With runoff high and muddy water continuing to be a problem on the rivers, area lakes continue to offer the best fishing option.

"The only fishing to be had right now is on the lakes," said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden. "The only clean river to be fished that's anywhere close to here is Rock Creek outside Missoula."

Crappie, bass and pike fishing in local lakes remains strong, Frasca said.

"The crappie are moving into the shallow bays, so they're easier to catch and much more accessible," Frasca said.

Leeches and woolly buggers are good choices for crappie.

Bass can be caught on spinner baits, power bait worms, salamanders, plastic tubes and rubber jigs with a trailer.

Jerk bait works for pike.

"If you're fly fishing, use a big streamer for the pike," Frasca said.

For bass with a fly rod, woolly buggers, hair bugs on the surface and crawdad imitations should do the trick.

Frasca said trout-stocked Fernan, Round and Cocolalla lakes are also a good choice.

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Local lakes will have plenty to keep fishermen busy this Memorial Day weekend.

Fish and Game have continued to stock up trout on Lake Fernan, said Dale Odenbaugh with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

"They did some stocking last week and the gal there said they're going to do one this week," Odenbaugh said. "So there should be plenty of trouts for folks to catch."

He suggested using a nightcrawler with a marshmellow floating off the bottom, or powerbait.

Rooster Tails will also work, he said.

Generally the trout range from 12 to 16 inches, he added.

"There were some big ones in the loads they dropped off," Odenbaugh said.

The smallmouth are starting to hit on Lake Coeur d'Alene, he added, which he advised going after with lipless cranks.

Lipless crankbaits and Rapallas are handy, too, he said.

Casting for salmon on Lake Coeur d'Alene could prove frustrating, Odenbaugh cautioned.

The fish are scattered across the lake, he explained.

"It's been really tough," he said. "When they come up high, they're just all over the lake. They're catching on the north end, in the middle, at the south end, the bays. Pretty much all over."

Determined fishermen can still try for salmon by pulling herring or deep diving plugs, he added.

Pike will be an easier catch on Lake Coeur d'Alene, he said, as well as on Hayden Lake and the Chain Lakes.

He suggested using smelt, Husky Jerks or Johnson Silver Minnows.

Pend Oreille is doing well for rainbow trout and mackinaws, he said.

He advised pulling flies or using Apex lures.

"On the rainbows, you can get up to 20 pounds, and the macks, a little bit less," he estimated. "They're pretty good sized fish."

Forget the fast-flowing rivers - warm-water species are hitting flies on area lakes, according to Mike Beard of Orvis Northwest Outfitters in Coeur d'Alene.

The Chain Lakes along Highway 3 are producing this week - Rose, Killarney, Cave and Swan are worth a drive. The south end of Lake Coeur d'Alene, particularly Chactolet, is also a good spot.

Anglers can find northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish hiding in the weeds.

"Usually look for grassy structure, weed beds, that kind of stuff," Beard said. "You just have to cover water."

For northerns, try stripping big leeches in yellow, red, black or olive. Anything like a perch pattern should draw strikes, Beard said.

Lily pad areas or flooded willows are good hunting grounds, too.

"It's kind of like the chain, with the smaller fish moving in and the pike follow," Beard said. "They cruise the shores."

Bass will chomp on a woolly bugger under an indicator. Look for largemouth close to the shoreline, alongside docks are other structure areas.

Lake anglers should fish with a 6- or 7-weight rod; anything lighter won't fling the big bugs very effectively. Go up to an 8-weight if pike is your main goal.

"Go ahead and fish heavy tippet materials," Beard said.

Spey rods are also an option for shore anglers. With an overhead spey cast, fishermen can throw heavy flies a long way.

Beard tried his spey rod in Cougar Bay the other day, he said.

"And I think it's a phenomenal way to fish. You cover a lot of water, (and it's) good practice."