Spokane weekend late July

[Kado]

I'll be in Spokane to help my daughter with an art fair and hopefully will get a couple hours to hit a stream. It sounds like the Spokane river is my best bet for access. I have learned to enjoy not being a fish 'catcher'... : ). I do like not being surrounded by a hundred people with rafts though.....
Any suggestions or hints are appreciated. The chance of hooking into a Washington redband (if my research is correct) sounds awesome.
Thanks,
Mark

 

[Porter2]

Think a couple hours limits your field. If you can carve out out a half of a day 5-6 hours your options open up some. But that is a hot time of the year and I have never fished over there during July or August so maybe others can jump in.

 

[Marc Fryt]

Hey Mark, late July will most likely be very hot, so your best bet is fishing the "lower" Spokane which is the stretch between the Spokane Falls and Plese Flats (the aquifer in this section recharges the river and keeps it cooler than the stretch upstream of Spokane). Early mornings are the way to go. There is plenty of public land to access in this stretch and the only time you'll see people is during the afternoon when the tubers and kayakers hit the river (there aren't many rafters). You can also check out some of the fishing reports I have written to give you an idea of what the fishery is like, it's tougher since there are only about 300 trout per mile on the "lower" section, but I think you'll be surprised by the scenery and access.

 

[Kado]

Appreciate the help a lot. Sounds like a perfect way to spend the morning.
Mark

 

[krusty]

I'll be in Spokane to help my daughter with an art fair and hopefully will get a couple hours to hit a stream. It sounds like the Spokane river is my best bet for access. I have learned to enjoy not being a fish 'catcher'... : ). I do like not being surrounded by a hundred people with rafts though.....
Any suggestions or hints are appreciated. The chance of hooking into a Washington redband (if my research is correct) sounds awesome.
Thanks,
Mark

Bring bear spray...not for bears but rather for the transients that 'jungle-up' along the river during warm weather. They aren't the mythical 'friendly hobos' of the past.

 

[iveofione]

Bring bear spray...not for bears but rather for the transients that 'jungle-up' along the river during warm weather. They aren't the mythical 'friendly hobos' of the past.

Amen to that! Seeing some of the human flotsam and jetsam that inhabit the forest growth along the river has always made me damned glad I was in a raft zipping by.

 

[krusty]

Amen to that! Seeing some of the human flotsam and jetsam that inhabit the forest growth along the river has always made me damned glad I was in a raft zipping by.

It adds to the 'urban ambiance' of fishing the Spokane River!

I'd also advise a solid ability to identify and avoid Poison Ivy...which grows profusely along its banks.

And did I mention felt soled boots if wading? Its 'bowling ball' cobbles covered with rock snot (biofilm for the science nerds) are legendary!

 

[Kado]

Soooo....I guess I have to assume my truck might get victimized more than normal.....?
Are there carp in the river?

 

[Old406Kid]

Soooo....I guess I have to assume my truck might get victimized more than normal.....?
Are there carp in the river?

No carp that I'm aware of but lots of healthy suckers.

 

[Marc Fryt]

Soooo....I guess I have to assume my truck might get victimized more than normal.....?
Are there carp in the river?

Yeah, the only carp that you'll find are much further down at Long Lake (although Avista and WDFW are doing carp and pike removal there, so a lot of the big ones are gone).

Safer places to park: People's Park and Riverside State Park. I've personally never had any issues parking at other spots along the river, but I don't leave anything visible in my truck that would entice someone to steal something.

 

[Fourbtgait]

Could fish upriver for smallmouth. River is currently low. air temps mind 90’s.

 

[Marc Fryt]

Could fish upriver for smallmouth. River is currently low. air temps mind 90’s.

WDFW has been doing bass eradication on that stretch the last two years (to help out the redband population). So smallmouth fishing on that part of the river isn't as good anymore.

 

[Marc Fryt]

And here's a new water temperature monitor that the Spokane Riverkeeper just installed (it's located just upstream of People's Park): https://monitormywatershed.org/tsv/SpokaneRiver-Peaceful/6677/

It seems to be glitching a little this morning for some reason, but water temps have been in the low 60s in the morning (below the Spokane Falls to the water treatment plant).

And here's the latest fishing report: https://www.flyfishspokane.com/post/fishing-report-spokane-river-july-13th-2023

 

[Kado]

And here's a new water temperature monitor that the Spokane Riverkeeper just installed (it's located just upstream of People's Park): https://monitormywatershed.org/tsv/SpokaneRiver-Peaceful/6677/

It seems to be glitching a little this morning for some reason, but water temps have been in the low 60s in the morning (below the Spokane Falls to the water treatment plant).

And here's the latest fishing report: https://www.flyfishspokane.com/post/fishing-report-spokane-river-july-13th-2023

Thanks for info!. Sounds like there are really active groups trying to keep help out the Spokane river. I'll be trying to hit the river before anyone wakes up to start the day so hopefully the water temps will be cool enough.

 

[krusty]

Thanks for info!. Sounds like there are really active groups trying to keep help out the Spokane river. I'll be trying to hit the river before anyone wakes up to start the day so hopefully the water temps will be cool enough.

Water temps stay low throughout the Spokane River reach below the Monroe Street bridge because huge quantities of cold aquifer water enter along that stretch.

 

[Fourbtgait]

WDFW has been doing bass eradication on that stretch the last two years (to help out the redband population). So smallmouth fishing on that part of the river isn't as good anymore.

I didn’t realize that. I haven’t fished it for years, preferring to go to Amber or small cree up north