Sandpoint/Ponderay, Idaho Fishing Report 08.23.18
Clark Fork (ID)
Flows are bouncing from 4,000 to 30,000 back to 4,000 cubic feet per second, every day. Water clarity is around eight feet. The fishing has been good in the mornings when flows are at their lowest and in the evenings when the hatches really take off. In the mornings, I like to fish above the bridge where there is some readable current. Then as the flows shoot up, the lower section below the bridge fishes well. Expect to see bugs like caddis, tricos, rusty spinners, and western yellow mayflies on the water. Hoppers, ants, beetles, and wasps are also great bugs to throw too. When the trout aren’t eating the naturals, throw stimulators like a #10 purple chubby chernobyl, a #14 purple rooster, or a #10 black moodah poodah. Nymphing flies through the riffles like a #8 Pat’s rubber legs, a #14 red copper John, and a #16 crust nymph pmd have been producing trout midday. You’ll want to toss a streamer like a sparkle minnow or blood $$$$$ for a chance at something great.
Lake Pend Oreille
Water temperatures here are between 72-78°F, and the clarity is around 10-feet. Although the smoke isn’t fun to fish in, it has helped the bite. Also, pike fishing has been good for those who know where to look. You’ll want to fish the bays, sloughs, and flats where there are weeds and baitfish. Plus, now is the time of year when I fish both floating and sinking line. However, it completely varies from shoreline to shoreline. The best time to be on the water is either early or late, but they still will eat midday too. My favorite fly for the lake is a red jackknife, but a chartreuse pike slider is a great second.
Bass fishing has been excellent. The fish are big and willing to eat a fly. The trick is getting your fly into their feeding lane. For this, I like to use type VI sinking line when fishing sinking flies. I then have a separate rod rigged with floating line for poppers. Flies like Clousers, deceivers, and creek crawlers have been getting the job done as well.
Lake Cocolalla
Here, the water temperatures are between 73-78°F, and the clarity is around three feet. This lake never has great visibility, so three feet is still normal. Mornings and evenings will be the better times to fish. As temperatures heat up, the trout move deeper. Flies like a #8 olive balanced leech, a #10 brown woolly bugger, and a #12 hare’s ear are excellent flies to use. If you wish to chase bass; poppers, bushwhackers, and jiggy worms work well near docks and lily pads.
Kootenai River
Flows out of Libby dam are 9,040 cfs, and water temperatures are in the mid-50s. Clarity is perfect, and the trout are feisty. Bugs on the river include; caddis, pmds, rusty spinners, hoppers, ants, beetles, and crane flies. The hopper bite has been pretty epic lately, so, don’t leave the house without them. If they aren’t eating the hopper, try a #10 pink j slam, a #10 purple chubby chernobyl, or a #10 red hippie stomper. Nymphing has also been producing great numbers of fish too. You’ll want to tie on a #14 red copper John, a #12 cream hare’s ear, or a #16 purple prince. Finally, streamers like a JJ special, complex twist, and a dolly llama are all a must when hunting for large trout.
See past reports from the Sandpoint/Ponderay area here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.