North Idaho Ice

[Amkenda]

Spirit has been fickle for fish this winter  you can mark tons and not even get one bite now mirror has a good bite for kokanee and trout plus big brook trout (12")  if you want some pointers I'll be out on mirror this Saturday  as for Spirit I couldn't help cause I've  not really spent the time to fish it alot

Thank you! We fished mirror 2 weeks ago for the first time and marked tons of fish but hard to get them to bite. Fishing 40 fow. Caught some out there but noticed folks catching larger fish closer to the shoreline. Is that typical there? I’ve only got Friday this weekend or id take you up on that.

[RayneBidziil22]

Rainbow trout,  cutthroat trout, brook trout,  and kokanee
For the trout I use tip ups just a sinker a longshank hook and nightcrawler  set anywhere from 5-10' in water column usually in 10-20' of water for this  to work.

Kokanee any good thumb size spoon  little line below (2"-4") down to a size 14 or 16 dry fly hook that is rapped In thread to look like a skinny grub then tip that with a single maggot
When fish on screen drop rig below mark then super slow reel up past them then repeat  drop below marks and start reeling again pics for reference

[OutdoorPNW26]

New ice fisher looking to take my 10 year old to try for Pike. Any recommendations now that we had the polar vortex come through?

[plfish]

Talked with someone on the east side of Priest Lake.  Yesterday ice was forming in Cavanaugh Bay but this morning it was mostly gone.  I suspect the winds have had something to do with that.  The northern bays had some ice forming but it wasn’t out far enough where the water is deeper.  -13 yesterday morning and -10 this morning up here.

Also was in Priest River earlier today.  Crystal Lake/LP slough still had a pocket of open water in the middle.  You could clearly see where the new ice has formed the past couple of days in areas that were open water on Monday and it didn’t appear to thick in those areas (but I didn’t measure).  The older ice had the appearance of being better....but again...I didn’t measure.  Be careful on any lakes that have had marginal ice recently....the older ice may be good now but there will be pockets of ice not as a thick and strong.

[Idahoice77]

How is the brown fishing on cocololla?  Seen a few guys on it today on my way back up north ? Any one know the ice depth on south end of lake?

[bullpine]

New ice fisher looking to take my 10 year old to try for Pike. Any recommendations now that we had the polar vortex come through?

I would look for a good perch spot if you want them to like fishing.  I have only caught a few pike when I have set traps, but lots of pan fish while I tried.  I would bring a pop-up tent and heater.  Should be lots of perch on the North end of  Cocolalla up by Sandpoint if it has frozen.  I went to lower Twin to set some traps last Tuesday and I would have had to walk around the open water to get to where I wanted to go so I left.  This year is a thin ice year so I would go North to Freeman or Blue by Priest River.  Freeman has pike, bass and perch.  Mirror up there has kokes and trout.  Blue has perch but I don't think any pike are there. You could fish off the road between Cave and Medicine on the chains and watch the traps from the car. Have to check the ice as you go but it is shallow and the wind may not have bothered it.

[NedShneebly]

Went out to Medimont today, (Medicine and Cave lake) also checked Killarney. The chain lakes seem to be a no go this year. There is actually less ice today than when I checked last Friday, almost all open water. Im guessing the lower than normal water levels are affecting the CDA System. Gonna have to look north.

[Skookum1]

How is the brown fishing on cocololla?  Seen a few guys on it today on my way back up north ? Any one know the ice depth on south end of lake?

S.Moyer and I went out on the south end Thursday and there was 6" of HARD, clear ice. Wind was so bad we couldn't get the shelter set up so we called it. Plenty of good ice though.

[CMS]

Is there access on the south end of cocollala, or do you have go on from the sportsman’s access by westmond?

[martine]

 :)Passed by Cocolala an hour ago.  People fishing on both north and south end.  You can see some open water on the west shore from 95.  looked like plenty of ice..

anyone been on avondale??

[AHuntersLarder]

Fished N. Hayden yesterday morning till afternoon. No bites. Lots of people at Sportsman Access. A lot of tip-ups in place with about 3" of solid ice. Still pretty shallow waters. Heard another guy saying he got a couple of pike previous days. Hope everyone is having good luck out there. Going to try Freeman on Tuesday hopefully. 

[TOMINATER]

Going to try Freeman on Tuesday hopefully.

I just got back from Freeman and there was a solid 8 inches of ice in the middle. No bites though.

[TOMINATER]

Any tips for bait in the lakes around here? I was at Freeman today and didnt get any bites.

[Erik_24]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has had any luck for Burbot at Bonner Lake recently? I am hoping to try out ice fishing tomorrow for burbot but if it's slow I will try Sunnyside for perch or Mirror for salmon. (Gotta love all the options lol) I have fished burbot a bit in SW Montana and heard they could be found in Bonner Lake. Thanks tons!

[aza10]

Solid morning Kokanee bite at mirror. Looking around 9” total with a few inches white ice where I fished.  Sure got busy around 10 am.

[Sandhill Gills]

Fished Gamlin today. Ice was ok. 4.5-5” with some cloudy. Bite was very slow. Did manage a few big perch though.

[Sandhill Gills]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has had any luck for Burbot at Bonner Lake recently? I am hoping to try out ice fishing tomorrow for burbot but if it's slow I will try Sunnyside for perch or Mirror for salmon. (Gotta love all the options lol) I have fished burbot a bit in SW Montana and heard they could be found in Bonner Lake. Thanks tons!

I’ve heard the size leaves something to be desired. They are biting, but might be tough to find big enough fish to eat.

[Skookum1]

Is there access on the south end of cocollala, or do you have go on from the sportsman’s access by westmond?

Turn where the wolf hugger store used to be, cross the railroad tracks and you'll turn north toward the lake, you have to follow the tracks and go by a couple houses until you find a very crude boat ramp.

[jagmt]

Solid morning Kokanee bite at mirror. Looking around 9” total with a few inches white ice where I fished.  Sure got busy around 10 am.

About how big are they?

[jagmt]

Any tips for bait in the lakes around here? I was at Freeman today and didnt get any bites.

Margots on any small jig seems to work everywhere.

[aza10]

About how big are they?

Not very big. Like 6”

[Joe34]

Has anyone tried the east side of Spirit Lake lately? A few weeks ago it was not ready, but perhaps now?

[jagmt]

Not very big. Like 6”

Thanks AZA10...that’s about what I experienced a couple years ago.

[Idahoice77]

Any one see any nice browns come out of cocolalla lately....

[Idahoice77]

Good perch bite south end cocololla 9 in clear ice pretty consistent fishing....

[CMS]

Good perch bite south end cocololla 9 in clear ice pretty consistent fishing....

We had the same results on the north end.  We caught a few that had black specks almost looked like coffee grounds all over there skin.  From a little research it sounds like a parasite from birds.

[Idahoice77]

Did u catch or hear of any big browns

[CMS]

We caught one that was about 18”

[Idahoice77]

Cool deal we are trying to find some nicer ones any pointers

[CMS]

It was just dumb luck, we were fishing for perch on the bottom and it hit the lure on the way down.