August 23, 2012
Clearwater Region fishing report
Catfish
Fishing for channel catfish
in the Snake River along the Lewiston levees has been good, especially in the
early morning or at night. Recent reports indicate that most anglers are
catching fish in the 3-5 pound range.
A nice thing about
catfishing is that the gear and tackle needed is very simple. A medium to
heavy trout rod with spinning reel full of 10-12 pound test is all you need.
A simple tackle set up includes a slip sinker with a short leader and a No. 02
circle hook baited with a nightcrawler, cheese bait, cut-bait, or stink-bait.
Kokanee
Reports from Dworshak Reservoir indicate excellent kokanee fishing above Grandad
Bridge, about 1½ hours from the dam. Boat anglers trolling standard flash gear
in front of a corn or maggot baited wedding ring seems to be the ticket.
Most fish caught are running shallow, in the 12 to 20 feet range.
Steelhead
The
season for catch-and-release steelhead opened in the Clearwater River on July 1
and on Aug. 1, the harvest season opened from the mouth to Memorial Bridge in
Lewiston.
Because high water
temperatures in the Snake River appear to be delaying their migration, fishing
has been fairly slow recently.
While steelhead will continue
to trickle upstream, when water temperatures cool, get ready because the fishing
will really pick up and anglers can expect to do very well.
Fly Anglers
The Lochsa, Selway,
North Fork Clearwater, Kelly Creek and their tributaries
are the
best options for anglers seeking westslope cutthroat in August. Due to the
heat, trout will be looking for cooler water.
Check the deeper pools and
quiet water near riffles and rapids. You can also seek fish in tributary creeks
with sufficient flow for fish. These creeks are often cooler than the main
river, so trout tend to move into them in late summer.
Use attractor patterns with
yellow, red, or orange bodies, such as size 8-10 Clarks Stoneflies, size 12-14
Humpies, Elk Hair Cadis and Royal Wulffs. Terrestrials such as hoppers,
beetles and ants are usually productive as well.
The information in this
report is compiled from regional Fish and Game fishery managers, local tackle
shops and anglers. For more information, visit the IDFG website at www.
fishandgame.idaho. gov/public/fish.