Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 9 - Flipbook - Page 34
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Here are my top 10 Bass fishing
destinations of the inland N.W.
Whether you like catching Ditch
Pickles (AKA L.M . Bass) or River
Turds (AKA Smallies) here are
some of the best waters to fish
here in the N. W.
10. ELOIKA LAKE, WASH.
This lake is 629 acres and located
seven miles north of Chattaroy
off Highway US-2, with a yearround open season. Fishing for
Largemouth bass in spring and
fall and are the best bets. This lake
has a reputation as an excellent
largemouth bass lake with more
than a few 4- to 6-pound bass
caught each year. Eloika has a
resort with a boat launch and
a WDFW boat launch south of
Gray's Landing off East Bridges rd.
9. CHAIN LAKES, IDAHO
These 10 Chain Lakes are off
the slow moving and majestic
Coeur d’Alene River. From top
to bottom they are Rose Lake,
Bullrun, Killarney, Medicine, Cave,
Swan, Black, Blue, Thompson and
34 | NWFISHING.net
Anderson Lakes. The best bass
lakes in the chain are Killarney
at #1, followed by Thompson,
Anderson, and Medicine. All of
the lakes have both SM and LM,
except Bullrun which only has
Largees. There are 2 launches on
the river, one near Thompson
Lake and one near the channel
that leads to Cave and Medicine
lakes. There are 2 more launches
in Killarney and in Medicine lakes.
8. COLUMBIA RIVER, TRI CITIES
AREA WASH.
There are hundreds of places in
Washington where fishing for
smallmouth bass can at times
be outrageously good, but the
Columbia is one of the best for
giant fish. All of those huge pools
behind the dams hold excellent
populations of smallmouth
worthy of your attention, but
Lake Wallula, (McNary Dam Pool)
stretching from the Tri-Cities area
down to the Oregon state line is
often considered among the very
best.
7. NOXON RES. MONTANA
Noxon Rapids Reservoir is
considered a top-notch bass
lake for both Largemouth and
Smallmouth are popular, as well
are northern pike. It is a collection
of such contrasts - mountainous
beauty beyond compare
combined with some of the best
bass fishing in the state. Backing
up about 34 miles of the Clark
Fork River, the reservoir is relatively
narrow - only a little over a mile
across at its widest point. Yet the
warmer waters have proved to
be a haven for a species of fish
more commonly thought of
as only eastern Montana fare Largemouth and Smallmouth
bass. According to Jon Hanson,
a fisheries biologist with the
Montana Department of Fish and
Wildlife, "It's got probably some
of the best bass fishing in the
Montana, right up there with Fort
Peck,"
6. PEND OREILLE RIVER, IDAHO
This is where the Junior Big Bass
World Champions have been held