Fishing North of Spokane

[Austrian Hunter]

Hi everyone!
Do you know some decent fishing spots north of Spokane? I don't have a boat!  I am looking in killing some time between morning until Bear hunt, I don't hunt them in the am.  Catfishing is my favorite but I take any bite Thanks! 

[dscubame]

Walleye on the spokane river out by nine mile.  One side is reservation the other is not.  Bank fishing by the dam is pretty common and easy to find.  Been meaning to head out there but have not made it so I don't have much more info than that.

[Austrian Hunter]

Thank you!
Do you know which side is Res and which one not? 

[dscubame]

I asked one of my employees that lives out there who does a great deal of fishing for the Walleye.  Little Falls Dam is the place.  From what she told me...before the bridge heading N to NW (going away from Spokane) on left side of road is non-native all else tribal permit is needed.  Basically just before the bridge there is a field on the left that you can see evidence of people parking and a trail from there over rocks and sorts down to the water.  She continued to say she likes to go down a little further with the tribal permit because it is a little flatter and seems to fish better.  Good luck on the bear hunt too!

[Austrian Hunter]

Thanks dscubame! 

[johng]

Hi,

My folks live in Spokane so knowing of some good places to fish around there is awesome.  Can you eat fish out of the Spokane River?  I thought I remembered reading that you don't want to due to all the industrial pollution from years gone by.  Does anyone know 100%? 

[dscubame]

You still do not want to eat them.  From Little Falls Dam down being Lake Roosevelt is a popular fishery that does not have the concern that the upper river continues to have, warranted or not I do not know.  The continued issues with the bottom of CDA Lake that feeds the river has really messed up the fishery with the exception of catch and release of course.  Last I heard one a year for adults and none for children.  With that said there seems to be no issues with the fish out of the Spokane arm of Lake Roosevelt or pretty much does not seem to be a issue below nine mile from what I understand.  I will catch the crayfish and eat them as a adult with no worries as does many on the Spokane arm however I will not let my kids eat any of them.

It is really too bad as the river is a exceptional fishery with great potential.