The Idaho Statesman Roger Phillips column

Oct. 17–October is shaping up beautifully with chilly mornings and warm, sunny afternoons.

Sounds like a recipe for good fishing, and there’s more variety than you might expect.

If I had to pick one area for anglers this weekend, it would be the Cascade area. It’s really beautiful up there right now, and fishing is good.

The main thing is trout. There are lots of big ones in the reservoir, people are also catching them in the North Fork below the dam, and nearby Horsethief Reservoir is well-stocked with trout.

I was lucky enough to a join Fish and Game crew on a net survey last week in Cascade, and I was impressed by the size of the fish, including trout, perch and bass. There are some real toads in there. But Cascade doesn’t give up its secrets easily. Don’t be a passive angler. If what you’re doing isn’t working, try something else or go some place else. If you’re in a boat, put that fish finder to work.

Chinook are also in the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam. Not sure how fishing will be this weekend, but I know some people are going to catch fish, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they catch some steelhead, too.

The Riggins area is having the best fishing of the fall season, and despite a low return to the Clearwater, there are some respectable catch rates there as well.

Steelhead update

Dam count at Lower Granite, Oct. 15: 81,195

Last year, same date: 76,612

10-year ave.: 139,345.

Roger Phillips: 377-6215