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Hunting and Fishing by Alan Liere Spokesman Review, April 20, 2012

Fly fishing

Local fly shops say you can pretty much forget about river fishing until the weather settles. They suggest you try area lakes instead. Medical Lake (not West Medical) has some really large brown trout, and a number have been caught recently by fly fishermen throwing chironomid patterns.

Don't overlook Idaho lakes. A variety of spiny ray are suspended above weed beds in 8-12 feet of water in lakes such as Fernan, Hayden, Twin, Rose, and in the bays of Coeur d'Alene. Even so, the fish are still spread out some until the lakes warm a little more. Try leech patterns or Wooly Buggers.

Steelhead/salmon

The sport fishery for spring chinook on the lower Columbia River has been extended through Sunday. Last week, anglers on the lower Columbia made 17,100 trips and caught 2,817 adult spring Chinook. Catch rates began to escalate last Friday, and almost 60 percent of last week's catch occurred over the weekend.

Though the Idaho fishing season for chinook salmon opens on Sunday in the Clearwater River, Snake River, Little Salmon and lower Salmon rivers, this year's run is one of the latest on record. Only one fish has crossed Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River by midweek. Salmon seasons and limits may change on short notice, Check the salmon hotline at: (855) 287-2702 or the Fish and Game website http://fishandgame. idaho.gov/public/ fish/?getPage=140.

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