Walleye in Pend Oreille

[DEER4DINNER]

I know the walleye population in Pend Oreille has been increasing for quite some time now.  Not sure if it's large enough to actually target them.  I hear a lot of them are caught by accident in the summer months.  From what I've read, it seems a majority of them congregate near the Clark Fork Delta.  I'm not familiar with the ice there or whether any of that area of the lake freezes up or not.  Just curious if we might have a fishery in the coming years?

[Idahogator]

That area has brutal current from the outflow of Cabinet Gorge Dam and a few creeks. It may get a little skim ice in coves and edges.
Best left to the soft water season.

[spiltmilt]

No chance of ice capable of supporting a person being available on the Clark Fork delta. That rivers rises and falls a full order of magnitude twice daily.

There are walleye in the Pend Oreille River downstream from the Sandpoint bridge and there is fishable ice in places there BUT be extremely careful and fish with a buddy. The river iced from shore to shore yesterday but most of the walleye water is sitting beneath thin ice.

[Idahogator]

Yup, they're there.    Now I need a "Wilcraft".

http://thewilcraft.net/wilcraft-vehicles.html

[jcmontgo]

Give it ten years and a little luck and we will be setting tip ups and nabbing some 'eyes on the big lake! For the reasons mentioned above, I wouldn't risk any ice near the delta or anywhere west of the long bridge....not worth the risk! You don't have to travel too far into MT to find em though....also plenty of XL pike just over the boarder in MT.

[DEER4DINNER]

Thank you for the replies.  I just bought a bigger nicer boat that will handle a big lake, so I think I'll wait and do some exploring in the spring.

[hugeinchina]

Pack River flats is supposed to have Walleye and I believe I have seen people fishing for them under the train tracks that you can see from the Long Bridge....although those people might be mostly fishing Smallmouth. I have been told that they can be found there though. In addition, my son pulled in a small walleye from the dock in Dover Bay. It was the only one we caught last summer, but we were told that guys do catch them there. I hope that helps!

[WinterWizard]

There's a few places on Lake Pend Oreille that freezes good enough for ice fishing.

Oden Bay off Sunnyside Rd,  Denton Slough and Bottle Bay. I haven't fished these for 20 years and they've dropped the winter water levels by 3-4 feet.

There's also a few spots on the PO River that freezes. We use to fish Springy Pt about 3 miles west of US 95. Turn just south of the Long Bridge.

Also the "Condos" right in Sanpoint use to be great.

[Idahogator]

WW, have you found better parking than 3rd St, for fishing access at the Condo Del Sol, NW of the Long Bridge?

Anyway a bribe may work with the station attendant at the "gas 'em up", ha?

[WinterWizard]

WW, have you found better parking than 3rd St, for fishing access at the Condo Del Sol, NE of the Long Bridge?

Anyway a bribe may work with the station attendant at the "gas 'em up", ha?

I park at the Lake View Park Boat Ramp rear the south end of Boyer Ave. I have parked at the gas station before, never been told "no" when I've asked but that was 15 years ago.

[Idahogator]

Before the by-pass went in parking was no problem but, now dog beach is fenced off.  Years ago, I parked at the condos due to knowing the person in charge. Alas, she retired.   
I see my error, NW of the long bridge.      And before the gas thing went in, there was a mud hole to park near or in, ha.

Thanks, WW.


Tom