Hope / North Armon Lake Pend Oreille
Cool autumn conditions (50°F
- 01Cool autumn conditions (50°F, clear skies, light wind) on Lake Pend Oreille.
- 02Subsurface food sources like Mysis shrimp, chironomids, leeches, and baitfish are primary targets.
- 03Kokanee Salmon spawning activity makes egg patterns highly effective for trout and char.
- 04Focus on deeper water, submerged structure, ledges, and drop-offs for predatory fish.
- 05Shallow bays, especially around Hope Peninsula, may still yield smallmouth bass on warmer afternoons.
- 06Utilize slow, methodical retrieves and sinking lines to reach fish in deep holding areas.
What to tie on at Hope / North Arm
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Orange Tungsten Eggs
Kokanee Salmon are present and likely dropping eggs, making this a relevant pattern for trout and char during the fall spawning season.
Balanced Leech
Leeches are present year-round. Fishing a balanced version under an indicator allows the fly to stay in the strike zone longer despite the sluggish metabolism of winter fish.
Buy at AmazonZebra Midge
Midges are the most prolific winter insect. In the absence of a hatch, a black or red Zebra Midge is a reliable subsurface imitation for cruising trout and whitefish.
Buy at AmazonBalanced Leech (Black)
Leeches are a consistent food source for predatory fish like Lake Trout, Bull Trout, and larger Rainbows in stillwaters.
Chironomid Pupa
Midges are a primary and consistent food source year-round in stillwaters, especially in deep lakes like Pend Oreille.
Buy at AmazonOlive Woolly Bugger
A versatile pattern mimicking baitfish and leeches, crucial for opportunistic predators in deep, cold water.
Mysis Shrimp
Lake Pend Oreille is a deep, cold lake where Mysis shrimp are a primary food source. In winter, trout and whitefish rely heavily on these high-protein crustaceans.
Buy at AmazonHopper Juan
Mid-summer through early fall, grasshoppers are a primary food source along grassy banks, appealing to opportunistic Rainbow Trout, Westslope Cutthroat, Mountain Whitefish, and Smallmouth Bass.
Buy at AmazonElk Hair Caddis
Caddis activity remains strong from spring through fall, making this adult imitation effective for rising Rainbow Trout, Westslope Cutthroat, Mountain Whitefish, and Kokanee Salmon in calmer bays and near inflows.
Buy at AmazonIdaho season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Fly shops nearby
Local flies, current advice and guided trips.