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

  • Hatches

    Caddis
    Ants / Beetles
    Hoppers

  • The Fishing

    Still pretty much the same program going on up here and it’ll stay that way through the remainder of the summer. Flows are low, fish are picky and hatches are minimal. Early morning outings will lead to the most productive fishing and the coolest temps. I don’t like fishing when it’s scorching hot outside and trout aren’t big fans of it either. Definitely the time of year to be aware of rising water temperature. When the thermometer is showing 68+ it’s time to wrap it up for the day. Upper reaches of the drainage are going to be very limited on fishable water, mostly just due to lack of water volume. I’d be focusing most of my efforts around the Prichard Devils Elbow area. Hoppers are out, ants and beetles are go-tos. Smaller flies make a big difference this time of year, especially lower profile dry flies. Fish have seen lots of big bushy flies at this point and are gonna be shy to them now. Small attractor nymphs hung under a dry can find fish in the riffles and faster water, maybe a small streamer pattern through some deeper holes would be worth trying too.

  • Current Flow

    Prichard = 86.1 ft3/sec

    Cataldo = 459 ft3/sec

    Flow Graph at Prichard
    Flow Graph at Cataldo

  • St. Joe River, Idaho

  • Hatches

    Caddis
    Ants / Beetles
    Hoppers

  • The Fishing

    Settling into typical mid-summer conditions on the St Joe river. Flows are definitely on the low side but fishing is still hanging in there. Fishing down below Avery is still worthwhile, but it’ll be a morning program. Work your way upriver as the day progresses to find cooler water and more active fish. There are some nice canyons and more shaded areas above Avery and fish will utilize that to avoid mid-day sun. Hatches are getting light here like everywhere, but there are still enough caddis and smaller mayflies to get fish interested at the right times. I’d plan on the terrestrial program when there aren’t any noticeable hatches. Hoppers are around, ants/beetles have been working and are a staple for the foreseeable future. Search out the faster/riffle water for the most part, fish like the higher oxygenated areas this time of year.

  • Current Flow

    Red Ives = 150 ft3/sec

    Calder = 655 ft3/sec

    Flow Graph at Red Ives
    Flow Graph at Calder

  • Spokane River, Washington

  • Hatches

    Caddis
    Pseudo-baetis

  • The Fishing

    Pretty predictable fishing on the Spokane lately. Early mornings are the best for an extended window of fishing. Dry-dropper rigs with a hopper or lower profile Chernobyl, with a caddis nymph hung underneath is the best program right now. Late evening can be good, really the last hour of light is going to be the most worthwhile. Swinging a soft hackle to caddis risers right before dark is one of my favorites ways to get ‘em in the summer. There’s been a sporadic ant hatch some mornings, whenever it happens the fish take notice but it’s anything but consistent. We’ll also see the tiny pseudo-baetis start to make an appearance, they are roughly a size 20-22 light yellow or olive mayfly. Some of the deeper roles and runs can be appropriate for a proper nymph rig right now, but overall we’ve been finding fish nosed up into the faster, shallower water so keep that in mind.

  • Current Flow

    952 ft3/sec

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

  • Miscellaneous

  • The Fishing

    North Fork Clearwater/Kelly Creek: One of the better options in the region lately. This river behaves a lot like the St Joe, just a little higher elevation which keeps the water a bit colder and maintains flow longer into the summer. Fly selection and hatches will be very similar to the St Joe recommendations. Roads are all in good shape. Some of the smaller tribs in here are worth fishing as well for something different.

    Kootenai River: Nice and cold water here all summer long. The Kootenai is a large system that can be tricky to fish on foot, but is a great option for rafts/drift boats. One of our go-to rivers in the dog days of summer.

    Montana: Lots of rivers with hoot-owl restrictions and will likely be more restrictions in place as summer wears on. If you’re headed this way, make sure you’re up to date on current regulations.

    Warmwater species: Carp and bass fishing is a great alternative on these hot days. Frankly, these guys don’t care how warm the water gets and you don’t have to worry about over-stressing them. Fish activity will definitely be best in the low-light hours, but you can get after it all day and have reasonable success.

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