River and Coeur d’Alene is kicking out some beauties lately. The numbers there are also good and it isn’t necessary to be on the water early. Spoons are working in shallow water.

Hunting

“We are covered in birds,” waterfowl guide Bill Saunders of the Tri-Cities said. “I have not seen this many geese this early in a very long time, and mallards are really staring to build in some of our areas.”

With many still-water small ponds icing over, waterfowl are looking for big water. In the Columbia Basin, a few new mallards and pintails are showing, but the expected huge influx of ducks has not begun. On the Pend Oreille River, you have a better chance of shooting a goose than a duck. Coeur d’Alene-area waterfowlers say they had the best opening day in memory, but there hasn’t been a whole lot of action since.

The late buck modern firearm season for whitetail runs through Nov. 19 in seven Eastern Washington units. Late hunts for muzzleloaders and archers begin later this month.

Contact Alan Liere by e-mail at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com