Panhandle

[riske]

Hey all.  I just wanted to give a quick up date.

I have been on LPO twice in Feb.  Both times I fished the mouth of the Clark Fork.  It was cold.   My budy and I hit Hayden a couple of weeks ago. Water temp was 39.  No bites.

Went to Newman yesterday with the father in law.  Water temp was 44 at the start but warmed up to 49 by the end of the day.  We didnt catch anything.  I had a tiger Musky on for about a second until it bit me off.   5.5 in. Shadaliscious.  20 lb braided line.  That was pretty much a bummer.  I would have liked to get a good look at that fish.  It felt like a real horse. 

No its all your turn to post an update.   

I will be hitting the Clarck fork mouth again as soon as possible.   The Eyes should be stageing that area very soon.  Problem is the water is so clear.  I might have to switch to night fishing it.  Or on nasty days.  If anyone knows where the eyes are in LPO message me.  I will trade info.

[riske]

Hit Twin yesterday with my fishing buddy and got skunked.   We were after bass and northerns.  And got a big goose egg.  Water is still cold.  Dont know what the actual temp wascuz my temp gauge on my fish finder isnt working for some reason. I think its time to up grade.

[riske]

Well I havent been out sincelast weekend.  I would like to know if anyone has been targetign the walleye in LPO? 

I would love to see that lake turn into the next big walleeye fishery. 

[riske]

My Budy and I hit Hayden last weekend for about 6 hours without a sniff.  Dont know what the temp was cuz my temp guage isnt working. Guess its time for a new fishfinder.  Its a cheap POS anyhow.  We were targeting Smallies and pike.   My budy saw one pike that was just "hanging out"  we kept running the boat up next to it and it ust sat there.  Hanging out by the weeds.  Prolly not going to makke it out this weekend but you never know.  Want to hit LPO hard for the walleyes but my fishing buddy thinks its too far for him to go.  He thinks its closer to run to the Spokane arm to fish than it is to drive up here.  Guess I need to find a fishing partner closer to home thats not scared to fish new water.

[riske]

Where the hell are al the panhandle guys???  Must be fishing..

[BlueDuck]

Crappie are starting.  Caught about 20 today on Twin.  All 9 to 10 inches.  Had to work for them but they are starting to bite.

[riske]

Any idea what the water temp was?  Have you tried for the northerns out there?  Also Upper or Lower?

[BlueDuck]

Water was 62 on upper twin (by my fish finder at the surface).  Went out again on thurs. and caught 26.  Fishing is pretty good but you had to move quite a bit and cherri pick.  Seems there would be a few agressive fish in every school, but the rest had lock jaw.  Never have targeted Pike on twin.

[fishmonger535]

hey riske,
i come down every summer and fish LPO.  had lots of luck with smallies.. I have also been looking for the walleye, I fish them a lot up in Alberta. But have you to find one on LPO.  I stay at Hope. Is there much for Largemouth, Crappie around there?? I tried Denton in July for Large mouth, but nothing.  I would think you would catch walleye in that lake around those islands.  Up north we just find sharp dropoffs, humps and go nuts on them. Found some nice perch by ellisport bay last year.  And caught one small over 4.5lbs.

[riske]

Fishmonger, all the shallow weedy bays hold large mouth.  If you are staying in Hope try Sunnyside and the bay around the mouth of the Pack river.  Also the Clark Fork river.  You can also fish the Pend Orelle river all the weeds and shallows hold nice large mouth. All of these areas might also turn out some BIG Northerns so don't be surprised if you hook a gator.  Crappies are all over these areas but they seem to be caught more easily in the spring. The islands have some very nice Small mouth.  I have not found the eyes yet. But I will.  Its kind of hard to fish for them with the kids because they get bored to fast.  So we stick to small and large mouth.   

[BlueDuck]

I caught a 14 inch crappie out of P.O. near the mouth of the Clark Fork.  That was the largest of several I caught that day.  Went back the next day and didn't get a bite.  I think I caught the tail end of the spawn in that area.  There are nice fish in P. O. lake if you can find them.  Im hoping to hit it harder this year.

[riske]

I know I am going to hit it harded this year. I fish and boat out of Mortons alot cuz its only 25 min from my house but this year I am going to head to Hope and fish the islands and the CF mouth alot more.   Blueduck PM me and maybe we can head tht way and find some eyes if your interested.

[fishmonger535]

northerns?? as in pike?  I catch a lot of them where i am from but have never caught one there.   I have caught some nice small mouth and perch in ellisport bay.  I have tried denton slough and caught nothing there.  Fished along the island some and had luck with lakers and rainbows.  Id like to get into crappie, largemouth, walleye. Just have to keep looking.  Love fishing that lake, so much variety in there.

[riske]

Yes as in Pike.  We fished it this weekend and did OK on dink Small mouth.  And a couple 2 lbers.  But I think they are coming off the Spawn and the big girls arent hungry.  In a couple of weeks they will pick up.  My father-in-law did catch the biggest perch I have ever seen in person. 

[riske]

Headed down to the Snake tomorrow morning till Monday.  Its going to be a long weekend of catching Smallies.  Maybe eve a cat or two.