Sandpoint/Ponderay, Idaho Fishing Report 11.01.18
Clark Fork River (ID)
Flows out of Cabinet Gorge Dam have been between 6,000- 24,000 cfs during the daily releases. Clarity is around 10 feet, and the water temperatures are in the low-mid 50s. Hatches have been stellar throughout the day. You’ll want to look for mahogany duns mainly and a few October caddis, tricos, bwos, and midges. If the trout aren’t eating the naturals, throw something wild like a #10 red hippie stomper, a #12 purple chubby chernobyl, and a yellow hopper pattern. Nymphs work very well this time of year, so use tandem rig flies like a #10 jigged pheasant tail and a #16 hare’s ear. Keep it simple. Fall is a great time of year to break out the trout Spey and swing soft hackles and streamers. Skating October caddis and small mice can produce results. Swing riffles, ledges, and eddy seams for your best chances for a stiff grab.
Lake Pend Oreille
The lake has dropped approximately 10 feet, it’s almost at base pool. Surface temperatures are around 50 degrees Fahrenheit and water clarity is at least 10 feet. Pike fishing has been alright, as long as you’re patient and know where to look. You’ll want to fish mid to large-sized streamers in perch colors in 15 to 20 feet of water along long drop-offs. Don’t expect to knock’em dead, but persistence can pay off. Focus on a fast sinking line. Bass fishing is hit or miss. Similarly, to the pike, look deeper but on submerged piles or suspended structure. You’ll want to use a fast sinking line and flies like a gamechanger. The smallies are really keying in on baitfish this time of year, so using swimbait style flies is a must. Stay patient and experiment with your depths and stripping speeds.
Lake Cocolalla
Surface temperatures are around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and clarity is 1-2 feet. Flies that move water are your best bet. Helping the fish find the fly is crucial. Woolhead and deer hair head flies like a double or baby gonga, Galloup’s dungeon, or a zoo cougar fished on a sink tip will connect you to fish. Also, don’t overlook a complex twist bugger either. The trout are actively feeding most of the day this time of year, so fishing is great. Concentrate your flies 12 feet down and above towards the surface. The rainbows, brooks, and cutthroat cruise throughout the entire lake looking for midges and juvenile perch. Olive, brown, and rust can be great imitation colors to match the forage here. The browns can be found along structure like ledges and weed lines. Bring two fly lines; an intermediate and fast sinking. Experiment with your retrieves and strip patterns to find what the fish can follow.
Kootenai River
Flows out of Libby Dam are still hovering around 4,000 cfs, and clarity is still excellent. Reports of 10-plus fish days per person are fairly common. You can still catch plenty of fish on top. Look to your old standby terrestrials like a chubby chernobyl in olive, yellow, or purple. Foam bugs are perfect for making your dry dropper nymphing rigs. You will see love on both ends if you nymph a #14-16 olive hare’s ear or a #10 Pat’s rubber legs in assorted colors. Also, dead drifting streamers like a zirdle this time of year can pay off big too. Look for hatches of mahogany duns, bwos, and midges. And, streamers are always a great idea. Strip and swing a zirdle, sculpzilla, or a complex twist bugger and wait for a big grab! Finally, floating and wading are both effective this time of the year. Get out while the weather permits!
See past reports from the Sandpoint/Ponderay area here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.