Northwest Fishing Reports

Has any of you been to Dworshak Lake? I am looking for a boat in camping place for me and the wife that is semi close to spokane and one of my buddy suggested Dworshak. What do you think.

Try Googleing the resivoir, There is a state park the with camping, launch ect. I don't know about any campgrounds that can be only acsessed only by boat there. Dworshak is probly Idaho's premier Smallmouth fishery it has some Largmouth and Trout. Below the dam is the worlds largest Steelhead Hatchery that makes for great fall-winter fishing and Salmon in the spring. The best thing about Dworshak is it's not overcrowded normally.

There are other great lakes that have good fisheries and have camping acsess by boat only. Lake Roosevelt has campgrounds all over and its a great Kokanee, Rainbow Trout and Walleye fishery. Long lake is real close to Spokane and west of the DNR campground/boat launch, Avista has Boat acsess only campgrounds. Long Lake is a real good Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass, Perch and Crappie fishery with some Pike and Salmon among others.

I google earthed the lake and wow this is a big lake I also talked with one of my friends who is a guide on the snake and he says Dworshak is poluted with fish. So this sounds like the camp place for me. If any of you have been boat camping on this lake let me know were the good spots are.

While attending college at LCSC I worked at a fisheries tech for IDFG (Region 2). Fishing for SMB, kokanee (lots but small), rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat, bull trout, and a rare crappie, was great fun. The camp sites are located every few miles around the lake and are first come. Wildlife is incredible.....elk, deer, turkey, bear, and grouse are abundant. For info call IDFG Reg. 2 and ask for Larry Barret. You call also PM me. You will not be disappointed if you go! If you go make sure you bring your fly rod and fish the N. F. Clearwater (in early Sept), its big fun.

i fished it once about 7-8 years ago. It was pretty early in my fishing career, so i wasn't real experienced with the whole reservoir thing. It seemed to fluctuate quite a bit (judging from shoreline structure). Anyway...saw most people trolling rings' for the kokanee. I myself didn't have a boat then, so i fished from shore. I landed my first kokanee there. On the west side (i think) by the campground, there is a trail that heads south. (it's been awhile). about a mile or so down the trail is a pretty good sized creek flowing into the lake. if you have a boat you can get real close cause it's deep, and you can fish it from shore as well. real rocky, but goes from shore to 25' with about a ten foot cast. I was fishing a bobber about 5 feet off the bottom and had good luck with a plain hook and 1/2 worm,no scent. that was late june. nice place....would definitely go back if i'm in the area again. (oh yeah, that northfork clearwater really does kick butt, very scenic and swift)

The camping at Dworshack is outstanding!
I have made the trip many times and hope to make a few more.
Make sure you don't forget anything.

I’ve never camped or fished dworshak but you might catch a record small mouth if you go. I fish for steelhead below the damn on the north fork and the locals tell me it is probably the best small mouth fishery in the great north west. Its funny you posted this I was just reading an article yesterday ay about the damn being potentially unsafe. The army corps say the “BELIEVE” that its safe but the don’t quote it as “knowing” it is safe. Google Dworshak damn being unsafe it has a bunch of cracks in it. Aren’t those the same guys that built the levees in New Orleans? Kind of scary but that probably won’t stop me from making a trip to catch a 6 to 9 lb smallie. Make sure to post if you go and what you caught.

Jay S wrote:I’ve never camped or fished dworshak but you might catch a record small mouth if you go. I fish for steelhead below the damn on the north fork and the locals tell me it is probably the best small mouth fishery in the great north west. Its funny you posted this I was just reading an article yesterday ay about the damn being potentially unsafe. The army corps say the “BELIEVE” that its safe but the don’t quote it as “knowing” it is safe. Google Dworshak damn being unsafe it has a bunch of cracks in it. Aren’t those the same guys that built the levees in New Orleans? Kind of scary but that probably won’t stop me from making a trip to catch a 6 to 9 lb smallie. Make sure to post if you go and what you caught.

:batman:
I read and seen that on TV soon after I posted a message about the resivior. The dam has some structual problem and it has a large leak borrowing under it.

Beerbohm, I also seen some kind od restrictions on the lake camping this year. I did't chatch the whloe story, so inquire about it with the state park down the before you go.