Pike fishing on the Pend Oreille River

[YJ Guide Service]

Made a trip up to the Pend Oreille River with my buddy Scott and wife Melodie. We fished mostly crankbaits, spoons, swimbaits, and rapalas. Water temp was 37 degrees and weather was sunny for once. Fishing this time of year can be hard, but will only get better. Dynamic lures this trip were the ticket. We ended up with 5 fish all over 5lbs. Let me know if anyone wants to try for these great fighting fish.  Pictures are of my wife and buddy Scott. Good fishing everyone

[NWBREW]

Congrats on the pike. Doesn't appear to be much snow in the lower elevations over there.

[YJ Guide Service]

There is some snow but not enought to keep us from fishing lol

[Russ McDonald]

I was just checking out the same report you have on Washingtonlakes.com.  Nice fish. 

[Ripper]

Nice fish. I hope the bottom pic is your wife!  Just kidding. 

[Jburke]

I actually met your wife a few weeks back at the hospital.  Was looking at her calendar and fishing pictures when she mentioned the guide service.  Lol, as soon as I heard that I no longer was paying attention to my girlfriend getting her blood drawn.

[Camp David]

Nice looking fish...Did not know that pike were in the river...gives me something else "hunt" for in my spare time.

[wayner]

Very nice!! I love it up there, get them while you can, I hear rumors that our state is going to try and kill them off.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Very nice!! I love it up there, get them while you can, I hear rumors that our state is going to try and kill them off.

Right- the state and tribe are gill netting them to get the population bumped way down.   There are serious concerns about their impact on the Columbia River Salmon.  As much as I hate to see a fishery wiped out- I agree with the eradication effort.  Pike do not belong here.

[HornHoarder]

Nice looking fish! Thanks for the update. I fish pike up there quite regularly, but havent yet this year. Do you have any idea when the gillnets will be deployed?

[boneaddict]

YJ, do you know when the top water action starts for them......I flyfish  and want desperately to target them when they are in the shallows hitting surface "poppers" flies.

[WAcoyotehunter]

gillnetting will probably be going at 100% in April.

[YJ Guide Service]

The Kalispels will be placing nets starting this month for 6 weeks. I talk to Jason with the Tribe all the time so that way we are informed of whats going on up there. Top water gets going usually in May or June depending on water temp and conditions. This fishery has been a big debate for the last 3 years.

[boneaddict]

THey might wish they were around when the asian carp show up.    Thanks for the info.   Its on my bucket list.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Nice fish! Where would be a good spot to truck camp and fish for the pikes?