Winter fishing Spokane area

[JJ79]

I'm hoping to do some winter/ice fishing this year, I only got out once this spring due to learning archery for hunting. Never fished in winter before. Any thoughts/opinions/tips greatly appreciated.

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[quadrafire]

Hog Canyon
Fourth of July
Sprague
Waitts

[Dhoey07]

You can't beat Roosevelt in the winter

[daddysprad]

Until a week ago, I would have suggested Long Lake, but they started taking it down on the 31st, So it depends on what you want to catch.

[JJ79]

I don't really care what I catch, partially depends on where I go. Eloika seems like it's pretty good for crappie year round although I've only fished it once. I'm only ten minutes from the 9 mile dam, read in previous years reports of guys fishing right below during winter, mostly for whitefish. I'll be stuck on shore unless there is ice, I'm definitely not going out on my kayak in this weather haha. Is silver lake any good in the winter? I paddled around mostly last year, didn't catch anything in the summer/fall

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[JJ79]

I don't really care what I catch, partially depends on where I go. Eloika seems like it's pretty good for crappie year round although I've only fished it once. I'm only ten minutes from the 9 mile dam, read in previous years reports of guys fishing right below during winter, mostly for whitefish. I'll be stuck on shore unless there is ice, I'm definitely not going out on my kayak in this weather haha. Is silver lake any good in the winter? I paddled around mostly last year, didn't catch anything in the summer/fall.

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[Emptyhanded]

Roosevelt for rainbows would be my first choice.


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[jasnt]

Eloika isn't to bad this time of year plenty of perch and crappie but I haven't checked on the ice yet. Drive by it almost daily but haven't paid any attention if anyone has been on the ice. I'd head to Roosevelt my self cause I like trout fishing best. Hogs canyon was great when I was a kid but haven't been back there in years

[Mark251]

You can't beat Roosevelt in the winter

 

[Fshnpole]

With the cold air temps its been tough lately. I have been out 3 times in the last week with nothing to brag about.  Like others said roosevelt, but the water level is making it tough right now.  Looking back best results were always late  January and even better in February. 
Good luck

[Ridgeratt]

Hog Canyon  = Road can be a task at times could require chains
Fourth of July = Fish will taste Muddy in the larger ones
Sprague= Had a good selection to choose from
Waitts = Would be the best bet for Brown's and perch

With the cold air temps its been tough lately. I have been out 3 times in the last week with nothing to brag about.  Like others said roosevelt, but the water level is making it tough right now.  Looking back best results were always late  January and even better in February. 
Good luck

Looking at FDR it is only 7 feet below full pool water levels are great.

[JJ79]

Thanks for the spots guys. Perch, crappie, and trout seem like good targets to go for. I just hope to get out on the water

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[Fshnpole]

Looking at FDR it is only 7 feet below full pool water levels are great.

Right, high water.  I like to cover alot of water from the bank.  For me it seems to fish better at lower levels and access is much easier.

[724wd]

Is waitts frozen?  my kids would like to try a bit of ice fishing

[Fshnpole]

Not sure if waitts is frozen but i went out last week on a small private lake and the ice was skeetchy to say the least.  With the warmer temps the last couple days i would say ice conditions would be even worse but I may be wrong.

[Ridgeratt]

Is waitts frozen?  my kids would like to try a bit of ice fishing

I think that could be a call to waitts lake resort. They can tell you what they see out the window.

[724wd]

Is waitts frozen?  my kids would like to try a bit of ice fishing

I think that could be a call to waitts lake resort. They can tell you what they see out the window.

I didn't want to be that guy that asks if a lake that never freezes has frozen    I take it Waitts does freeze enough to ice fish?

[jasnt]

Is waitts frozen?  my kids would like to try a bit of ice fishing

I think that could be a call to waitts lake resort. They can tell you what they see out the window.

I didn't want to be that guy that asks if a lake that never freezes has frozen    I take it Waitts does freeze enough to ice fish?

yes, it does freeze

[high country]

Fishing from shore at rock with a slip bobber using worms and power bait will catch bows deep and steelhead shallow. Bring extra gear because the rocks are merciless.....but the fishing is nonstop.

[JJ79]

Are scents more or less effective during the winter? I have a bunch of scent but haven't been out to test this year. I'd think if fishing deep or under ice, scent would help.

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[Dhoey07]

I use scent liberally

[cumminsbassguy]

Newman, silver eloika are the close Spokane lakes. 4th of July has good trout action, hog canyon was slow for me. 1 bullhead.    Silver has tons of small small perch. But constant action.  Went out today 01/08/16. Nothing but itty bitty perch

[JJ79]

I use scent liberally

Do you have a specific scent you use? I bought a few different scents from a local company and they all seemed to smell like anise. I've tried that scent as well as garlic in the past as a diy trial.

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[724wd]

Fishing from shore at rock with a slip bobber using worms and power bait will catch bows deep and steelhead shallow. Bring extra gear because the rocks are merciless.....but the fishing is nonstop.

Steelhead?  at rock lake?

[cumminsbassguy]

They stocked rock with a bunch of steel head

[724wd]

They stocked rock with a bunch of steel head

gotcha!    I knew they put them in sprague and some other lakes, just never heard WHICH other lakes.

[JJ79]

I ate some steelhead over the summer that was so good. I've never fished for it before but now I'm thinking I'll have to

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[high country]

We tossed some garlic salt and basil at the rock lake steelhead and even my kids that are not too hip on fish swallowed it hook line and sinker.

[Mossy]

We tossed some garlic salt and basil at the rock lake steelhead and even my kids that are not too hip on fish swallowed it hook line and sinker.

I must have caught the bland ones last weekend 

[Dhoey07]

I use scent liberally

Do you have a specific scent you use? I bought a few different scents from a local company and they all seemed to smell like anise. I've tried that scent as well as garlic in the past as a diy trial.

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I use Mike's glow scent in shrimp or krill

[cumminsbassguy]

Went out to silver for a few hours yesterday (01-13).   Snow cover was gone, about a half inch of water on top with 3-4 inches of good clear ice. A couple holes in the ice by the cracks.    Found little fish.    In 16 f.o.w. no big ones yet

[JJ79]

With recent weather, ice is probably melting to an unsafe thickness

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[cumminsbassguy]

Yup, its all going to me melted now. Which sucks, because I really enjoy ice fishing haha

[Ridgeratt]

Yup, its all going to me melted now. Which sucks, because I really enjoy ice fishing haha

So now it's time to beach fish Roosevelt or float it.

[Henrydog]

Last weekend Jan 31st, Hog Canyon was ice free the 1st 3 feet around perimeter of lake, but the rest of the lake had 3-4" making it unfishable.  Dumbed the boat in Rock and it was non stop 12-14" planted steelhead.  We where using full sinking fly lines 8" leader using woolly's and egg sucking leaches.

Also trolled with cowbells and wedding ring caught 2 browns mid lake

[Skillet]

Hog Canyon has always been like that in milder winter years - I assume it is because the rocks heat up from the sun and melt the ice away from the shore.  There is usually a "footbridge" of some sort scabbed together to get people out on the ice though - or used to be. 

[high country]

We've been CRUSHING the burbot and kokes in Roosevelt. Don't miss out!

[benhuntin]

We've been CRUSHING the burbot and kokes in Roosevelt. Don't miss out!

pm sent

[quadrafire]

That Rock Lake fishery is pretty cool right now. Be interesting to see how long it lasts. My son and I went both days this weekend and caught easy limits. I fly fished one day and had a blast. White wooly  bugger seemed to work as good as anything in the stream below the bridge.  A red devil spoon was the bomb for my son. The guys in boats seemed to be doing well but don't know what they were fishing.