Ice Fishing Underway in Clearwater Region

The Clearwater region offers a lot of opportunity for ice fishing on the area's lowland lakes and reservoirs that have recently iced over in the new year. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game stocks these areas during late fall in anticipation of an ice fishing season and to provide additional growth to any carry-over Rainbow trout catchables that remain in the spring. Winchester Lake, Spring Valley, Moose Creek, and Soldier's Meadow reservoirs, all have ice fishing opportunities for anglers willing to brave the elements. Anglers are strongly cautioned to check ice thickness and proceed with care on snow covered reservoirs. For those new to ice fishing, the regulations allow up to five handlines or poles, which can maximize the action on a good day. Also holes cut in the ice for ice fishing cannot exceed 10 inches in diameter for the safety of other anglers. Rainbow trout, Bluegills, Crappie and Yellow Perch are likely to respond to a well-placed grub, maggot or jig in most of these areas. An added bonus for winter anglers is the Whitefish, often overlooked, but very tasty member of the trout family found in many of the region's streams and rivers. With a limit of 50 and size sometimes exceeding 20 inches, they are excellent fare for the smoker or freezer. The preferred method for Whitefish is a maggot or grub on a very small hook drifted through deep holes in the channel.