NF CDA - North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Hatches

March Browns
Samonflies
Drakes
Yellow Sallies
Pale Morning Duns (and Pale Evening Duns)
Golden Stones
Carpenter Ants
Caddis

The Fishing

MT Fishing Film Festival this Saturday at the Magic Lantern! Copy / paste this link for more details:
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Another week of quality fishing up on the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River. Every stretch of the river has still been fishing well. On the cooler days, hatches have taken longer to really get going, especially higher up the system. Afternoons have consistently been the best for hatches and dry fly fishing, subsurface tactics have been better earlier on in the day. The rain yesterday did give the river a much needed shot of water, not much in the grand scheme of things but we will take whatever we can get going forward. Gonna be a little chillier up here for the weekend, but the forecast shows air temps warming back up quickly after this cold front moves through. Still seeing some salmonflies, golden stones will quickly become the predominant stonefly hatch going forward though. March browns and various drakes have been out too, I’d definitely have a few different colors and sizes for these. Cutties love the big mayfly hatches and will often seek them out amongst other bugs floating down the river. Caddis, yellow sallies and carpenter ants have been out too.

Current Flow

Prichard = 450 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Prichard

Cataldo = 2370 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Cataldo

St. Joe River, Idaho

Hatches

March Browns
Skwalas
Salmonflies
Golden stones
Yellow Sallies
Drakes
Caddis

The Fishing

MT Fishing Film Festival this Saturday at the Magic Lantern! Copy / paste this link for more details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montana-fishing-film-festival-spokane-tickets-1987761539273?aff=oddtdtcreator

We had a great day of fishing on the lower St. Joe when we closed the shop down on Tuesday. Flows were sitting around 5500 CFS, so definitely pushy in some sections especially higher up above Marble Creek, but the lower sections had plenty of good water and happy fish. Hatches were pretty consistent all day. Caddis were out everywhere we went, along with a variety of drakes, yellow sallies and a few golden stones. We had the best luck with mayfly patterns on the surface, but the foam bugs with a dropper had plenty of eats as well. Flows did jump overnight with the rain yesterday, but it’s already back on the drop. Jet boat races are going on this weekend below Calder, so if you’re planning to be up here in the next few days be mindful of that.

Current Flow

Red Ives = 1660 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Red Ives

Calder = 6130 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Calder

Miscellaneous

The Fishing

MT Fishing Film Festival this Saturday at the Magic Lantern! Copy / paste this link for more details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montana-fishing-film-festival-spokane-tickets-1987761539273?aff=oddtdtcreator

Trout lakes are fishing well. Heard a few reports from the Cheney area lakes this week, sounds like Amber, Fish lake and West Medical were all worthwhile. Bass fishing is also very good right now, fish are up shallow in all the area lakes which makes for some fun sight fishing opportunities.

Montana general small stream opener is this Saturday, May 16th. Most Western Montana streams are high and out of shape right now, but keep an eye on conditions for when these drop into shape.

Spokane River, Washington

Hatches

n/a

The Fishing

MT Fishing Film Festival this Saturday at the Magic Lantern! Copy / paste this link for more details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montana-fishing-film-festival-spokane-tickets-1987761539273?aff=oddtdtcreator

Reopens to fishing on the WA side Saturday, May 23rd. Flows will be at a fishable level right out of the gate. I’d plan on good caddis hatches and maybe a salmonfly or two hanging around on the lower river. We’re stoked to get back out on the home water!

Current Flow

9010 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Lower River / Post Falls

Steelhead Rivers

The Fishing

MT Fishing Film Festival this Saturday at the Magic Lantern! Copy / paste this link for more details:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montana-fishing-film-festival-spokane-tickets-1987761539273?aff=oddtdtcreator

Grande Ronde - Good time of year to start finding smallmouth bass down here. The stretch closest to the mouth near Hellar Bar is generally best in May. The smallies will head further upriver as it heats up and flows drop. Any smolt colored streamer is a good starting point, crawfish patterns work well too.

Current Flows

Grande Ronde River at Troy - 3980 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Troy

Snake River at Anatone - 66200 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Anatone

Clearwater River at Spalding - 37100 ft³/sec
Prediction Flow - Spalding