April 10, 2008
Lowland Lakes
With springtime comes some of the best fishing of the year at our lowland lakes. They all provide great fishing opportunities for planted rainbow trout, and most also have good populations of warm water fish, such as largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish and yellow perch.
Many of these lakes are managed as Family Fishing Waters, which designates simplified regulations (six trout and six bass bag limit, no length limits, and no special fishing gear restrictions). Besides the simplified regulations, Family Fishing Waters also are a great place to take youngsters to catch a fish. Most have good fishing docks and restroom facilities.
Below is a list of regional lakes and some of the fish you might expect to encounter at each:
· Dworshak Reservoir boasts excellent populations of kokanee salmon, rainbow and cutthroat trout, and smallmouth bass. Dworshak Reservoir from the dam upstream to Grandad Bridge is open to fishing all year, but above Grandad the fishing season runs from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to November 30. The trout limit in this part of the reservoir is 6 per day, but only 2 of those can be cutthroat.
Water levels in Dworshak are usually down 60 feet or so in the early spring but rise to nearly full pool by June. The best kokanee fishing of the year can be had in April, May and June, with fishing usually starting to get good in mid to late March. Most of the early action is between the dam and Dent Bridge.
· Deer Creek Reservoir - near Pierce. Family Fishing Water. This is the state's newest fishing lake. Excellent populations of stocked rainbow and cutthroat trout. The reservoir is open all year to fishing, but because of wildlife related road restrictions, the access road will be open to motorized vehicles May 20-September 30 annually. Outside of those dates, anglers and other lake users will need to make a hike of about half a mile to reach the lake.
· Elk Creek Reservoir - near Elk River. Good populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, brook trout, and stocked rainbow trout. Boats are restricted to electric motors only.
· Fenn Pond - near Fenn Ranger Station on the lower Selway River. Family Fishing Water. Stocked with rainbow trout in the spring.
· Mann Lake - near Lewiston. Mann Lake is an irrigation reservoir and is usually drawn down in the late summer, but it is at full pool in the spring. Good populations of largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and stocked rainbow trout. Boats are restricted to electric motors only.
· Soldier's Meadow Reservoir - 20 miles south of Lewiston. Soldier's Meadow is an irrigation reservoir and is usually drawn down in late summer but it is at full pool in the spring. Good populations of black crappie and stocked rainbow trout.
· Spring Valley Reservoir - near Troy. Family Fishing Water. Good populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, and stocked rainbow trout. Boats are restricted to electric motors only.
· Tolo Lake - near Grangeville. It is a fairly turbid natural lake but has been stocked with white crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish.
· Waha Lake - south of Lewiston. Waha is a natural lake and has fair populations of smallmouth bass and stocked rainbow trout.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s surveys of the kokanee population last fall revealed good numbers of fish, so anglers should expect some great fishing this spring. Rainbow and cutthroat trout fishing can be very good in the spring also. Look for the best action at the mouths of tributary streams.
Smallmouth bass anglers usually start doing well with the onset of warmer weather. The last two years have seen intense interest in the bass fishery, as in 2006 at least two smallmouth over nine pounds were caught in the reservoir. Both of these fish shattered the old state record by over a pound, with the biggest fish pushing the record to 9 pounds, 11 ounces.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Army Corps of Engineers started a nutrient enhancement program last spring on Dworshak Reservoir. This exciting project essentially involves adding specific nutrients in specific doses to bring the overall nutrient levels in the lake into balance, and promises to improve water quality and fish growth.
Results from last summer indicated that densities of high quality zooplankton favored by kokanee increased substantially after the first couple of treatments.
Bi-weekly treatments are scheduled throughout this summer, and IDFG will be monitoring the progress on the treatments throughout the year.
Sportsmen's Report sponsored by John and Lorraine Weiland
Riverside Sport Shop/Sinclair
11320 U.S. Highway 12, Orofino--208-476-5418