Kootenai River & North Idaho Fishing Report

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Kootenai River Fishing Report

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://tacklefindsdaily.com/the-tj-hooker%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/patrick-kilbys-french-dip%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/brita-fordices-worm-farm-tb%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/josh-graffams-hustler-cdc%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/kris-keller-s-peach-fuzz%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/fly-project-flash-n-grab%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/keller-s-she-demon-bugger%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

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://tacklefindsdaily.com/rios-precious-metal-kreelex-coppy-4%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/brita-fordices-busta-seamz%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/jawbreaker%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/kraft-s-kreelex-streamer-minnow-sz-6%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/blantons-flashtail-whistler-hc%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/gunnar-brammers-imposter%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/kelly-galloups-tips-up%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

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://tacklefindsdaily.com/ruby-red-eyed-leech-fly%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/phil-rowleys-red-back-pheasant%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/phil-rowleys-chromie%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/phil-rowleys-fab-chartreuse%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/phil-rowleys-pitching-leech%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/phil-rowleys-bb-micro-leech%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/umpqua-squirmy-wormie%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

https://tacklefindsdaily.com/the-zirdle-bug-fly%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/p%3E

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.

RESOURCES

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Flow Data & Forecast

Frequently Asked Questions

KOOTENAI RIVER FLOW DATA

NORTH IDAHO WEATHER FORECAST

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is the Kootenai River good for fishing?

The Kootenai River provides exceptional trout fishing by any angler's standards. Home to big rainbows, cutthroat trout, bull trout and even the occasional brown trout, this is an incredible fishery with trout commonly 12-16" in size. On the Montana side, there is plenty of public access with boat ramps distributed from Libby Dam down river to the end of River Road. One important thing to note, there are no takeouts beyond the end of the road and the impassable Kootenai Falls lay downstream. Below Kootenai Falls, the most common section for good fishing is from Leonia to Moyie River confluence. This is a seasonal fishery that opens June 1st through October 15th, but be sure to check the regs! Official information is posted here.