Sandpoint/Ponderay, Idaho Fishing Report 5.23.18
Clark Fork River (ID)
The river is running at 104,000 cubic feet per second. Don’t even think about fishing this river on the Idaho side. Flows are too high and dangerous to fish from a boat and shore.
Lake Pend Oreille
The lake is currently 1.2 feet above normal pool. Currently, there is a no wake restriction 500 feet from shore. Please be courteous when boating near lakefront property. There is a lot of debris throughout the entire lake, so keep your head on a swivel. Water clarity is between 2-6 feet depending on where you are fishing. The south end of the lake is the cleanest. Surface water temperatures range from 50-65°F. Northern pike are well into post-spawn, and starting to aggressively feed again. I have seen a couple pictures of 15-25-pound pike caught this week in a few of the lake’s sloughs and bays. When searching for pike this time of year, concentrate your time in 3-8 feet of water where there is weed growth. Use floating line, an 8-weight, and flies like red Jackknife, Tinsel Town, and firetiger Pike Slider. They can’t resist. Smallmouth are in the middle of the spawn right now. Usually this spawn window lasts roughly 10 days. I always advise catch-and-release this time of year. If you are to keep a smallie, do your best to keep the 1-2 pound males. For smallmouth, I use a 6-weight rigged with fast-sinking line. Flies like #4 chartreuse Clouser, 2/0 Hud’s Bushwacker (Bluegill), #4 Belly Scratcher (Bluegill), and #2 Deceiver usually do the trick.
Lake Cocolalla
Water clarity is roughly 2-3 feet. Fishing has been best in the mornings and evenings for trout. When targeting browns, cutthroat, and rainbows, I have my best luck using a 6-weight rigged with intermediate line. Flies like #6 olive CH Krystal Bugger, rust Baby Gonga, olive Baby Gonga, or #6 black BH Woolly Bugger normally fit the bill. The largemouth and crappie can be found along the shore and near drop-offs preparing for the spawn. There are some toad largemouth in this lake, so make sure it is a log and not a bass you’re snagged on before you start yanking on the line. For bass, I enjoy throwing a #2 Deceiver, #4 Chartreuse Clouser, or firetiger Pike Slider.
Kootenai River
The discharge out of Libby Dam is currently 19,300 cfs. The river is pretty big at this moment, but that is expected for this time of year. Water clarity is a little stained, but still fishable. Fishing can be great in soft eddies, behind large rocks, and slow moving runs littered with structure. You want to search for slow moving water. March browns, Baetis, and midges are what’s hatching. However, I would expect to primarily nymph this river. Rig up a double nymph rig of flies like #8 Pat’s Rubberlegs, #8 Large Black Stone, #14 Tung. Jig Hare’s Ear, or #16 Caddis Pupa. The Koot is a great river to fish trout spey. Swing or strip flies like Copper Art Sparkle Minnow, #4 Garbage Disposal, or #4 Muddler Minnow.
June 9th is Idaho’s Free Fishing Day. Anyone can fish in the state of Idaho for free, no license required. Take advantage of this generous deal and take someone fishing
See past reports from the Sandpoint/Ponderay area here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.