Pike are really beginning to hit the plugs and spinner baits on Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Chain Lakes, said Jordan Smith from Fins and Feathers.

But the big news this week is the Kokanee bite on Hayden Lake, Smith said. Anglers are trolling with wedding rings or pop gear, baited with maggots or corn.

"They are catching some pretty good size fish up there," he said, adding that most fish are coming in more than 13 inches.

Chinook salmon are starting to go deeper now, Smith said. They are catching them between 15 and 40 feet below the surface and the best baits are still herring with helmets. They are mostly on the south end of the lake, he added.

"They are still catching a few up near the surface, but they are mostly going deeper now," Smith said.

He said crappie and perch are still hitting the jigs on the smaller lakes like Fernan.

"Smallmouth bass are starting to pick up on Lake Coeur d'Alene," Smith said. "If the weather is as warm as it is supposed to be this weekend, the bass fishing should really pick up."

He said the bass fisherman are having the best luck with crank baits and jerk baits from the shore.

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Bud Frasca of North West Classic Tackle in Hayden said the crappie, bass and pike bites on Hayden Lake are coming on.

For crappie, a leach or jig with an indicator should work.

Bass and pike fishing is also going well on Coeur d'Alene.

For bass, try 4-inch worms. For pike, use spinner or jerk baits.

The Coeur d'Alene River, meanwhile, started to rise again early this week.

"It will be a few days before it starts to fish good again," Frasca said, adding that blue-winged olives, midges and March browns are starting to come off. "Rivers don't fish good when the water is rising."

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Blueback fishing on Hayden Lake is heating up right now.

Tina Padgitt, of Black Sheep Sporting Goods, said anglers are dragging lines with Jackaloids and wedding rings to catch the fish.

The rest of spring fishing should heat up as the weather does.

When it warms, spawning season should bring fish in shallower. Crappie, pike and bass season will be in full gear then. Twin, Spirit and Hauser should heat up first.

Fernan and Hayden lakes are good spots too. Go after pike using Jerkbaits, Crankbaits, Spinnerbaits, just about anything, Johnson said.

Use crappie jigs for crappies, casting from the banks. Pike are going after Jerkbaits, like Husky Jerks, and they're usually the first to spawn and swim in shallow.

Steve Holweg of Cabela's, meanwhile, said he's heard that trolling on Liberty Lake is working.

Trout are being caught on both Fernan and Hauser lakes. Also on Hauser, perch and crappie are biting.

Holweg recommends using plastics and crank baits on Hauser and Fernan for bass.

For bluegill, crappie and perch, try small jigs tipped with maggots, worms or power bait.