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Spokane(Long) Lake Report
Spokane County, WA

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03/23/2008
Top Fishing From Shore
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03/23/2008
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Well, I read the reports from people who had been fishing long (spokane reservoir) and it got me feverish. I grew up on this lake near sunset bay, catching perch, crappie and largemouth bass. In those days there were no trout, smallmouths or pike. So I decided to stop and fish at a spot off hwy 291 between the little spokane mouth and big sandy this morning. I was pitching a spinner tipped with nightcrawler in a sharp deep cut of the river were the current starts to slow. after about 15 min I caught a nice little 14'' rainbow surprise. then about ten min later I let my line sink to the bottom for a minute or so then a fish grabbed it and it felt like a huge lethargic pike minnow, but, much to my amazement it was the largest walleye I ever caught 11#. I tried this tactic for another hour or so and I lost a couple more fish ( unidentified ). OK my question is when and were did the walleye get in there. Have other people reported walleye in this lake and what else in in this lake these days.


Comments

Anglinarcher
3/24/2008 1:37:00 PM
Walleye, in Long Lake, well I have never fished it, but this report is a new one on me.

As for other fish in Long, there are King Salmon that have drifted down out of Coeur d'Alene. This is where the Pike and Small Mouths came from as well.
Jay S
3/24/2008 2:23:00 PM
I have heard a few more say there are some walley in there and it is either that people are putting them in there on there way back from roosevelt or they are some how getting through little falls dam which I have heard stories that there is a way for the fish to get through the dam through some pipe or something along those lines but im thinking the bucket biolagest is the culpret
Gisteppo
3/24/2008 7:26:00 PM
I know a few old-timers that seeded the lake with wally's. There are (if memory serves me, and they didnt lie too much) at least a couple hundred that made their way in via 5 gallon buckets and bass boat livewells over the years. I don't think they are breeding, or if they are, its a rarity. Congrats on hooking up with a big one!

Fishing that same area I have been getting some rather large suckerfish, so Im betting thats what you hooked and lost, as they aren't particularly easy to get hooked up and in the net.

E
bazzdude
3/26/2008 11:07:00 PM
Cool, nice catch man. I am new to this site, i just signed up tonight, but anyhow. long lake, a few weeks ago i fished where the two rivers come together and cought the crap out of sucka bitches. bring you light tackle and it is really a blast. Also went down the lake a week or so later fished on the bottom with a mallow and hooked up with a few nice white fish i believe they were i am not sure, i am from westernwashington the white fish there are a lil diff. these had large long soft lips, looked like they were smiling at me. fun fish, ranging between 13-20+ inches.

* PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE *
fishbio
4/3/2008 3:29:00 PM
Walleye have been in Long Lake for awhile now but not in large numbers. I believe a state survey of the lake found them in early 2000. They have probably been there for some time I suspect. Like Gisteppo said "old timers seeding the lake." Not good fish management, the effects can be detrimental to the fishery. The lake already supports a large number of predatory fish.

Smallmouths were actually stocked by the state in the early to mid 90's and are really thriving. The kings and pike are washed downs and I would imagine a few smallmouth found there way down also. A few kokanee also inhabit the lake from CDA.

As far as fish climbing through the dam at little falls and long lake dam, virtually impossible. I believe there us to be a ladder at long lake dam but its inoperable now.

BAzzdude, I believe what you were catching were pike minnow (squawfish). Whitefish have a very tiny mouth thats kind of subterminal.

Congrats on the large walleye. Did you harvest it?
eustace
4/4/2008 5:18:00 PM
Fishbio, to your question did I harvest it, YES. I love Walleye... The fish was packed full of eggs.

I have a question for you (I have a feeling by your user name of what you do for a living) do you think the Walleye and Pike are reproducing in long. Also do you know of Sturgeon in that lake and back in the summer of 98 I caught a fish that looked kinda like a skinny Pike Minnow with big teeth.

Last summer I seen a large pike in the Little Spokane at Pine River Park in the swimming hole.
fishbio
4/9/2008 11:16:00 PM
Walleye is an excellent eating fish. I glad to hear you kept it.

The pike do spawn in the lake. When the water comes up in the next couple of weeks they will start to congregate on the nine mile flat (around the resort area). You can catch them casting spinnerbaits or floating rapalas. In fact the state record was caught there a couple years ago. I actually saw the fish two days before it was captured. A few people are catching them now walking out to the rivers edge at nine mile.

As far as walleye reproducing, I suspect that its probably fairly limited because you dont see them that often. From my experience on Long lake, I dont think there would be enough suitable substrate to support successful spawning which is probably why they havent increased in numbers. Walleye are also in PO River and Silver Lake but in very low numbers. Those two systems have similar habitat as Long.

Dont know of any sturgeon occupying the lake. What your describing sounds like a pike. Sturgeon dont have teeth. They have a subterminal mouth very similar to suckers. They also have whats called scutes on the side which are boney like structures. They are bottom dwelling and like fairly deep water but do occupy shallow water to spawn. Two species in Long Lake have big teeth, pike and walleye.

Pike in the Little Spokane. Thats the first I have heard of that. I dont know exactly where Pine Park ( is it located near Wandemere>)is but if its fairly close to Long lake it wouldnt really surprise me. However, if its further upstream that may be a concern that the state should know about. Are you positive it was a pike?

If you have any more questions let me know. Good luck fishing.
eustace
4/9/2008 11:41:00 PM
Fishbio, Pine River Park is east of Wondermere GC less than a mile. I trout fish there from time to time in the summer before the kids start swimming in that hole where I saw the Pike. I am sure it was a pike, I was Fly fishing when seen it chase other fish around wildly ( it was about 30" I'm guessing). My cousin owns Jerry's Landing resort at Eloika and he swears he has seen a pike in there because it was to big to be a pickerel?

The fish I was talking about with the teeth kooks like a fish that lives in Missouri river. The best way that I can describe it is like a mountain whitefish with large teeth and a longer pointed mouth. I sure it isn't a concern because this was back in the summer of 98 and there should have been more caught by now if there was a population. It could I guess be something from someones fish tank. I have caught Gold fish and I have seen a fancy type of Gold fish in there.
Hugeinchina
6/7/2018 12:17:19 PM
Sounds like a Gar to me.
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Available Guide

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Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709