With the next generation of fly fishers back in school, and the weekend warriors behind a desk, it seemed like the perfect time to revisit the CDA river. Flows were very low. How low? Slightly under 200 cfs. It feels like every week I find myself saying, "The Coeur d'Alene drainage cannot get any lower." Yet somehow, the flows continue to drop. I was pleasantly surprised to feel how cool the water felt as I wet-waded the lower section of the CDA. The weather was sunny, blue skies, temperatures in the 80s with an occasional breeze. In terms of hatches, there wasn't much to talk about, but hoppers were scattered on the shoreline. Beetles and ants clung to the overhanging trees. Around 11:30 AM, I did manage to find a small hatch of large, rust colored mayflies that appeared in the shady riffles. The handful I found were roughly a size 10...

September and October are the times to strip leeches for big trout. By Keith Roe September and the first half of October are my favorite times of the year to fish. I’ve spent many fall mornings casting for steelhead, listening and seeing the world come to life. It feeds my soul. I’ve also found that soul-food fodder when I'm fishing one of my favorite lakes during fall—the sounds of waterfowl moving south, seeing a muskrat swim by, or hearing, high overhead, the sounds of sandhill cranes flying past. But what inspires me the most are those big, aggressive fish that are on the hunt this time of the year. When fishing lakes during fall, I use leech patterns more often than any other time of the year. Balanced leeches are one of my go-to patterns—you can suspend them under an indicator and that slow, jigging action provides great re...

Get your fall smallmouth fix with a switch rod. By Tyler Hicks When you step into a North 40 fly shop, it feels like a home away from home. Warm wooden walls are adorned with a multitude of feathers and fur, perhaps a large photograph of an angler standing alone in the river mid-backcast, and the fresh aroma of hot coffee invites you to stop and stay a while. However, lurking outside, usually in close proximity, under the harsh glare of fluorescent lights you will find a less evolved beast.. . . . gear fisherman. That's me; I find beauty in a line counter reel, obsess over tape patterns on kokanee dodgers, and prefer the smell of a cup of fresh worms over coffee, most mornings. My boss calls us "chum flingers,” to which I counter, “At least I'm no fluff chucker!” But the truth is I appreciate all forms of fishing and have long been...

By Kaylee Neu Shades, sunnies, spekkies, solar shields . . . sunglasses. Everyone owns a pair. And all of us have our favorites. In fact, for most of us they're a tool we never leave the house without, especially if we’re headed to the Joe, or another area stream, to shoot laser-beam casts to the opposite bank. But do we know much about our little eye-protection friends? Let's dive into it, shall we? I’m a fan of Costa sunglasses and I’m not the only one—we sell a lot of Costa’s here at North 40 Coeur d’ Alene. All are built by hand in Daytona Beach, Florida and are specifically designed for waters sports, including fishing, which means the lenses are polarized. Polarization is the term used for reducing glare, from light reflecting off of water or other surfaces. Essentially, your polarized lenses kill the glare, which allow...

By Dylan McGregor Fall is near, so what does that mean for fishing? Here’s your answer: Active fish fattening themselves for winter. And, on many of our regional streams, the best way they accomplish just that is to focus on October caddis pupae and adults. Here's our selection of caddis patterns. It makes sense because October caddis are the last large, protein packed item that these fish can target this year. And when they do, they can go into feeding frenzies. That’s why you have to be prepared to match these caddis in September and October, no matter which river or stream you choose to fish. Clark Fork, Kelly Creek, St. Joe, Rock Creek, Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Lochsa, Middle Fork . . . you’ll likely see these bugs in the air and on the water, and even if you don’t the fish will have an eye open for them. So, what are my three ...

As autumn approaches it’s time to revel in the apple crop. But after eating fresh apples that taste like no others, or making a few delicious apple pies, you may ask, what else is there to do with this fruit? Fortunately, apples are one of the most versatile fruits to store and use, so they offer many options. Storing Fresh Apples Just like many other fruits and vegetables, some apple varieties store better than others. Cortland, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and McIntosh (often the late-harvest varieties) all store well throughout fall and into the winter months, under the right conditions. But don’t hesitate to try to keep other varieties. If you have a bushel of apples from your tree, regardless of the variety, and you like to eat them fresh, here are a few steps to keep them crisp and delicious. —Apples like high humidity and low temperatur...

Most of us consider Lunker Grub’s and Little Cleo’s as the classic baits from an umbrella of brands owned by Acme Tackle. Recently, however, company representative Peter Longobardi stopped into our North 40 Outfitters’ headquarters in Great Falls, Montana and showed us three new products that the walleye fishing community is very excited about, baits that could supplant the Grub and Cleo as this company’s go-to offerings. Here’s what we learned. From hair jigs to spin jigs, we've got you covered. You can order online here. Kalin’s Google Eye Jigs The Google Eye Jigs are equipped with what Kalin’s is calling a shockwave rattle system, which is a rattle that’s built into the head, right where the eyes of the bait are. These jigs have a hardened steel Katana hook and come in three sizes (1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 oz.). Note: These im...

Land on the rise Small flies don’t have a lot of calories. When fish are choosing to eat them, it’s because there are lots of them. When trout are gobbling small flies, they station themselves just below the surface and feed with a steady rhythm. Sometimes, they eat several flies from the surface before slipping deeper between rises. If you can land your fly right on a rising fish with proper timing and accuracy, odds are better he will eat it. How can I see to tie it on? Magnification is helpful and downright essential for many folks. That’s especially true when working close up and trying to tie thin tippets to small flies. A few magnification options: Hat Eyes are flip-down magnifiers that attach to the bill of your hat; Flip N’ Focus are magnification lenses that attach right to your sunglasses; Clics magnetic glasses are als...

The North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River has improved a bit as the nights have started to cool. Still, mornings and evenings are your best options. October caddis are showing up now, but Tricos, PMD's and hoppers dominate, especially in the mornings. Midday is slower but, big attractors, such as Chubby Chernobyls, beetles and small ants, do the trick. Nymphs will take fish at that time as well. The big caddis are consistently out in the late afternoon and evening hours, so be prepared to match them. Want to know how to match late season flying ants? The St. Joe River has been great! Early, midday or late . . . time of the day doesn’t matter because it’s all fishing very well. Smaller hoppers with a beetle or an ant dropper fits the bill. You will get fish on smaller attractors too, meaning Stimmies, PMX's and Humpies. Small flyin...