Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for April 10, 2025

Thu., April 10, 2025

By Alan Liere The Spokesman-Review

Tip of the week

Tip of the week: Sometimes – but not often – a spring tom turkey will gobble from the roost during a hard rain. If you wake up to a downpour, go back to bed but try to be set up when the rain diminishes or a sun-break occurs. This is often the time of the most rigorous gobbling, and your best chance to call in a bird.

Heads up: If you participated in the Kootenai River Angler Science Program, be sure to turn in your packets by Tuesday at the Fish and Game Panhandle Region Office, Far North in Bonners Ferry or North 40 Outfitters in Ponderay for a chance to win prizes.

With the April 26 Washington lowland fishing opener coming up, it’s time to renew your fishing license. You can do this online or by phone at 1-866-246-9453. The current Fish Washington rule pamphlet is valid through June 30.

Overheard: Although there are numerous theories about why the Loon Lake kokanee fishery has tanked, the most reasonable one I have heard comes from a friend with a home on the lake who thinks the problem is two-fold. He says that privately -funded milfoil poisoning around the lake has eliminated huge stretches of underwater cover. When kokanee fry are planted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, they cannot find a place to hide and are gobbled up by larger fish that quickly gather at the release site.

It is estimated that monofilament fishing line takes 600 years to break down. If lost or discarded during fishing, it can cause problems throughout the environment. It is not digestible and can entangle fish and wildlife, cutting off circulation and leading to death. One of the most pathetic things I have witnessed was an osprey hanging dead from her nesting box on a power pole by a length of monofilament line she had used to help build her nest.

Fly fishing

The North Fork Coeur d’Alene will probably be a good option.

There has been some good action on nymph rigs. The fish prefer a slow presentation. Dry fly fishing is nonexistent but will improve shortly.

The St. Joe has been fishing well. Skwala action is picking up, so big dry flies will become more popular. Silver Bow Fly Shop said Nemoura stones have also been active. The best fishing will still be on the lower river.

Water temperatures are rising on all the local lakes, and bug hatches are better than on the rivers. Leeches, chironomids, damsels and water boatmen have all been finding fish.

Trout and kokanee

Amber Lake is producing some big rainbows for fly fishermen. Coffeepot Lake also has some big rainbows for selective gear anglers.

The water level is higher this year than last, so most good fishing spots are accessible by boat. Liberty Lake is seeing decent catches of brown and rainbow trout.

Waitts Lake is picking up again where it left off last fall with trout fishermen again finding fish on the troll. A Muddler Minnow with a piece of nightcrawler below a small dodger is finding 12-inch rainbow and a few browns.

Rock Lake bank anglers at the outlet are using worms or Power Bait for some decent catches. Trollers and those casting Rapalas are doing even better on the big water.

Fish Lake, near Lake Wenatchee, has a lot of water this spring. The water is up into the parking area, and the end of the boat launch dock is submerged. Nevertheless, anglers who don’t mind getting their feet wet while launching are catching rainbow and a few kokanee.

Rufus Woods triploid fishing remains good, but the 2-pound fish have spread out above and below the middle net pens. Rufus has a two-fish trout limit, and if using bait or scent, you must keep the first two fish caught. Friends have extended their fishing days there by effectively using dark jigs or blade baits and releasing their fish. Power Bait is undeniably effective at Rufus, but catch and release is not allowed if you use it.

Lake Roosevelt rainbow fishing was decent this week between rain storms. The water level has been fairly constant, holding at around 1,277 feet but expected to head downward at the end of the week. Most launches are usable.

Lenice, Lenore and Nunnally lakes, all with selective gear rules, are seeing some good trout fishing. Lenice and Nunnally have rainbow in the 16- to 20-inch range, and Lenore has Lahontan cutthroat, which are mostly over 18 inches. The north end is good.

Dworshak Reservoir kokanee anglers are experiencing good fishing, but the fish are mostly small – around 8 inches.

The Dent Recreation Area has reopened following a temporary closure due to a landslide on Old Dent Road.

Kokanee anglers are catching small fish above the Yacht Club on Lake Chelan, but some larger fish (up to 15 inches) have been landed below Rocky Point.

In the Idaho Clearwater region, Mann Lake, Hordemann Pond., Winchester Lake and Spring Valley Reservoir will be planted with 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout by Friday or Saturday.

Spiny ray

The water in area lakes is still a little cold for good crappie fishing, but reports ae beginning to trickle in from Fernan, Hayden and Hauser in Idaho, and Eloika, Sacheen, Liberty, and Newman in Washington. Liberty Lake also provides some of the earliest perch in the region.

Walleye fishing on Lake Roosevelt has been fair near Buoy 5, but the better fishing this week was near the mouth of the Kettle River.

Long Lake produced a 16-pound fish last week, and a lot of fish over 10 pounds have been caught and released recently. Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir catches are quickly improving.

Ice fishermen found some nice perch in Diamond Lake this winter, and they are looking for them again by boat. The best bite has been straight across the lake, out from the rocks, but the perch have not recovered from the spawn and are decidedly less robust.

Other species

Whitefish are still available in many Washington and Idaho rivers and lakes.

Whitefish are both abundant and large in the lower Clearwater below Orofino.

Hunting

The general turkey season begins Tuesday in Idaho and Washington. There will be plenty of birds, but friends who have been scouting say they haven’t heard much gobbling and are wondering if the peak of the breeding season has come and gone. I was wondering the same until I saw a flock of 30 from the deck of my home north of Wandermere, which included at least four amorous toms.

Contact Alan Liere at spokesmanliere@yahoo.com