"... flat out my favorite time to fish"
SPRING FISHING on the Coeur d'Alene River is flat out my
favorite time to fish this incredible Cutthroat fishery. Heavy river flows
are a welcoming sign for the larger breeding Westslope Cutthroat and
some hefty rainbows as they make their way up river in route to the
big dance. Swollen river flows also give anglers rare opportunities to
float sections of the river only available during higher flows. One of my
favorite floats during heavy flows is from Big Hank down to Shoshone.
The Boat Ramp for Big Hank is in the campground on the right hand
side of the road if you are headed up river. This is a lengthy float, but
with the speed of the river during this time, it is a great full day float.
The only major obstacle is that the river road past Shoshone is not
plowed. Depending on the snowpack, sometimes the snow keeps the
road impassable for the average vehicle. I have definitely found myself
in a bind, as I thought I could make it farther than I could. If you find
yourself coming into snow around some of those shaded corners, your
best bet is to turn around and try one of the smaller tributary streams
down river. If you do have a vehicle that is a more off road friendly,
some of the tributaries above Big Hank can be outright magical if you
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