KOOTENAI RIVER FISHING REPORT
April 9, 2026
Snowpack Numbers
Kootenai 75%
Pend Oreille Drainage 88%
St. Joe / Coeur d’Alene Rivers 68%
Clearwater 76%
Priest Lake 63%
https://idwr.idaho.gov/water-data/water-supply/snow-water-equivalency/
Northwest River Flows Forecast Center
https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/rfc/
Kootenai River
Flows 24,400 CFS
Temps 44
Flies
https://houseoffly.com/the-tj-hooker
https://houseoffly.com/patrick-kilbys-french-dip
https://houseoffly.com/brita-fordices-worm-farm-tb
https://houseoffly.com/josh-graffams-hustler-cdc
https://houseoffly.com/kris-keller-s-peach-fuzz
https://houseoffly.com/fly-project-flash-n-grab
https://houseoffly.com/keller-s-she-demon-bugger
Flows are still big and predicted to get bigger, up over 30,000 cfs at the Leonia Gauge by next week, so the Kootenai will not be the best option for fly fishing as we deal with runoff. Here’s the good news: the lakes are fishing great!
Lake Pend Oreille / River
Temps 45-50
Lake level 2054.75’ elevation
Flies
https://houseoffly.com/rios-precious-metal-kreelex-coppy-4
https://houseoffly.com/brita-fordices-busta-seamz
https://houseoffly.com/jawbreaker
https://houseoffly.com/kraft-s-kreelex-streamer-minnow-sz-6
https://houseoffly.com/blantons-flashtail-whistler-hc
https://houseoffly.com/gunnar-brammers-imposter
https://houseoffly.com/kelly-galloups-tips-up
We have been seeing 50-degree water temps in the shallows in some of the bays. That temperature is found in the bays that receive a lot of sunlight during the day. The smallmouth bass are responding. Most have been caught on flies around 10’ - 4’ deep water, which is really exciting to see! The pike are also getting more active on the lake and river section; they have been much more willing to lock on and chase down a fly with the extra sunlight and warmer water temps. Some mondo perch have also been caught out there this week, some reaching up to 15 inches, which is an absolute blast on a 4 or 5- weight rod. Get out there, this is a great time to find some eager smallies, pike and panfish, including good size crappies.
Small Lakes
Temps 45-48
Flies
https://houseoffly.com/ruby-red-eyed-leech-fly
https://houseoffly.com/phil-rowleys-red-back-pheasant
https://houseoffly.com/phil-rowleys-chromie
https://houseoffly.com/phil-rowleys-fab-chartreuse
https://houseoffly.com/phil-rowleys-pitching-leech
https://houseoffly.com/phil-rowleys-bb-micro-leech
https://houseoffly.com/umpqua-squirmy-wormie
https://houseoffly.com/the-zirdle-bug-fly
Stillwater trout fishing has been excellent this spring! Some of the lakes have been receiving their bi-annual stocking truck deliveries, so there are plenty of trout to be caught. Most approaches are working well, whether you are casting and retrieving flies on a sinking line, or fishing balanced flies under an indicator, or fishing boobie flies. Some chironomids are starting to hatch also. Trout really do start to key in on a Chromie or a Snow Cone-style chironomid pattern this time of year. This is the time of year to have those high quantity days on our lakes so get after it!
Question of the week:
“How do I shop for the right bucktail?”
Depending on what you are tying, there are many different types of tails you want to look at. Some have shorter hairs around 3”-4” and some have 4”-5” long hairs. The longer ones are great for tying big, bushy pike flies whereas the shorter ones are great for tying Clouser's and crayfish patterns. The tip of a bucktail offers a straighter, much more dense hair that doesn’t flare, whereas the lower section of the tail offers hollow hair the flares a lot when tied down.