Great weather leads to great fishing

Great seasonal weather has dramatically improved the local fishing scene, said Johnny Booey, fishing lead at Cabela's.

"There seems to be good quantities of fish out there all over," Booey said. "I've heard good reports of kokanee in (Lake) Coeur d'Alene. Everything is active and hungry."

Booey said he recently fished Hauser Lake. The bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass are all on there.

Bobbers and jigs work well for panfish and bass. For rainbows, try trolling with wedding rings.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are also hitting well on Hayden.

Crappie fishing on some lakes has slowed down since they've gotten through spawning, Booey said.

"A lot of fish are already starting to migrate to their summer hangouts," Booey said.

In eastern Washington, fishing on Sprague Lake can be hit and miss, he said.

"One day you'll get a boatload, and the next day you won't get a bite," Booey said. "Watch the wind out there. It's never a matter of if it will be windy, but just how much."

Fishing on the rivers has also come along since the water has come down, Booey said.

"Things are starting to settle in to where they should be for the season," he said.

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Chinook have been doing very well on Lake Coeur d'Alene in recent days, said Raleigh Turley with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"We even had a 20-pounder brought in off the south end of the lake," he said.

Most fishermen are using herring, he said, or flashers and hoochies.

He suggested fishing from 40- to 80-foot depths.

That's not all the action on Lake Coeur d'Alene, Turley added.

"Kokanee fishing is absolutely fantastic right now," he said. "Guys are catching their limits real quick."

Folks are snagging the kokanee by using tractors and wedding rings, he said, tipped with corn or maggots.

There is a catch limit of 15, he added.

Pike fishing is also thriving on both Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Chain Lakes, Turley said.

He suggested throwing some spinner baits and floating plugs.

Fly fishing is also starting to pick up on the Coeur d'Alene River, he added.

"The water is starting to come down," he explained, though he can't say the same for the St. Joe River.

He would throw Renegades and stimulators for fly-fishing, he said. Those using bait could use eggs or nightcrawlers.

It's catch and release for cutthroat, he reminded.

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According to Tina Padgitt at Black Sheep Sporting Goods, "all the family-friendly lakes such as Hauser and Hayden are good fishing areas this week."

On top of the fishing that is to be had on those lakes, bass fishing is also heating up. Padgitt said the Kokanee on Lake Coeur d'Alene are plentiful and ripe for the catching this week.

If you find yourself in the Northern Panhandle this week, Priest Lake is a productive fishing hole. Mackinaw are biting pretty good, and should provide a bit of fun for everyone casting a line.

Padgitt recommended Powerbait and worms for the fish catching this week. Worms have been effective on panfish all summer long, and it shouldn't be stopping anytime soon.

If there's only one lure in your tackle box this week, make it a wedding ring. This lure has been extremely useful for catching kokanee on Lake Coeur d'Alene.

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The runoff is ending, the bugs are out and cutthroats are snatching flies on local rivers and tributaries, according to Mike Beard at Orvis Northwest Outfitters.

"The Coeur d'Alene is still fishing well," he said. "And the Joe is now starting to be an option. Still tough wading. You're not crossing the river."

Fly-casters headed for the St. Joe country should pack stonefly patterns and yellow Sally's, Beard advised. He was down there on Friday, he said, and his crew did pretty well - the cutthroats and cutbows (hybrids) were hitting.

"With a little exploring, we were able to find some soft water," Beard said.

Streamers and nymphs will still draw strikes in the morning, he added.

Even though it's late July, anglers should still be careful in that high water, Beard cautioned.

On the Coeur d'Alene, carpenter ants, pale morning duns, caddis and stonefly attractors should do the trick. Anglers should stick to the upper river, to avoid the float crowds.

Even the Clark Fork is starting to come around, Beard said. The water is high and tough to read, but the Montana fishing has improved in recent days.

"It's still big, and a little bit off-color," Beard added. "It's good to go with a guide. If a guy wanted to, it wouldn't be a total bust."