Sandpoint/Ponderay Fishing Report 10.19.2017
—North 40 Ponderay
Clark Fork River (ID)
Flows continue to be extremely erratic, but that is nothing new. Releases from Cabinet Gorge Dam rise and fall from 6,000 cubic feet per second to 30,000 cfs once or twice a day. Water clarity is excellent, and should remain excellent until we get a very heavy rain/snow. If you can hit the river when the flows are down, there can be great cutthroat fishing from a jet boat. This is the time of year when I prefer to swing, but nymphing is often wrongfully overlooked. As far as dries, there isn't a whole lot of opportunity. There are some October caddis and midges in the air, but nothing to lose sleep over. Some streamers to swing/strip are the #6 Bald Eagle, #6 olive Woolly Bugger, #6 Polar Minnow, or copper Sparkle Minnow. A few good flies to nymph are #8 Pat's Rubberlegs, #14 Copper Johns, #16 Psycho Princes, and a #8 October Caddis Pupa. However, a #10 October Caddis Adult, a #12 orange Stimulator, or a #20 Hanging Midge might raise a trout or two.
Lake Cocolalla
Fishing has been steady, but not hot. This is enough for me to spend a little time on good ol' Coco. I am mainly finding brown trout this time of year because I tend to work shorelines with large streamers. As far as places to hit, I fish every corner of this lake. One day when I get the time, I want to circle the entire lake, casting to the shoreline the whole time. Water clarity isn't great. The lake is a thick greenish color. This makes trying to see past three feet of water a challenge. Regardless, the trout are aggressively feeding on perch-like patterns between 6-13 feet of water. My best flies have been a copper Sparkle Minnow, a #6 rust Slump Buster, and an olive Circus Peanut. These are primarily fished with Rio's intermediate Camolux fly line, but occasionally I throw a fast-sinking line to reach the deeper ledges. The trout are turning into their beautiful fall colors, making each fish picture-worthy.
Kootenai River
Flows are holding strong at 4,140 cfs. This is premium walk/wade flows for those who don't have access to a driftboat. I concentrate most of my time on the Montana side of the river because MT offers more river access from the highway. However, the Idaho side is fishing well, and is a great alternative if you only own an Idaho fishing license. Hatches are still going off daily, so the dry-fly action is still on. Look for October caddis, BWO's, and midges while on the water. I match these hatches with a #10 October Caddis Adult, #18 BWO Film Critic, #18 BWO Extended Body, and a #20 Griffiths Gnat. Stimulators work when nothing else does. Toss a #12 orange Stimulator, a #12 royal Chubby Chernobyl, a #16 purple Parachute Adams, and a #16 Royal Wulff. White streamers, such as a #4 Complex Twist, or a Home Invader hunt the big trout.