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

Hatches

October Caddis
Mahogany Dunsa
Pseudo Baetis
Fall caddis
Hopper / Ants

The Fishing

I'm pretty much hitting repeat on this weeks NF Coeur d'Alene River report. Look for good weather to keep things rolling along for the foreseeable future. Fall has arrived in the Inland NW and fishing on rivers like the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene has been good. Fall hatches have been going, there is some terrestrial fishing still. With the low, late season water it's always best to downsize your tippet and lengthen your leader. Plan on October caddis, mahogany dun mayflies, bwo's, fall caddis, and a little hopper and ant fishing. Find the pools with some depth and you will likely find the fish.

Current Flow

Prichard = 72.1 ft³/sec

Cataldo = 298 ft³/sec

Flow Graph at Prichard
Flow Graph at Cataldo

St. Joe River, Idaho

Hatches

Caddis
Ants
Hoppers
October Caddis
Mahogany Duns
Pseudo Baetis

The Fishing

Good fall fishing continues on the St. Joe River. The nice weather will keep the program running. Fall hatches of October caddis, mahogany duns, bwo's, midges, and fall caddis will have fish looking up later morning and beyond. Definitely run a dropper or nymph rig the first part of the day until temps warm up. You could still have some terrestrial fishing since we haven't had too many hard frosts yet, but I would say it's more of fall fly game and tactic now. The softer and deeper currents / pools will be best.

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Current Flow

Red Ives = 59.4 ft³/sec

Calder = 372 ft³/sec

Flow Graph at Red Ives
Flow Graph at Calder

Spokane River, Washington

Hatches

Caddis
Pseudo-baetis
October Caddis
Fall caddis

The Fishing

The Spokane River fishing was solid this week reports our guide crew. I just spoke with Sean Wonders who was on the river with guest and personal time, he said the fishing saw an uptick this week. Bigger fish have come back out to play and insect hatches are a more present. You can see October caddis and fall caddis during the later parts of the day, morning hours there has been a pseudo baetis hatch, then spots of bwo's. No fish have been on the bwo's quite yet. Wonders has also noted this late summer / early fall he has seen some hecuba mayflies, a fly we haven't historically seen hatch in our couple decades of guiding the Spokane. Dry / droppers of course are working. Brighter chubbies like red or purple during the daytime hours coupled with a caddis pupa will find 'em. Nymph rigs with caddis, spanish bullets, and rubber leg stones are a good call and always a go-to. Later in the day an adult october caddis could potentially find fish on the surface too.

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Current Flow

1270 ft³/sec

Flow Graph at Spokane River - Post Falls
Flow Graph at Spokane River - Below Falls

Miscellaneous

The Fishing

Hitting repeat again this week! Not much changed.

Clark Fork River - fishing near St. Regis has been good. We were out there recently. Fish have moved into more fall, slowish water but are still looking for hoppers and low-profile chernobyls. Fall bugs like Mahogany duns, bwo's, and October caddis all are on the menu. A few hecuba mayflies still too. Patterns like purple haze parachute or brindle chute behind a low-profile foam bug worked. Droppers like a jig pheasant tail also were good at times.

The North Fork Clearwater / Kelly Creek - fishing very well. Due to the Moose Mountain Fire this late summer, the Black Canyon of the NF Clearwater will remained closed for a large stretch of it for the likely the rest of the year. Access to the upper NF Clearwater, Hidden Creek CG, Deception Saddle, Kelly Creek, lower NF Clearwater is good. October caddis and Mahogany dun mayflies have been very good. Running a rusty or orangish chubby chernobyl with a dropper nymph (spanish bullet, bh pt, large caddis nymph,etc) is a good way to prospect. Streamer fishing is very good too.

Steelhead Rivers

The Fishing

Steelhead fishing in the Inland NW saw an improvement this week with better reports coming from the Grande Ronde and Snake River now. There are fish in the system despite a record low year. The Grande Ronde guide season for us has kicked off and we have seen fish at the mouth, Shumaker, and up beyond Boggan's. The Clearwater is the Clearwater... it gives them out here and there, but for swinging it can be a challenge, thought the payoff can be BIG. Should you go steelheading despite the low returns? That's a silly question... you can't catch them from the couch.

We do have guide trip availabilty on the Grande Ronde this October if you are interested. Give Bo Brand our Guide Manager a call if you would like to get on the schedule.

See Idaho and Washington’s rule changes here:

Idaho: https://idfg.idaho.gov/article/idfg-modifies-fall-chinook-and-steelhead-bag-limits

Washington: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/emergency-rules


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Current Flows

Grande Ronde River at Troy - 583 ft³/sec

Snake River at Anatone - 13400 ft³/sec

Clearwater River at Spalding - 3110 ft³/sec

Flow Graph at Grande Ronde River - Troy
Flow Graph at Clearwater River - Spalding
Flow Graph at Snake River - Anatone