Methow River (WA) The Methow River opened last Saturday for the winter whitefish season. I was able to get out for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon and was able to find a couple of nice scrappy whiteys along with a couple of inessential cutties. Right now, we have been experiencing some single-digit temperature nights, but the weather forecast says that will be changing this weekend. There is a hook size restriction for the fishery that only allows #14 hooks with a hook gap of 3/16-inch or smaller. Some of the flies I was using were a; #16 red or purple flash-a-midge, a #16 silver or pearl lightning bug, a #16 shell pink micro egg, and just a simple #14 or #16 black all-purpose nymph. Your favorite floating line with a 9-foot 3X or 4X leader and two feet of fluorocarbon tippet under an indicator. I found most of the fish more ...

Clark Fork River (ID) The flows on the Clark Fork below Cabinet Gorge have been better in the past week. Generally, they are ranging between 4,000 and 18,000 cfs and drawn out overnight and into the mornings. Action on the Clark Fork below the dam has been slow-good most days. Reports of fish being caught on nymphs and streamers are being reported. There’s virtually no topwater action with the cold days. There’s also about 4-5 inches of snow along the Idaho/MT border today, so keep that in mind if you are walking into a spot. Expect slower than average fishing, however, midday can produce. Lake Pend Oreille The big lake is bottomed out and temperatures are around 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The water clarity is about 10 feet. Fly fishing LPO in the winter months is a tough go. From now until March, there won’t be much to report on. On w...

Coeur d'Alene River Going to be pretty slow fishing on the Coeur d'Alene.  The forecast is calling for temperatures in the teens at night and barely above freezing daytime temperatures.  These are not great conditions for the CdA river.  But hey, if you’re bored and need to get out of the house give it a go.  Nymphing deep with brassies, copper john's, San Juan worms are all good options.  Slowly moved streamers on the bottom will get some looks too. St. Joe River Well, if you live in relatively close distance to the St. Joe, it might be a fun option.  Fun in the sense that it would be good sightseeing.  There is an old saying, there are "fishing" days and there are "catching" days. It's going to be more of a "fishing" thing for a while.  Things to bring if you go:  a smile, a good sense of humor, gloves, soup, coffee, a Mr. B...

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We can all picture it.  The perfect fall day on our favorite steelhead river.  Autumn colors reflect off clear green waters, the oars of the drift boat are making their soft rhythmic splashes, and the tips of the rods in the holders are dancing.  Eventually, you use up your attention span; and it’s always then that you get that drag ripping, head shaking, cartwheeling tight line grab that you’ve been waiting for.  When steelhead, from Idaho’s Clearwater River, hit plugs, they hit them hard!  Quiet moments and sharing stories with your friends are often broken by utter chaos and panic.  Fish ranging from 28 to 40 inches will stop the heart of most fishermen when they go airborne. Back trolling is an effective steelhead technique from Idaho’s summer catch and release season to the coldest months of winter.  It can be effecti...

Missouri River We’ve had lots of wind and mild weather.  This time of year, if it warms up, the wind picks up.  When it cools down, the wind usually eases up a bit.  This coming week, it will be cooling.  Colder, but less windy.  If you get out, you will probably find some cooperative fish. Swing Season Water temperatures are falling below 40 degrees now and won’t move up again for a long time.  It’s the cold season and that means fish are shifting to their winter holding areas.  Swinging flies is arguably the best way to fish these softer waters.  It’s certainly the most fun.  Balanced leeches, small Clouser minnows and a host of other bugger type flies are effective. Nymphs Once the water drops below 40 degrees, the fire bead nymph becomes a hot target.  The hot spot seems to draw the attention of lethargic fish and m...

Clearwater River (ID) The current flow is 4,630 cfs at Spaulding. The Clearwater is still dropping and has had some spikes in water temperatures. Currently, they sit at 43 degrees as of 13:00 on 11/27/18. We have been told that some fish have been caught since last week. Yet, it is still slow fishing for us here at the shop. Best to get out and go fishing while you can before IDFG closes the fishing on December 7th. For more information on the closure, you can call the shop or go to https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/fish-and-game-commission-suspends-steelhead-fishing-due-threatened-lawsuit. Snake River (WA) The current flow is 14,300 cfs at Anatone. The water temperatures have been hovering in the 44 to 45-degree window. With the Snake being such a vast river, the water that the fish hold in is not as deep as some folks would think. If you ar...

Omak Lake (WA) It’s that time of the year when the weather doesn’t know how to make up its mind. Outside of when the wind decides to pick up a little more than it needs to, the weather we are having is not having a negative effect at the lake. I’m not going to tell you that the catch rate is high, but you can still have a good time going after enough Lahontan cutthroats to make it worth your while. Both Nicholson Beach and Cowpie Beach are producing with Cowpie beach being just a little more productive. If you are using a larger boat on the east side of the lake, go in close to the rocky outcroppings as well as the rock faces. These are good places to work. From the beach, cast out to where the bottom drops off. The depths there should be in and around 10 to 12 feet. Right now, it seems balanced leeches and bloodworms under an indi...