Sandpoint/Ponderay, Idaho Fishing Report 05.09.19
Clark Fork River (ID)
The Clark Fork is remaining high, and there isn’t much going on in these flows. Access can be difficult, but if you have access to a boat, you may find some cutties feeding on the surface in the few riffles that remain. The flying ants are out, so get stocked up on a handful! The water releases have been fluctuating between 25,000 and 40,000 all week, and we expect this to continue -most likely within the week, they will increase with more runoff. Upriver into Cabinet Gorge or Noxon Reservoirs will offer some good opportunities for pike, so that is a good alternative.
Lake Pend Oreille
Pike have been on the spawn and have moved into the sloughs and bays. A few of these fish are giving good follows and eats on the fly. Largemouth are starting to transition up into the back bays and sloughs, and you can find some hogs with slow presentations of dredging and jig platform flies. Smallmouth will be moving to into pre-spawn soon, so start looking at piles and structure along the shorelines. Crappie are about to hit up the spawn too, so look for crappie on structure and piles. The flying black ants are out, find some rising trout and have a ball!
Cocolalla Lake
The flying ants will only last a few more days, so you better get out there! Cocolalla is an awesome option for fly fishing this time of the year. From trout, crappie, and smallmouth, Coco brings it. For trout, look for schools cruising the drop-offs and toss buggers, thin mints, or she demon buggers. You can also get away with pulling chironomids. Plus, spruce moths and flying ants are great dry fly options. Bass will be over rocky structure. Try throwing streamers like Murdich minnows or bend back half & half’s. Crappie will be suspended on brushy structure. Get out there!
Kootenai River
The Kootenai has been running around 8,000 cfs for a while and fishes well in these flows. The lack of snowpack will most likely keep the river fishable the rest of the year. Ants and beetles are out and about, so terrestrial patterns will pick up. This week we should see a lot of dry fly action. Still, consider throwing streamers and nymph rigs until you get onto the risers.
See past reports from the Sandpoint/Ponderay area here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.