Coeur d'Alene Fishing Report 08.08.19

Up, up and up the temp has climbed in the last week.  Solid 90's and close to 100 degree temps for the next few days.  However, there is a good possibility of a storm coming in later this week to the weekend.  Hopefully, no major lightning comes with this and also good rain.

The forecast shows rain and mid 60's for Sunday.  This is a really good thing if we get this.  The fishing should be killer if it happens.  The forests are very dry and high probability of fires now.  Please, please be responsible out there.  We have had a really tough last few summers with fires.  Also, we need to be respectful of our fish in these higher temps. 

Consider getting up early, fishing the early am with cooler temps and also the last couple hours of the day.  The middle of the day fishing will be detrimental to the fishes chances at recovery after being caught.  Look for some of the Montana streams to possibly go to their "Hoot Owl" restrictions.  This means they will have time restrictions on when you can and can not fish.  If the water temps stay in the mid to high 60's or 70's this is the danger zone for fish.  So hopefully we will get a cool down and this will change things for the better. 

Current Conditions

Coeur d'Alene River  - Fishing is good, but plan on an early outing and or late.  Fish will be in the faster pocket water and riffles.  Smaller streamers in black and olive are finding the bigger fish.  Tandem smaller nymph rigs in the riffles will produce good numbers of fish too.  The hopper fishing is getting really good.  All sizes of hoppers are our so if you want to throw the big ones have at it.  Beetles, ants and bees are all good choices too.  Pale morning duns and tricos are out in the mornings in decent numbers as well.

St. Joe River - Very similar conditions to the Cda river.  The nice thing about the Joe is the upper canyon.  This is really the place to be now.  Even on the really hot days the canyon will have shade on it somewhere.  Much more diversity of water than the Cda and will fish well even on the hot days.  There is tons of pocket water and riffle, run and pool spots and this is where the fish like to be now.  The lower river is still floatable and fishing well, but the upper river is solid.  The caddis and rusty spinner fishing in the evenings are killer now.  The last couple of hours of the day it can go off in a good way.

Clark Fork River (MT) - Fishing well but much tougher in the heat of the day.  The crack of dawn with a good size hopper against the bank will get you some really nice fish.  The Trico fishing should be pretty solid in the early mornings too.  Small pale morning duns with a trio dropper is a great set up for the gulpers.  Again a pair of small bead head nymphs in the choppy shallow riffles is a good place to prospect.  Try a bigger crayfish fly stripped very quickly off the banks now.  May not get you numbers, but some really nice ones though.

Match the Hatch

Pale morning duns are out every day on all of our local waters.  Thorax duns, comparaduns, quigly cripples, hackle stackers are all good choices for this hatch.  If we get the rain that is forecasted the blue wing olives will be out.

Same here with this hatch as the pmds just go with the same patterns as above just in the blue wing variety.  Spruce moths are showing up too.  Large elk hair caddis skittered quickly on the surface will suffice for this hatch.  Cinnamon ants are out and beetles too.

A basic foam beetle behind your favorite hopper pattern now will kill it on all of the rivers now.  Morrish hoppers, chubby Chernobyls, Dunnigans, BC hopper dropper are all good choices for hoppers now.  Bighorn buggers or JJ specials are both good options for a crayfish fly.

Don't forget your San Juan worms now either.  These can be killer this time of year.  Consider cutting them down a bit to only a 1/4 inch long. The October caddis are on the move too.  Cased caddis nymphs in the fast riffles near the banks are going to get gobbled up.

Need to fill the box before you go? Order flies online here.

Tips & Techniques

Consider longer leaders now for your small dry flies.  12 feet is not out of the question. Some of the fish are more pressured and need a more delicate presentation.  Low water and clearer conditions are going to need a technical approach.  A downstream cast with the fly first is a good idea if you can pull it off. 

Think about repositioning yourself for a better angle before making a potential low percentage cast.  There are lots of crayfish out now, so the fish know this and are looking for them. Rubber legged wolly buggers stripped very fast off of the banks will produce some very nice fish now.  The October caddis nymphs are migrating into the shallows.  Pat's rubber legs are still a viable bug to fish now.  Or try a tan or orange mop fly dead drifted under an indicator and weight.  This can be a great pattern and technique now.

Did you know...

Don't forget we are still having our free fly fishing 101 classes every Saturday at 10:30.  Come learn the basics on equipment, casting, leader and terminal tackle and flies.  Great way to get introduced to fly fishing and it's FREE!  Also we will be picking back up with our FREE fly tying classes this fall.  Middle of October is what we are shooting for so keep your ears to the ground and we will have a great winter session for you guys.  Tight lines!

See past reports from the CDA region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.