Sandpoint/Ponderay Fishing Report 10.12.17
Words By: North 40 Outfitters
Posted: October 12, 2017

—North 40 Ponderay

Clark Fork River Fishing Report (2)

Clark Fork River (ID)

Fishing has been a little spotty, but good overall. I have heard of a few large cutthroat being swung up with small streamers, like an olive Slump Buster, or a Montana Mini Intruder. Now is the perfect time to break out the good old trout spey. Only have a full spey? No problem. I practice with my Beulah Onyx all year, including on the Clark Fork. When the time arrives to chase steel, I am ready. Not into the swing game? Match some October caddis with #12 orange stimulators, or try #18 Parachute Adams’ to match the mayflies. Nymphing is always a good choice this time of year. Personally, I throw a lot of big bugs with a small trailer. A simple #8 black Pat's Rubberlegs with a #16 red Copper John will hunt big browns.

Lake Pend Oreille

The bass fishing is slowing down for some, but not for all. Now that the water temperature is sub-60, the bass can be found at almost any depth. I have found most of my bass in 15-20 feet of water. The nice part about this time of year is that there is hardly anyone on the water, and the bass are running bigger than they would at other times of the year. I have found that 3-pound smallies are a lot more common this time of year. Some of my must-have mid-fall are #8 brown Woolly Buggers, Cheech Leech’s (Halloween), and #10 olive Keller's Boat Launch Creeps. Crayfish patterns are also great to have on the boat if nothing else is working. Need places to go? Try the Pend Oreille River near Dover or the Riley Creek Recreational Area. If you stick with the lake, hit up the train trestle area out of city beach.

Kootenai River (ID and MT)

Flows out of Libby Dam are 4,140 cubic feet a second. This is an ideal water flow for you walk/waders out there. A driftboat will still offer the best access, but there is plenty to reach from shore. As far as hatches, mahogany duns, BWOs, October caddis, and midges are all going off. However, Stimulators continue to bring the most rises. Throw a #12 Royal Chubby Chernobyl, a #12 orange Stimulator, a #10 October Caddis Adult, a #18 Film Critic BWO, or a #10 Pink J Slam. White streamers, like Home Intruders and Complex Twists, will catch the bigger hawgs, but dries find the biggest numbers.