Snake river walleye (how far?)

[fowl_language]

Hey all, I post quite a few reports as I live on the border now in Moscow, used to live in Cheney for school awhile back. I am a season license holder for Washington because I like walleye fishing and this time of the year most of my time is spent over in WA.

I've been fishing for walleye my whole life (grew up in Wisconsin) I love fishing for them and Mardon resort and Coulee Playland have a lot of my money to prove it! Although Potholes and Banks are awesome places the gas money is killing me. I've heard of walleye being caught in the confluence of the Palouse and the Snake, but are they up any further in the Snake? Even the falls is a 2 hour trip for me and I might as well head out to Potholes which is not exactly a day trip.

Any information would be helpful, I know they are not pass lower granite, I've fished the lake religiously targeting perch/walleye/smallmouth with no walleye heard from.

I'm thinking of up the snake further at some of the other launches that might save me a half hour drive or so.

Thanks! Save me some gas money!

[YellowBear]

I talked with one of the fish counters at Lower Granite that told me she saw one pass through the dam.
That was 20 years ago, you may want to look a bit harder for them up in that area.

[fowl_language]

The lake looks like it would be good habitat for them, I would think that if they are up at the mouth of the Palouse they are bound to be in the lake by now, just never heard of an accidental catch up there before. Thanks for the bid of confidence I guess i'll have to hit it harder!

[rwl]

I've lived in the moscow pullman area since 98 and haven't heard of any walleye caught in the snake up here. You might talk to Mike the guy who checks in fish for the Pikeminnow reward fishery down in clarkston or at boyer park. He hears a lot about what is going on in the snake and the pikeminnow fishermen catch a lot of other species and I've heard a lot of stuff from them that I never heard before.

You probably have looked into Lake Roosevelt for walleye, it is a closer drive than potholes and banks (I think), maybe potholes is about the same distance

[fowl_language]

rwl, thanks for the heads up i'll check around.

Yeah I love Roosevelt, I try to get there twice a year, but it's about 45 minutes more or so then potholes. I usually do really well at the mouth of the Spokane and the submerged humps out in the main lake. I try Hunters too when I'm up there, but that's a definitely not a day trip!

I usually stay at the white willow they're awesome and it puts me right in the middle of Hunters and Fort Spokane. Man all this talk I might have to make a trip out to Roosevelt or Banks earlier then I thought.

[swb69]

I have fished lake Bryan(below Lower Granite dam) and Granite lake(above Lower Granite dam) for almost 40 years now and have not seen or heard of any walleyes being caught. I know what you mean about the gas bill. I live about half way between Pullman and Spokane and I have to drive about an hour to get to the nearest body of water, unless I want to fish in a farm pond. Sorry to say I think the closest good walleye fishing is going to be Potholes or Banks.

[Anglinarcher]

Walleye started at Banks Lake in WA, then showed up in Roosevelt. It is likely that they were in Roosevelt first. All other water in WA with Walleye is down stream of those two places now. Yes, they planted Sprague, and killed them off. Some are in Liberty Lake in Spokane County, and I expect a few other closed systems, but the State really does not like Walleye.

Idaho is also afraid of Walleye. They put them in Salmon Falls Creek Res. south of Twin Falls Idaho, in Oneida Res south of Preston Idaho, and another spot south of Burley Idaho, all either closed systems or water that drains into water that already had Walleye (Bear River).

As a result, all water above the confluence of the Snake and the Columbia is devoid of any Walleye, unless a bucket biologist has planted them or some made it over the dams through the fish ladders, which would be few in numbers and maybe too few to meet the reproduction threshold.

I hope this helps, but the only exception to this is some Walleye in Northern Idaho, in the PO system, probably from wash downs out of Montana.

[wmaxwell48]

I respectfully beg to differ with Anglinarcher, some of the better Walleye areas are on the Snake anywhere from the confluence of the Columbia up as far as Lyons Ferry. The flats below the Palouse hold some very fine fish on the Snake. Each year Western Washington Walleye Club makes a trip to Lyons Ferry, usually in July. While we make it a habit to fish Cannel Cats in the Palouse we also fish Walleye on the Snake for several miles either side of LF. Catches are not spectacular for numbers but size shows these fish have plenty to eat and are a healthy fishery. Stomachs show a lot of sculpins and pikeminnows. I also wish to point out that Tri-cities might be a little closer than Pot-holes. Both are premium Walleye fisheries. Walleye Anglers Unlimited out of Tri-Cities will also have a library of information on the areas in question with hot spots, techniques, and seasonal best times.
see http://www.walleyeanglersunlimited.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
see http://www.walleyeclub.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anglinarcher]

I stand corrected. I was going by information given to me by prior state officials.

Clearly I was wrong.

[wmaxwell48]

No sir, I would not say you were wrong. Depending on the age of WDFW data, it would have been more accurate for that time, but today we have an excellent growing fishery in the Snake. I know they have aged data and use it because it is all they have....even if not true.

[Anglinarcher]

I noticed that even in the Snake River near Clarkston that they fear Walleye. I see that the Grande Rounde has no limit on Bass (I know it has SMB during the summer) Channel Catfish and Walleye. I suppose that they may be all they way to the base of Hells Canyon now, but I have never heard of one being caught.

With all the fishing I do there, for Bass, I would have expected to hit one if the numbers were up in the Grande Rounde or the Snake near Clarkston.

[sylvanslayer]

I see some really awesome posts in this chain. I just want to add a very recent update. Obviously, walleye are making their way up the snake River. We are in the midst of a fishery developing right beneath our noses. As many anglers that have put in much effort over the years have stated, basically little to no walleye to speak of in the past 40 years above little goose.
HOWEVER, in the past five years, specifically, there have been an increasing number of walleye caught in lake Brian. I fished the northern pike minnow program for the past three seasons (top 20 angler in 2016) and last year alone I know of at least eight walleye caught near Boyer park. Two of which were well over 20 inches. Those are just the ones I've heard of.
Just this morning, I spoke with another top 20 angler, and he told me he was at the fish viewing station at lower granite and personally watched one swim through the latter into the pool above lower granite. I also have physically witnessed walleye pass through lower granite Fish ladder as well in the past few years.
I also personally caught two walleye last season at Boyer Park. One of which was in the marina itself!
I have a fishery biologist degree, and was a fishery biologist for 15 years, as well as a sport fishing guide in fresh and saltwater's, and I have owned my own commercial fishing boat in Alaska. I have spent my life studying fish and predicting their behavior. I feel very qualified when I make the prediction that within 15 years there will be a thriving walleye fishery at Boyer Park. Within 40 years I believe there will be one at the confluence of the Clearwater and snake.
These are my opinions of coarse, but I would bet the farm on it.
BTW – my wife and I are going fishing for walleye tonight at Lyons ferry!!

[f1sh1nf00l]

Can anyone post an update of these fisheries? Have they been getting better for the eyes as predicted?