Timing is key for good fishing

Great fishing on area rivers and lakes as long as anglers pick the right times to be out on the water, said Johnny Booey of Cabela's.

With the warmer days of the summer, Booey said, timing is key. The bite is generally better in the early mornings and early evenings.

"I'm hearing reports that perch all the way up to kokanee, crappie and blue gill are producing if you're out at the right time," he said.

Booey said the standard setups - jigs and floats for panfish and bait on the bottom or trolling for trout - are the best bets.

Booey said nice smallmouth bass have been pulled out of the Spokane River recently, and he's hearing good reports on the St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene.

All rivers are fishing well and will for the rest of the season, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

"Hoppers and ants have started catching fish along with caddis patterns and attractor patterns," he said. "This is the time of low water and spooky fish so careful wading is a must. It's a great time of the year to be out and fishing."

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A couple of new wrinkles in the fishing world, but for the most part, it's status quo.

Largemouth bass are swimming at shallower depths, like 10 feet deep or so, so throw crank baits, Rat-L-Traps, mid-to-deep range drivers or a variety of spinnerbaits at those ranges.

Early in the morning is the best bet. The fish hide along docks, rocks, banks and nestle in the weeds, so try there first. When you do, throw topwater lures, like a buzzbait or a Spook, but only at first light.

Hayden Lake and Lake Coeur d'Alene are the best bets for producing fish.

"In the bass world, you're still looking for structure," said Blake Becker of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

Cast your line near docks, rocks, wood pilings and weeds.

"Any sort of structure you can see will be good," Becker said.

To catch northern pike, try Rexspoons, a mid-to-topwater bait. Cast those lines in Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Fernan lakes, and retrieve them slowly.

Ocho plastic worms are working really well for largemouth bass, too.

The fish are down deep now, anywhere from 5 to 50 feet out.

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Lake Coeur d'Alene still has plenty of action for fishermen.

Blueback are plentiful around any bays, said Dan Pierce with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"Off of Arrow Point is good... Any part of the east arm of Lake Coeur d'Alene," he said.

He suggested spinners like Hildebrandts or Jackaloids, with wedding rings.

Pike and smallmouth bass are biting on the lake, too, he added.

Folks hoping for pike should drop their lines anywhere with a good weedline, Pierce advised.

"Any bays, like Wolf Lodge Bay, Blue Creek Bay," he said.

Spinnerbaits and spoons are best, he added.

Smallmouth are chomping on twin tailed grubs or tubes, Pierce said.

On Fernan Lake, panfish and catfish are still active, he said.

Catfish, as usual, are biting on catfish bait or nightcrawlers.

"Fish them off the bottom, or drift them with a bobber," Pierce said.

For the panfish, he suggested nightcrawlers and a bobber.

Rainbow trout are also still snaggable at Fernan, he said, adding that Powerbait or a nightcrawler will do the trick.

Hauser Lake also has pike and smallmouth, Pierce said. The same methods should snag them, he said.