Coeur d’Alene Fishing Report 12.15.17
Clearwater River (ID)
Our area waters are in their winter mode and fishing could be challenging for the foreseeable future. We’ll skip the regulars this week and revisit them again soon. For a little adventure you might want to head south to the steelhead grounds where fishing is reported as decent, despite lower numbers this year. We’ve received many good and encouraging reports lately. Even some good fly rod reports too. The river came back down after a good rain event a couple weeks ago, but things are cold now so the fish will be parking in their normal winter holds. And the water remains high, so choosing to fish the river this weekend means high water tactics. The river will get better as the water drops, but if you want at it this weekend you’ll want to swing heavy tips and articulated leeches, Prom Dresses and larger Hot Bead Stoneflies with rubber legs. Keep the swing slow because takes aren't always aggressive now. Try setting on the slow taps as that might not be a rock. The water above Orofino is starting to mush up and next week is supposed to be pretty cold, so I'd stay below the dam in the warmer water.
Grande Ronde (WA)
Iced up guys. Will keep tabs on it and let you know when it opens up and we can get back on it.
Read past reports from the CDA region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.
Bonus Fishing Report: Olympic Peninsula (WA)
Forks area river levels are currently good to low, according to area resident and guide Matt McCullough. The primary hatchery steelhead returns in Forks are alive and well with the Bogachiel and Calawah rivers remaining the strongholds for these 3-to 9-pound fish. On the “Bogey” there is ample fly water (and ample anglers) starting from the “Hatchery Drift” down to the Leyendecker Boat Ramp and back up to the confluence with the Calawah.
In case you’re wondering, the famous Sol Duc broodstock hatchery program was shelved about four years back. So, for those interested in that historic Forks area river, you’ll have to target catch-and-release options on native steelhead season coming up in late winter and spring.
Right now, after a week or more of dry weather, the Bogey gauge reads 26.5 feet and is still dropping slowly. This translates to a flow reading of 515 cubic feet a second on the nearby Calawah. Conventional OP wisdom holds that a Bogey reading of 28 feet and down is optimal fishing for both gear and fly alike.
Currently, up to three hatchery steelhead may be retained on the Bogey and the Calawah. Fly colors that work on these hatchery fish are purples, blacks and pinks, or combinations thereof. Guide McCullough is a fan of tube flies, which allows blunted or broken hooks to be swapped out while fishing these bouldery, rugged streams. I personally have witnessed these fish scarfing #2 black Egg-Sucking Leeches, dead drifted under indicators, by fly bankies fishing from the high bank side.
For more info on fishing these streams, especially during the upcoming catch-and-release season, don’t hesitate to lookup McCullough at http://www.tyeecharters.net/olympic-peninsula-steelhead.html If you’d like advice on putting together a steelhead outfit for the OP, contact the staff at the Omak shop at 509-422-9840. We’d be glad to help.
Here’s wishing you some Christmas Chrome,
Steph Avena, North40 Fly Shop, Omak, Washington