North Idaho Ice

[fishaddict]

Only ones I've heard of are the ones I caught. I'm sure that some bruisers are cruising there though.

[plfish]

Fished Springy Point this afternoon with no luck.  Ice was 14".  I talked with one guy coming off and he had caught 3 but all were 3 inches (I'm assuming perch).  Another guy coming off the ice had been there from noon until 5 and had 7 perch but in the 7 inch range.  I had stopped by the Dover docks but didn't go down to the ice.  A guy was just coming off and had spent some time out there with no luck.  He had a fishfinder but never saw anything on it.

[riske]

Hit Upper Twin yesterday and saw a few pike coming off the ice.  None in my sled though.  I had one flag but it was dropped.  I caught a few pumpkinseeds jigging though.  Wasnt a bad day the sun was out and kinda warm. But the wind sucked.

[fishslayerX]

I fished Hauser for cats from 3-6:30 only one bullhead no big channel cats ice is thick at least 10" the shoreline was tricky from the ice shifting. Is everyone pumped to watch the superbowl should be a good one.

[A-Bomb]

Took some friends and their 3yo boy to Cocolalla yesterday. Fishing was great with 30 perch caught in just a couple hours. Perch are good size now, avarage fish was 9". Holy cow was it packed though. I have never seen so many people on that lake in all my years fishing it. Not everyone was getting them though, you needed to be actively jigging. Green  sw.pimple was the hot color for us. Man they were yummy last night! Saved a bunch of the 5"ers for pike in a couple months!!

[Idahogator]

Ya, looked as if a Tournament was going on there. And the north access parking, out into the street, was worse than the  much ignored restroom (bring your wipes).

Only took 5 brookies and had a nice sunny outing.

Next time I'll consider a side arm to wend off the "wheeler freeks".

[DakotaElkSlayer]

  How thick was the ice on there?

Jim

[chipmunksniper]

Fished Hayden all day today and didn't pop a flag. Guys behind us pulled a 7 pounder in and that was the only action we saw. Ice was 11" where we were at.

[Idahogator]

  How thick was the ice on there?

Jim

Delay of game on me, Jim. Was 9" of ice, within a 1/4" in twenty two places, some over,some under.

     Tom

[Gypodog Jr]

I musta seen you out there sniper...I fished Hayden midday today with my son.  Did you have a shanty positioned about middle of the bay?   We had one take-and-drop right after we set up at about 10:30, and that was it. pulled my sets at 2:00 to make the superbowl.  We were the ones that hiked quite a ways down the bay and set up.  Hayden sorta has me scratchin my head.  I catch pike all summer long there and then get shut out on the ice.  Must be doin something wrong.  I'm thinking of trying a florocarbon leader setup next year instead?  God knows I'll keep tryin.

Rich    

[A-Bomb]

Delay of game on me, Jim. Was 9" of ice, within a 1/4" in twenty two places, some over,some under.

     Tom

I concur.

[chipmunksniper]

I musta seen you out there sniper...I fished Hayden midday today with my son.  Did you have a shanty positioned about middle of the bay?   We had one take-and-drop right after we set up at about 10:30, and that was it. pulled my sets at 2:00 to make the superbowl.  We were the ones that hiked quite a ways down the bay and set up.  Hayden sorta has me scratchin my head.  I catch pike all summer long there and then get shut out on the ice.  Must be doin something wrong.  I'm thinking of trying a florocarbon leader setup next year instead?  God knows I'll keep tryin.

Rich    

Yeah that was us out there. stayed till 5 but no flags. Was the fourth time we've been out there but still haven't hooked into one yet. have seen others pull them out so we know they are there. definately a lot easier to hook them in the spring and summer!

[fishinPA]

Fished Cocolalla on 2/5/11.  Best day of perch fishing I've ever had at this lake.  I fished the east side of the lake with what seemed like a cast of thousands.  Ice was about 10 inches thick.  I started about 8:30 AM with maggots on a Frostie glow jig just off the bottom at a depth of 40 feet and had steady action until about 10:30.  The key was being willing to move to find the fish.  I was coming up empty for a while and a couple of guys 25 yards away were pulling perch in hand over fist.  I finally found a pair of hot holes, where I fished the rest of the afternoon.  The perch preferred a black jig with a worm trailer during the afternoon bite.  I had nonstop action pulling in a total of
40 perch that ran 8-9 inches.  I only had to throw a few dinks back.  I fished this lake 2 years ago and had to throw half of them back because they were less than 6 inches.  Things are looking up.  Tight lines!

[plfish]

Anybody have any advice for how to catch some macks out of Priest Lake?  I know Cavanaugh Bay is a hotspot, but what's the best way to go after them?

[DakotaElkSlayer]

Anybody have any advice for how to catch some macks out of Priest Lake?  I know Cavanaugh Bay is a hotspot, but what's the best way to go after them?

How's the ice there?  Biggest thing to hit Macks through the ice the last five years or so is tube jigs, 3-5", and white to chartreuse color.

Jim

[perchhead1]

I just talked with my buddy from Colin Sat night and he said there is no ice in his area of Priest Lake for ice fishing.

[Fullerfly]

I checked out a few spots on Pend Oreille  There was hardly any ice out at Sunnyside.  The new ice broke up when we were there.  Perch bay had lots of perch, but it was hard to break 5".  I have had reports from all over the lake and pretty much the same thing is being said.  There just aren't any big perch being caught right now.

[iwantabuggy]

Are the 5 inchers males or females?

[plfish]

I just talked with my buddy from Colin Sat night and he said there is no ice in his area of Priest Lake for ice fishing.

The north end of Priest is frozen over.  Coolin doesn't have much ice at all let alone ice you'd want to walk on.  I think Cavanaugh Bay also has quite a bit of open water as well.  Overall the south end of the lake is fairly open but the north end does have more ice and folks have seen people out fishing. If you're using the tube baits are you putting a strip of squawfish on it?

[Bearsfan]

I didn't ever use cut bait with tubes, the green and white crippled herring is the best i've used. C'mon cold temps! Mack fishing through the ice is one of my favorites.

[chipmunksniper]

Fished Upper Twin for a few hours today and had one flag go up but lost him. Ice was 13-14" Going to try hayden again tomorrow

[DakotaElkSlayer]

  Keep us posted on the ice on Priest, please.  Would like to waste a day, and way too much money on gas, and try my luck up there.

Jim

[perchhead1]

Fished Cocolalla from 1100-3 pm  on Tuesday.  Very active fish, brought home 72 perch and one brook trout.

[jwice444]

I fished cocolalla and got only three perch in an hour and a half or so. Are you fishing the east side of the lake or by the boat ramp? I was also using a black and orange jig tipped with a worm, what were you using? Also, has anyone fished kelso?

[perchhead1]

East side of the lake, I used small jigs tied below a kastmaster type lure (search lure)  The fellows fishing near me  also did well.  Maggots or a perch eye.  I am heading out today (Wed) will post a report tonight.

[fishslayerX]

Im back in the ranks of the unemployed again sucks anyway more time for fishing maybe i will try rose tomorro.

[BlueDuck]

I fished Round Lake today.  I caught 3 Brook trout, 11" long.  Two other  guys had a few brookies and rainbows.  The rainbows run 12 - 13".   Not real fast fishing.  Ice is iffy.  Good ice 12" near the docks but as you get out on the lake it thins out alot.  150 feet straight out from the dock its only 5" or less.  Watch your step and drill your way out to make sure....

[fishslayerX]

anyone fish spirit lake lately maybe the ice locked up this week just wondering witch side of round did you fish i usualy do ok their but hate paying to park im a cheap skate.

[BlueDuck]

Fishslayer...  I hear you on the permit at state parks.  The way I look at it, a lot of folks feel that way and it helps keep the competition away.  With the open water and the iffy ice about the only place you can fish safely on Round lake is in front of the docks and a ways off to the left.  Most of the other lakes have much better ice right now.  I don't know what happened to Round.  Its sheltered and usually holds its ice pretty well.

[jwice444]

I hear you can catch a lot of brookies on cocolalla if you're in the right spot. I have tried by the shore, out in the middle and just can't seem to pinpoint where they are. I was wondering if anybody else is having luck with brookies on cocolalla.