KOOTENAI RIVER FISHING REPORT
July 16, 2025
Kootenai River (ID)
Water Temps: 62F Heat of the Day
Flows: 7,780 CFS @Leonia
Must Have Flies: Duracell #16-#14 Blowtorch #16-#12 Pat’s Rubber Legs #8-#14 Wooly Bugger #8-#14 She Demon #4-#2 Balanced leech #10-#12
Flows are getting lower on the Kootenai as summer ticks along, and we have been finding this week the nymphing action has been the most productive way to tackle the river. The heatwave last weekend slowed down the aquatic hatches, but it did help out the hopper hatch. We are hoping the dry-fly action will return by this weekend, but until then, bobbers down! A double fly rig with, say, a Blowtorch, Duracell, or a small Pat’s Rubberlegs has worked well. Another technique that works well on the Kootenai is dead drifting small streamers under an indicator just like you would nymphs. Try a small bugger as the top fly and a Balanced Leech as the point fly on the bottom.
If you need a shuttle for the Idaho side of the Kootenai call:
River Rafting by Rex 208-946-8323
Pend Oreille River/Lake
Lake level: 2,062.26ft
Water Temp: 70-76F
Must Have Flies: Poppers #2-#6 Frogs #8-#1 Mice #12-#2 Crayfish #14-#2 Clouser Minnow #2
Water temps are full on summer mode on the big lake with temps topping out around 76 degrees in shallows. That means you should get out early or stay later; the mid-day action is starting to get slow in the shallows due to the fact our fish have the option to go deep and follow the bait during the midday heat. But if you get out before the sun, you can still find nice bass cruising the shallows before they head deep for the day. One little trick to finding bass on structure during the heat of summer is looking for the shadows on the water from a house or a tree or bridge or anything else. In those shadowed areas you will find bass ready to ambush. Paying attention to moon cycles is important anytime of the year, but especially during the summer months. Typically, a bright moon and clear sky at night makes for a slow day of fishing the next day because the fish have been eating all night long.
Mouse swimming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5r1_qqDzcM
Small Lakes
Water temps: 72-78F
Must Have Flies: Poppers #2-#6 Frogs #8-#1 Mice #12-#2 Crayfish #14-#2 Clouser Minnow #2 Balanced leech #12-#10
The small lakes can be a good place to fish for the fly angler looking for some warmwater action in the heat of summer, first reason being that bass don’t have the option to go deep like they do in the big lake, so they are more likely to stay shallow under a dock or the lily pads or some wood or rock ledge coming into the lake. I still like to get out early in the morning to beat the heat and hopefully catch a good feeding window in the morning. The second reason why small lakes are good for the summer fly angler is that panfish become their most active during the heat of the day. So, I always pack a light rod like a 3-weight or lighter and go nuts on some panfish.