Lake coeurdalane, Idaho

[pitted25]

heading up to idaho in early july. never been there, don't even know whats in the lake. any help would be appreciated.

[Jaydog]

I don't know either but judging by Tiger Woods Playstation Golf the course looks sick. I'm sure this is not the answer you were looking for but look on the bright side at least I bumped your thread back to the TOP.

[pitted25]

Thanks jaydog. least i got a laugh about it.

[freshonefish]

My daughter and Son-inlaw live in Sandpoint. He fishes and hunts often. He is now in Alpine running heavy equipment for awhile. Shoot me a PM and I can give his #. Oh yea my X manages that course.

[BiggestT]

They have land locked chinook salmon which spawn in the feeder river/streams. Average size is 25 lbs, BUT they have high levels of mercury from upstream mining operations and are considered inedible.

[Capt. G]

Whaddup, Hommie?
Too bad I couldn't hook up with you and OC Poacher last time I was out.

Several years ago, I got an assignment from a Japanese fishing newspaper to write an article on Lake Coeurdalane (is that how it is even spelled?).
I met up with my friend, and his buddy, a former NBA basketball player.

I brought two big swimbait rods, and a whole gallon of bigbaits, not knowing what to expect.


The small guy on the left is 6' 3". The NBA dude is a whole head taller.
I fished the Lake and surrounding lakes, that are inter-connected by canals. Blue Lake was especially good for bass--clear water and lots of reeds and laydowns on the primary and secondary points.


I had never fished for pike before. I donated three big baits before I said to my buddy "Hey, you know how I said I did not need to borrow one of your wire leaders...well...can I..."
The pike luv'd the big bait--the one above was taken on a homemade 8 inch swimbait (you can see the wire leader).
I did catch some without wire, but I saw many of the strikes, and it seams like they eat the big bait just like bass do--head first.


Smallmouth bass were everywhere. My buddy used a Lucky Craft 110 jerkbait, and it was pretty much a fish a cast, for 1 to 3 pounders.
I stuck to the big baits, here a 9 inch wood MS slammer, and did not get as many bites, but the ones I did were decent fish.


There are no Type 2 Hybrid Florida/Northern largemouth bass, like you have in LMV--these are northern largemouth black bass. One afternoon, me and the basketball dude caught two dozen bass from 4 to 6 pounds, mostly on 2oz. unweighted swimbaits.

So, there you have it. If I knew how to fish, I may have caught more, but I suck. I had a lot of fun though, beautiful scenery, clear water, and nice local people.
BTW, the lures that I gave you should work well up there.
Have fun.

[pitted25]

Originally Posted by Capt. G

Whaddup, Hommie?
Too bad I couldn't hook up with you and OC Poacher last time I was out.

Several years ago, I got an assignment from a Japanese fishing newspaper to write an article on Lake Coeurdalane (is that how it is even spelled?).
I met up with my friend, and his buddy, a former NBA basketball player.

I brought two big swimbait rods, and a whole gallon of bigbaits, not knowing what to expect.

Attachment 136483
The small guy on the left is 6' 3". The NBA dude is a whole head taller.
I fished the Lake and surrounding lakes, that are inter-connected by canals. Blue Lake was especially good for bass--clear water and lots of reeds and laydowns on the primary and secondary points.

Attachment 136484
I had never fished for pike before. I donated three big baits before I said to my buddy "Hey, you know how I said I did not need to borrow one of your wire leaders...well...can I..."
The pike luv'd the big bait--the one above was taken on a homemade 8 inch swimbait (you can see the wire leader).
I did catch some without wire, but I saw many of the strikes, and it seams like they eat the big bait just like bass do--head first.

Attachment 136485
Smallmouth bass were everywhere. My buddy used a Lucky Craft 110 jerkbait, and it was pretty much a fish a cast, for 1 to 3 pounders.
I stuck to the big baits, here a 9 inch wood MS slammer, and did not get as many bites, but the ones I did were decent fish.

Attachment 136488
There are no Type 2 Hybrid Florida/Northern largemouth bass, like you have in LMV--these are northern largemouth black bass. One afternoon, me and the basketball dude caught two dozen bass from 4 to 6 pounds, mostly on 2oz. unweighted swimbaits.

So, there you have it. If I knew how to fish, I may have caught more, but I suck. I had a lot of fun though, beautiful scenery, clear water, and nice local people.
BTW, the lures that I gave you should work well up there.
Have fun.

Thanks G for the tips. i was thinking about what i need up there. looks like you had a fun time while you were out there. Yeah bummer on hooking up with us in on lmv. next time your out this way, give us a shout out. that is a big guy on the front of the boat.
Thanks for all the tips, going to hopefully try and catch a northern. Never got one before. we'll see you when your in cali.

[Spokaloo]

Coeur d'Alene is usually pretty warm that time of year, and covered in water maggots (those irritating bugs that run around on jet skis or wake surf within 5 feet of your boat). In the lake you still have good chances at salmon (you can eat one a month), but bass/perch/crappie are the go-to fish for that month. Bass are going to be hanging out on the deeper weed cover, and basically anything that mimics a fish will get slammed. Im partial to crankbaits along weed edges, and spinnerbaits later in the evening at lower light, ripped right on the surface. Big splashy strikes, very fun.

There are many lakes in the area, with a ton of different target species. Go north to the Pend Orielle (pronounced Ponderay) river for the big pike. Rock lake in south Spokane county is good for trout ranging from 5-10 lbs. Lake Roosevelt, about an hour west of Spokane, has good summer walleye fishing on the long points. Channel cats and oversized sturgeon can be found in the Snake river just south in Lewiston and through SE Washington.

We live on Lake Spokane, which is the current record holder for Northern Pike in the state at 34 lbs. Great LMB and SMB fishery, occasionally we get a salmon here and there, perch, crappie, northern pikeminnow, peamouth, largescale sucker, common carp, and I have even managed to pull out a tench before.

Hit me up when you get up this way, we will see if we can find some fish for ya.

E

[TShooter]

This stuff is AWESOME! I will be up there the first week in August and was wondering what to fish for!

SWEET!

[evin722]

They have one of the coolest holes in golf, a true island green. You take a boat out to the green after you put a few in the drink trying to hit it!!

[PCH]

Where hasnt Captn G fished?

[pitted25]

Any more info?