Fly Fishing Stream Conditions Report: Kootenai River

This year: Flows on the Kootenai have been high, around 25,000 CFS, and stained, making it unsafe to fish. Reports from early April mentioned the small lakes were starting to fish well for trout with water temps in the 40s, and crappie fishing was also good. Later in April, lake temps warmed into the 50s, with pike, smallmouth, and crappie active. Bass were hitting streamers on the fall, and pike were following streamers. Crappie were found around structure. For the river, when flows are high and stained, heavy nymph rigs are recommended during the day, with streamers in the evenings. Once flows recede to around 15,000 CFS and lower, floating and fishing should become good. In the lakes, look for rainbows feeding on emerging chironomids near the bank. Balanced leeches under an indicator, or stripped buggers and leech patterns, have been working. For bass, stripping streamers with a slow cadence and watching the line for subtle takes has been effective. Pike fishing is visual, with them often following streamers all the way to the boat. Chironomids are hatching, and fishing emergers near the surface or dry flies when fish are rising can be productive. Slow Figure 8 retrieves with unweighted chironomid pupa near the surface are also working.

Best time of day: Morning

Prior years: No prior years report for this period.