Pend Oreille River

Tributary of the Columbia River

  • Recommended Fishing Water

Pend Oreille River in Bonner and Kootenai Counties is 139.4 miles in length.

Interactive Map
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Facilities

Motor Restriction
No
Boat Ramp
Yes
Dock
Yes
Toilet
Yes
Campground
Yes
ADA Access
Yes

Recommended Game Fish

Species Observed in Surveys

Fish Stocking Records

Date Species Quantity General Size
1993/11/09 Cutthroat Trout 88,475 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1986/06/18 Rainbow Trout 4,025 Catchable (6+ inches)
1986/05/09 Rainbow Trout 1,000 Catchable (6+ inches)
1985/06/26 Rainbow Trout 1,015 Catchable (6+ inches)
1985/06/25 Rainbow Trout 3,990 Catchable (6+ inches)
1985/04/23 Rainbow Trout 2,500 Catchable (6+ inches)
1985/04/19 Rainbow Trout 2,500 Catchable (6+ inches)
1984/06/13 Rainbow Trout 4,800 Catchable (6+ inches)
1984/04/16 Rainbow Trout 5,035 Catchable (6+ inches)
1983/09/26 Rainbow Trout 3,480 Catchable (6+ inches)
1983/09/06 Rainbow Trout 2,320 Catchable (6+ inches)
1983/08/30 Rainbow Trout 3,200 Catchable (6+ inches)
1981/11/06 Cutthroat Trout 3,570 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1977/10/28 Cutthroat Trout 30,922 Fry (0-3 inches)
1977/07/05 Cutthroat Trout 173,140 Fry (0-3 inches)
1977/06/29 Rainbow Trout 2,196 Fry (0-3 inches)
1977/06/22 Rainbow Trout 2,240 Catchable (6+ inches)
1976/08/24 Rainbow Trout 1,890 Catchable (6+ inches)
1976/07/20 Rainbow Trout 2,320 Catchable (6+ inches)
1976/07/19 Cutthroat Trout 151,164 Fry (0-3 inches)
1975/08/18 Rainbow Trout 2,535 Catchable (6+ inches)
1975/08/08 Rainbow Trout 1,280 Catchable (6+ inches)
1975/07/30 Rainbow Trout 1,280 Catchable (6+ inches)
1974/09/05 Rainbow Trout 2,014 Fingerling (3-6 inches)
1973/07/11 Bull Trout 3,306 Catchable (6+ inches)
1973/06/11 Rainbow Trout 2,160 Catchable (6+ inches)
1972/09/08 Rainbow Trout 1,320 Catchable (6+ inches)
1972/08/23 Rainbow Trout 2,129 Catchable (6+ inches)
1972/07/20 Rainbow Trout 1,565 Catchable (6+ inches)
1971/08/10 Rainbow Trout 2,080 Catchable (6+ inches)
1971/07/12 Rainbow Trout 1,760 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/08/13 Rainbow Trout 1,280 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/07/27 Rainbow Trout 1,520 Catchable (6+ inches)
1970/07/17 Rainbow Trout 1,280 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/09/12 Rainbow Trout 1,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/08/25 Rainbow Trout 3,600 Catchable (6+ inches)
1969/07/23 Rainbow Trout 1,760 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/08/07 Rainbow Trout 780 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/07/22 Rainbow Trout 1,200 Catchable (6+ inches)
1968/07/08 Rainbow Trout 1,050 Catchable (6+ inches)
Source: IDFG Fish Stocking Database.

Licenses and Tags

Learn more about IDFG Licenses, Tags & Permits
 

Fishing Rules, 2025 - 2027

All Waters Open All Year

Except as modified in Special Rules
Fishing is not allowed within the posted upstream and downstream boundary of any fish weir or trap.

Daily Bag Limits

The following daily bag limits apply to all waters within each region except as modified in the Special Rules. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.

Special Rules

Pend Oreille River (from Highway 95 bridge at Sandpoint downstream to Idaho-Washington border, including tributaries and sloughs to the edge of flat water)
  • Bass limit is 6, only two may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
  • Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
Lake Pend Oreille (includes Sand, Strong, Riser, Bayview, and Mirror creeks and their tributaries)
  • No limit on the number of fishing rods per angler while fishing from a boat
  • Bass limit is 6, only two may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
  • No limit on Lake Trout. Lake trout may be possesed in the field or in transit with the head removed.
  • No harvest of Cutthroat Trout
  • Rainbow trout limit is 2, only 1 over 20 inches.
Panhandle Region Bag Limits
Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth)

  • Bass limit is 6, both species combined

Brook Trout

  • Brook Trout limit is 25
  • Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for Brook Trout

Bull Trout

  • Bull Trout - catch-and-release

Burbot

  • Burbot limit is 6

Chinook Salmon (land-locked)

  • Chinook Salmon limit is 2, none under 24 inches

Kokanee

  • Kokanee limit is 15

Northern Pike (Stocked illegally in this Region. May be harmful to existing fisheries.)

  • No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged

Sturgeon

  • Fishing for sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal
  • Sturgeon caught incidentally must be released immediately

Tiger Muskie

  • Tiger Muskie limit is 2, none under 40 inches

Trout includes Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Golden Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Arctic Grayling, trout hybrids (e.g. Tiger Trout)

  • Trout limit is 6, all species combined
  • Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately

Walleye (Stocked illegally in this Region. May be harmful to existing fisheries.)

  • No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged

Whitefish

  • Whitefish limit is 25
  • Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules - if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for whitefish

All Other Fish Species includes bullfrogs and crayfish

  • No bag, length, or possession limit
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