Coeur d’Alene Fishing Report 02.08.18

Coeur d'Alene River

Well, the good news is that water levels are dropping about as fast as they went up. However the CDA still has a ways to go yet. It is currently in the mid 9,000 cfs range and I’d only float it around 3,000 cfs. It’s wade-friendly at 1,500 to 2,000 cfs. So be patient and keep tying those Skwalas as the stonefly season is right around the corner. Stay tuned.

St. Joe River

I think this will be floatable this weekend if the flow continues to drop. If so, the Joe should be around 5,000 cfs by the weekend and that is a great range to float. It will be streamer city too. Big junk in olive and black will be the way to go. Nymph rigs will be great as well—try tandem beadhead rigs, big stone fly nymphs, Twenty Inchers, Prince Nymphs and Pheasant-Tails in bigger sizes, and San Juans.

Clark Fork River (MT)

Should fish fine this weekend, if you can stand the cold, as temperatures are expected to drop. If you can handle mid-thirties as the high give it a shot. If not, hold off. If you do fish you might find the water to be a bit off-color, but that is normal for the Clark Fork this time of year. Dead-drifting big stonefly nymphs and beadhead nymphs in slower pools and foamlines could get eats. Streamers in black, slowly stripped off the banks, should get a look or two. The water is forecast to drop through next week so it will improve as long as we get a rest from the rain and if we get some warmer days be on the look out for midges, BWOs and maybe an early Skwala.

Read past reports from the CDA region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.