Sandpoint, ID

I pried my eyes open at 2:45am this morning. No it was not a mistake, it was time to go fishing. My boyfriend, although I have tried to convince him to go at a more acceptable hour, is adamant about fishing early in the morning, apparently it is the only time the Mackinaw fish bite according to him on Lake Pend Oreille. So 2:45 am it is! I hauled my sluggish body into the truck hoping for a quick nap on the way to Garfield Bay where we were going to launch the boat. Since it was still dark I had no idea what the weather was going to be like and was hoping for at least a beautiful sunrise, hey if you get this early you hope for the best! I was pretty much denied that as dawn came upon us and a gloomy, windy day lay ahead. I stood with the boat, tied to the dock, as my boyfriend parked the truck and trailer in the free parking lot at Garfield Bay. There was another boat leaving just as we had arrived to go fishing making me realize we were not the only crazy people out this early. As I stood on the dock I had a good feeling about today, although it was a little cold and I was very tired, I just knew we were not going to go home empty handed.

As we headed towards Whiskey Rock, our fishing location, the white caps and rolling waves tossed the boat around. My boyfriend jokingly said “it’s as smooth as glass out here”. In between huge waves I ate some of my banana muffin (remember this muffin as it plays an important roll later). I started feeling queasy so I put my muffin away and could not wait to start fishing. We had arrived at Whiskey Rock and were greeted by the one other boat that was there, a friendly wave as fishing is not really a talking sport! Last year when I came and the weather was better there were several boats circling this area, so it just depends on how many boats are there. We started “jigging”, putting the fishing line in the water and bobbing it up and down, which lures the fish in so we can catch them. It was not long, just about 20 minutes before I snagged my first fish. I was excited since my last few outings I had not caught anything, which was pretty disappointing. I guess I should not watch all those fishing shows on TV as they always catch fish and the reel in is always dramatic. The only dramatic pull in that I had this day was when the fish got to the boat, unhooked it’s self and swam away and I was left devastated. My boyfriend said to me “those fishing shows are on TV for a reason”, meaning no one wants to watch a girl on TV loose her fish and then whine about it.

Now remember that banana nut muffin I had earlier, well I was finishing it up and my boyfriend just about had a heart attack - “you’re eating bananas on the boat!?!?!?” Little did I know that the Mackinaw we were fishing for dislike the smell of bananas (according to him). Of course he has a whole list of dos and don’ts that I do not really follow, mostly because I forget them. So I grabbed my pole with my banana scented fingers and continued fishing. I was not going to believe that this banana nut muffin was going to ruin my day. We fished for the next three hours, I caught five fish and my boyfriend caught three. Just so we are clear, even with my banana hands I still caught more fish. Out of the eight Mackinaw that we caught we weighed three of them, one being 10.7 lbs, one at 12.7 lbs and my big boy at 13.2 lbs. I was pretty pleased with my catch and of course called everyone I knew on the East Coast since I knew they would be awake. After I finished my bragging and snapped some photos we took the fish home. Because the Mackinaw are a predator fish in lake Pend Oreille they have a bounty of their head, literally. For each head that you turn in to the fish and game you receive $15. These heads need to be turned in, in a zip-lock bag to Holiday Shores in Hope, Anchor Gas in Garfield Bay, Hudson Bay or the Idaho Fish and Game Regional Office. Some paperwork needs to be filled out but it is a nice reward for helping out the fish and game and can help out filling up your boat’s gas tank as well.

If you are interested in fishing Lake Pend Oreille the first thing you need to get is a fishing licence. These can be found at most sporting stores in town and Wal-Mart. They are $25.75 for a single pole adult and $13.75 for junior single pole. The next most important thing is to learn your fish. Bull Troat are on the endangered list and if you are not careful can be confused with Mackinaw. The rule is, if you are not absolutely sure what species you have caught it is always best to let it go. Above all the location is important. There are several areas to fish, but what I found interesting was that the Idaho Fish and Game have set aside Family Fishing Waters. These designated areas are easy to access for families creating a fun environment for all. A list of family fishing waters can be found on the Idaho fish and game website http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/fish/reports/panhandle.cfm or by picking up a copy of their rules and regulations manual. There you can find pictures of the different species of fish, fishing locations and what kind of fish you will find in these locations. It is a very hand guide to have especially if you are new to fishing and can not tag along with a fisherman who has a “spot” they like to go to. Learning the different kinds of bates, kind of fishing lines and poles is helpful as well, but your best friend will become a fish finder. Although I think it is sort of cheating, it is still handy to have.