Northwest Fishing Reports

Ok i am taking my 9 year old daughter to Roosevelt this weekend and would really like some help with would be the best thing to use for walleye, I am not asking for any hot spots just what i could use to hopefully put one in the boat. Please any info would be appreciated.

Roosevelt is a big lake, where are you planning to launch?

Most likely Porcupine bay or Fort Spokane as i am coming from Spokane

Here is a thread from the past Bottom Bouncers

Once you can find the Walleye, then you can jig for them.

The best tip i have gotten on finding and catching eyes is fishing leeches. I fish WY but I hear leeches are walleye candy. The fish over here are in close relating to brush and flats I wouldn't fish deeper then 15" right now. Crankbaits and twister tail jigs are also very productive.

Leeches are illegal to use, at least the good ones that were imported. You can use native leeches if you can find them which in that part of river good luck. I have found a good imitation for leeches called Slimers. They look, feel and smell like real leeches. Much better than the old stand by gulp leeches. Look them up on youtube or go to the Slimers web page.

There is so much area up there to cover for walleye. Best bet is to find some good drops, points and shelves close to where you will launch and really pound those areas. Use jigs flipped or verticle on the points and sharp breaks. Really use your electronics to find the fish look in the 20-30' range. Once you find them on the screen give it a good go with the jigs or if you have a flat to work drop a bottom walker with a walleye spinner tipped with crawler. If you dont contact fish move to the next spot and do the same.

The thing with the river is the walleye will turn of and on so much that you can fish a spot and get nothing then return an hour later and its feeding time.

Hope this helps.

fishaholictaz wrote:The best tip i have gotten on finding and catching eyes is fishing leeches. I fish WY but I hear leeches are walleye candy. The fish over here are in close relating to brush and flats I wouldn't fish deeper then 15" right now. Crankbaits and twister tail jigs are also very productive.

In Washington, and Idaho, Leaches are also against the law. The state prohibited them a couple of years ago when Minnesota got a fresh water version of VHS, a disease that can kill fish. They don't know if leaches, or waterdogs, can spread it, but they are not taking any chances.

Sorry, no leaches, no waterdogs, ...........check the regs.

I've had decent luck dragging jigs on the Spokane river side of the bridge that goes to the casino, basically straight across from the Fort Spokane boat launch. There's a huge weedy area over there. We follow the contour line about 15-20 feet with a 3/8 ounce jig tipped with a yamamoto single tail grub and a small piece of nightcrawler.

If the walleye are tough the smallmouth should be pretty darn good right now and you shouldn't have too much trouble getting into a few.

Sorry don't read WA regs anymore:-" I fish in god's country now...

Thank you guys for all the info i do appreciate it. I would like to get into the walleye. My daughter caught one at potholes and thats all she talks about now. Wish us luck and i will posts the reults if we get lucky after the weekend.

fishaholictaz wrote:Sorry don't read WA regs anymore:-" I fish in god's country now...

Point well taken. LOL