North Idaho Ice

[RathdrumKris]

Fished spirit lake at bronze bay on Sunday.5" of clear ice Kokanee bite was pretty good but had to leave
Early so no limit.

[jcmontgo]

Mirror lake is fishing good. Targeted Kokanee and basically just fed them bait all morning. Landed 6 and lost 3 or 4 but man I just couldn't hook em. If you want to just trout fish, mirror is pretty easy. We landed 7 and weren't targeting them. One nice 17 inch rainbow as well as a tagged rainbow. Anyone got any tips for better hook up success on the kokes? Thanks!
Cody

[ForestGuy88]

Has anyone fished black lake for pike recently?

[Skookum1]

Mirror lake is fishing good. Targeted Kokanee and basically just fed them bait all morning. Landed 6 and lost 3 or 4 but man I just couldn't hook em. If you want to just trout fish, mirror is pretty easy. We landed 7 and weren't targeting them. One nice 17 inch rainbow as well as a tagged rainbow. Anyone got any tips for better hook up success on the kokes? Thanks!
Cody

Have you considered using a rubber snubber like you would trolling for them?

What depth are you fishing for them at if you don't mind me asking? I'm new to this so I don't have electronics.

[spiltmilt]

Have you considered using a rubber snubber like you would trolling for them?

What depth are you fishing for them at if you don't mind me asking? I'm new to this so I don't have electronics.

Its not really a hook and release issue its just they bite so softly that getting  a good hookset is difficult.

I've been doing well at 20-30' in depth.

[jcmontgo]

Its not really a hook and release issue its just they bite so softly that getting  a good hookset is difficult.

I've been doing well at 20-30' in depth.

Yeah it's not the hooks coming out....it's getting hooks in! Electronics help a ton. School moves in and blacks out the screen and tap tap tap and bye bye bait and then the schools gone! A bit later it's repeated. Not sure why I can't get them to stick but good Lord it's frustrating. I used to slay em in Georgetown lake in mt but just can't seem to quite get it together. By the way folks who fish mirror, did anyone lose something very important to fishing Sunday? Any advice on getting these little rats to stick to my hooks would be appreciated....

[Skookum1]

Its not really a hook and release issue its just they bite so softly that getting  a good hookset is difficult.

I've been doing well at 20-30' in depth.

I guess I hadn't really thought of that being an issue. Good to know thanks for sharing. I might give it try on Wednesday if the weather isn't too ridiculous.

[MNWalleye]

I have always fished the chain lakes in a boat , until last weekend when I went to Thompson. I was surprised to see the no trespassing signs right where I wanted to go. Is there a lake in the chain that has better access?

Where are the no trespassing signs? Fished thompson last weekend, parked on the east side and walked down the bank. Crappie bite was decent, think i brought home 8 and had a couple nice 11" slabs. Looks like it'll be nice tomorrow, think i'm gona give it another try.

[plfish]

Fished Blue Lake today with my son and a friend (her first time).  We kept 26 perch with most 7-8 inch dinks and a few 9 inches. The bite was sporadic but when it was on it was on.   The lake had 11" of had clear ice and we were using maggots and small teardrop jigs or perch eyes.  Usually we catch some crappie, bass, and pumpkinseed but today every fish was a perch.  It was a good day to "hook" someone new into ice fishing.

I live at a Priest Lake and have heard that folks have hit Cavanaugh Bay as well.  I've also heard that the Lake is also frozen north of the narrows....but I haven't been out to check on it or measure the thickness. Obviously we'll see what this week does to the big Lake.

[plfish]

So...I don't have much experience on Priest for Macs on the ice.  Assuming the ice holds up and provides for some fishing this winter, what have you had success with and how do you target them?  In the last 5 or 6 years years there have only been a few weeks total that the ice has been fishable and I've hadn't made it out much when it was good isafe ice. Looking for some advice on how to be successful from some folks who remember how to fish it on hard water.

[IceChatter]

Mirror lake is fishing good. Targeted Kokanee and basically just fed them bait all morning. Landed 6 and lost 3 or 4 but man I just couldn't hook em. If you want to just trout fish, mirror is pretty easy. We landed 7 and weren't targeting them. One nice 17 inch rainbow as well as a tagged rainbow. Anyone got any tips for better hook up success on the kokes? Thanks!
Cody

If you haven't tried these already: Maybe drop down a hook size?  A little (or alot) smaller hook, and sharpen the points on a whetstone.  Doesn't take much and you'll definitely notice a difference from factory sharpness.  Totally agree kokanee are tough to hook! Feel your pain.

[hugeinchina]

What kinds of lures do you use for Kokes through the ice?  I've only ever fished them trolling with wedding rings...

[ForestGuy88]

On top of having sharp hooks I found that rod choice is also important for high hook up ratios when fishing for kokanee. The first few times I fished for them I also had trouble hooking em then I noticed that the light rod I was using didn't have enough backbone to set a hook quickly. So I switched to anither light rod that still had an extremely sensitive tip to feel their light bite but had a stiff base that allowed me to quickly and powerfully set the hook. With a bite so light and quick like a kokanee, it's in my opinion that  you need to set the hook quickly and some light rods don't have good actions for that. Also, sharp hooks help for sure!

@hugeinchina, I used to fish kokanee with a small silver swedish pimple that had an 8-12 inch dropper off the treble with a small pink jig attached tipped with maggots. I did this in Montana not sure how it works around here

[ForestGuy88]

Once I switched rods I barely ever missed fish!

[slabmaster23]

Where are the no trespassing signs? Fished thompson last weekend, parked on the east side and walked down the bank. Crappie bite was decent, think i brought home 8 and had a couple nice 11" slabs. Looks like it'll be nice tomorrow, think i'm gona give it another try.

I'd be careful around Thompson. Lots of no trespassing signs and grumpy people.

[slabmaster23]

Where are the no trespassing signs? Fished thompson last weekend, parked on the east side and walked down the bank. Crappie bite was decent, think i brought home 8 and had a couple nice 11" slabs. Looks like it'll be nice tomorrow, think i'm gona give it another try.

Had to leave at least twice because a certain older man threatened to call the cops and I don't want any problems.

[chi04003]

Coming up to Fernan from out of town. Just wondering if anyone has a current ice condition report. I am trying to figure out if this heat will melt it too much. Never fished Fernan this is my first year really getting into the ice fishing game.

Thank you for any help.

[idahnt]

This warm spell won't make much difference in the ice at Fernan. It will make a mess of the snow on top though.  I was there yesterday and caught about 30 keeper perch. 

[hugeinchina]

Thanks for the tip ForestGuy88! 

[DEER4DINNER]

Anything below high water mark is public.  If there is a strip of land above that however that's posted, don't trespass.  I haven't seen any signs though along the road on the east side of the lake (steep bank side). 

Had to leave at least twice because a certain older man threatened to call the cops and I don't want any problems.

[bullpine]

So...I don't have much experience on Priest for Macs on the ice.  Assuming the ice holds up and provides for some fishing this winter, what have you had success with and how do you target them?  In the last 5 or 6 years years there have only been a few weeks total that the ice has been fishable and I've hadn't made it out much when it was good isafe ice. Looking for some advice on how to be successful from some folks who remember how to fish it on hard water.

drop shot white tubes or fish them with a 3/8th or 1/2 oz lead headed jig inserted.

[jcmontgo]

Anyone lose something at mirror lake on Sunday?

[idahnt]

I've done well on Priest Macks using Gulp minnows in green or yellow.

[MNWalleye]

Had to leave at least twice because a certain older man threatened to call the cops and I don't want any problems.

Hahah wow sounds like a nice guy. Parked on the east side yesterday and just walked down the bank, I was the only one on the ice. Bite was pretty consistent all day, definitely worth the trip.

[fishinPA15]

This warm spell won't make much difference in the ice at Fernan. It will make a mess of the snow on top though.  I was there yesterday and caught about 30 keeper perch.

Where did you fish?  I was there on the 15th and cut holes at my usual haunts around mid- to far end of the lake.  Only caught a few rogue perch, one per hole.  No schools on the finder.  Nobody I ran into was catching much of anything.  Fernan is like that sometimes.  Just need to know if I need to change up my location.

[Skookum1]

Checked out Fernan today, it was a sloppy mess, guess I'll wait a couple days until everything freezes again.

[spiltmilt]

Round Lake is still fishing solid. 20+ perch, crappie, and bass in a few hours fishing this morning. Lots of slush on the surface but actually easier to walk on than the knee deep powder. The parking lot is a skating rink so be careful.

[Idahogator]

Well done !

That's good news on the conditions, spiltmilt. Thanks.

It was ankle breaking, cardiac panting, struggle Monday the 16th, with 13" of ice covered with 1/2" to 6" of snow with surprising hidden holes.

The brookies seem smaller and the trout a bit larger, to 16 1/2".   Crack of dawn 'til 1:00 PM for the limit.  I need more practice.   

[hugeinchina]

Any more videos coming SpiltMilt? I've got to stay around Pullman and work this weekend so won't be able to make an ice fishing trip up north. Nothing but YouTube I've fishing for me this weekend 

[spiltmilt]

Any more videos coming SpiltMilt? I've got to stay around Pullman and work this weekend so won't be able to make an ice fishing trip up north. Nothing but YouTube I've fishing for me this weekend 

I wish but the harddrive on MacBook, which I do all my video editing on, died last week. New drive is on the way. Gotta a trip for Willamette River sturgeon this weekend but the ice fishing videos will be coming soon.