If you're not heading to the Clearwater River to fish but staying up north, don't change your approach.

Smallmouth bass are 25 feet deep in Coeur d'Alene and Hayden lakes, chasing Trick and Gulp worms, so anglers should drag those lines on the lake's bottom. They're also going after Zoom Finesse worms.

When temperatures drop, both small and largemouth bass will swim closer to shore, around early October or so. Until then, they'll stay out, so anglers should cast all kinds of mid- to deep-range divers, too.

Strike King, series three, four or five, are especially good, said Blake Becker of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

Northern pike are active right now. They're swimming in 10 to 15 feet of water, chasing Swimbaits such as Shad-A-Licious. Be sure to weigh those lines down to sink them. They're whacking those Spinner and Crankbaits too, and will be until November or December.

"The fish are still pretty darn active," Becker said of the fall fishing season that experiences half the boat traffic of summer. "It's the time of year I live for."

Steelhead fishing down in Lewiston is really heating up.

The small stretch of river from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 12 Memorial Bridge is open, and anglers are landing them by casting from the banks or trolling from boats. That stretch of river is also open for salmon.

Lines loaded with shrimp, or lighted lures, bobber set ups and tolling spoons are really popular buys right now, said Sue, from Black Sheep Sporting Goods in Lewiston.

The rest of the river will open Oct. 15.

Steelhead fishing picking up

Steelhead fishing on the Clearwater River is going well, said Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden.

Frasca said cooler temperatures have improved conditions.

"It's a good time to go down and get steelhead on a fly - as long as it's a single, barbless hook - or run a plug or jig," Frasca said.

Hatchery fish can be kept below the Highway 12 bridge toward Lewiston.

"Numbers are way up," Frasca said. "There's twice as many as there were last year at this time."

In other parts of the river, fish have to be released until Oct. 15.

Frasca said it's also a good time to be on local rivers. With hunting season here, the streams are less crowded.

"I always find the rivers to be pretty empty this time of year," he said.

As the weather cools, pike fishing in the lakes also picks up, Frasca said.

"They're feeding aggressively in shallow water before the cold weather," he said.

Overall, there's a lot of good fishing options this time of year, Frasca said.

"Fishing should be good about everywhere," he said.

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Now that the weather is cooler and likely to remain that way, casters should continue to see increasing mayfly activity on the local rivers, said Mike Beard of Orvis Northwest Outfitters in Coeur d'Alene.

"It's mostly smaller flies - mahoganies and blue wing olives," Beard said.

Among the larger flies, the orange-bodied October Caddis is making its annual appearance, he said.

The hoppers have mostly left the scene, he said, but they're still worth fishing with larger flies in faster water. The smaller terrestrials should be around a little while longer. A good option, Beard said, are ants or beetles.

Steelhead fishing remains fruitful on therivers to the south.

"We're just fishing from the bank, swinging flies," Beard said.

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The cooling lakes are livening up the finned stuff under the waves, and catches have been plentiful on Lake Coeur d'Alene, said Dale Odenbaugh with Fins and Feathers Tackle Shop and Guide Service.

Chinook salmon have been chomping around the north end of the lake, Odenbaugh said, near Arrow Point.

"They tend to be down around 80 or 90 feet," he said, advising using a mini squid.

Pike are also congregating in most of the bays, he added. They're biting on spinner baits and silver minnows, he said.

Smallmouth bass are also doing well in the lake, Odenbaugh said. He suggested using tube baits or twin tails and clackin' rap.

Kokanee can be found 40 or 50 feet deep, he said. Fishermen have been pulling a flasher type unit like a Hildebrandt or Slim Willie, he said.

Hauser and Fernan lakes are still boasting catfish, he said, which as always are chomping on catfish bait or crawlers.

There have been a few tiger muskie caught at Hauser, Odenbaugh added, which fishermen have snagged with top water late in the evening.

He suggested using spinnerbaits and frogs.

"They're eaters," he said.