First of all I want to tell you the two previous weekends that I fished down there I did alright, the water was high, muddy and lots of debree floating around.Then I landed a couple of nice fish usingtrout. So I dicided to take a couple of days off work and head down Saturday thru Wednsday. much to my suprise the water had dropped about four feet and cleared up (for the Snake). I fished every day all day mostly using trout with only one bite on Saturday and that was it. I even tried pickled herring and squid. I moved around and tried both sides.This morning I gave up around 9 and headed home.
I seen alot of people trying and having no luck. I talked to several people and only one guy I talked had one bite on saturday on the south side just below the dam. I was told the water dropped 3 degrees in a week and it is 4 dgrees below normal for this time.
I am not going back down untill we get some warmer temps, spring runoff or somthing. I feel I would be waisting my time until that happens.

YJ Guide Service

4/21/2011 9:15:00 AM

Didnt know you could use trout to fish for Sturgeon?

fishbig

4/21/2011 11:08:00 AM

You might want to check the regs but I dont think using a game fish as bait is legal. Would hate to see u get a ticket

sturgeoneater

4/21/2011 11:24:00 AM

I buy my trout at Williams Seafood in Spokane becuase I have not tried to catch any yet this year (fresh is they key). And as far as the legality of using Game fish as bait for food fish it is legal. The law does not alow you to use game fish for game fish but you can use game fish for food fish and visa versa. Weird but true! I do appreciate the heads up though. I thought the same thing when I first started for the sturgeon down there. The trout smells just like the smolt coming down the river and that is what they are keyed on this time of year. I decided to go do a day trip this sunday with a couple of friends after all, can't help it.

G-Man

4/21/2011 11:58:00 AM

Folks, I think you will find that there no longer are any restrictions on using game fish for bait. The main focus on bait these days is live versus dead.

sturgeoneater

4/21/2011 12:10:00 PM

G-Man, that I did not know that. When you are down there using trout the Game officials just ask were did you buy or catch it at.

G-Man

4/21/2011 12:42:00 PM

There could be a number of reasons they ask. Say you buy a dozen trout and take them with you for bait. What is the retention limit for trout in that section of the river? Also is there a size limit in place or a season when you cannot retain trout? Either way the officers you encountered seemed to be pretty reasonable as could have asked you to prove that you bought your trout and made your life a little difficult if you couldn't.

sturgeoneater

4/21/2011 2:44:00 PM

G-Man that is what I figured why they asked. They also stock a small pond (Casey Pond) not far from there that I have been told is mainly stocked for the strugeon fisherman. Although by far the best bait I have ever used Crappie. But very difficult for me to find time to get any and you can't buy that. If they are there they will atleast play with it, there is something about Crappie.

G-Man

4/21/2011 2:53:00 PM

I don't doubt it, everything seems to like crappie!

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