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Hunting and Fishing by Alan Liere Spokesman-Review, October 28, 2011

Fly fishing

Fly fishing has been excellent on the Snake and on the Clearwater near Orofino. The Grande Ronde is also producing. The water temperature is 50 degrees. If it stays there for a while, dry line and small surface flies should remain productive. Evenings have been best.

The lower portion of the Grande Ronde, about 2 1/2 miles from the mouth to the County Road Bridge, is under selective-gear rules and all steelhead must be released year-round. The upper portion of the Grande Ronde, from the County Road Bridge to the Oregon state line, opens Tuesday to daily retention of up to three hatchery-marked steelhead.

The North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene is seeing consistent nymph fishing and there is no reason to go above Pritchard.

Upper Goose Lake in Grant County is a picturesque and productive fly fishery in the fall. The southeast corner of the lake has been particularly kind to anglers, with a lot of 16-inch rainbow in addition to the more common 10- to 12-inchers.

Steelhead and salmon

Steelhead fishing on the Snake River is hot at Heller Bar. It has also been good around Orofino, Riggins and Grangeville. Tim Johnson of FishHawk Guides has been trolling Hot Lips plugs on the lower end from Asotin up and said his boat is getting fish every day. Info: 888-548-8896.

At Darver Tackle in Starbuck, Verna Foley reports "sporadic" steelhead fishing off the wall at Little Goose Dam but notes the Tucannon River is good. With its limited access, anglers would do well to stop by the store and get some directions. Info: 866-578-3808.

Steelhead fishing near Bridgeport on the Columbia River has picked up lately, although a lot of wild fish have been caught.

The Okanogan River is still full of chinook, but they are no longer open. Anglers swinging large black flies are taking a few steelhead as well as a number of rainbow trout to 16 inches.

The Similkameen River will open to hatchery steelhead retention beginning Tuesday