Calispell Creek

[Jay K]

I've never visited, and the definitions confuse me from the reg's, but can someone please tell me which part of Calispell Creek is open year-round? The regs say from mouth to Calispell Lake - Forgive my ignorance, but does that mean the stretch of creek that goes from the lake to Pend Oreille River? Or is the the "southern" portion of the creek that connects to the lake (that small stretch?)?

I'm assuming mouth means that Calispell Creek empties Lake Calispell into the Pend Oreille river - is that correct? So the part that's off limits right now is the southern part?

Just looking for someplace to fly fish. Thanks.

[Marc Martyn]

The mouth of Calispell Creek empties into the Pend Oreille River just north of Cusick. It is from that point up to Calispell Lake that you can fish.
The other portion of the creek, the south part, is the tail water for the South & North Fork of Calispell Creek which dumps into Calispell Lake. These waters open the first Saturday in June (6/5/10).

If you are going to keep any fish, read the regulations closely. They are as clear as mud.....

I interpret their regs. as you cannot continue to fish for eastern brook after you have retained two rainbows or cutthroats.

However, once you retain 10 eastern brooks, can you also retain 2 rainbows?[confused] It looks like you can have 10 eastern brooks retained and continue to fish for 2 rainbows or cutthroats for a daily limit.

BUT, if you retain 2 rainbows or cutthroats, you can't continue to fish for eastern brooks.

Who ever writes these regulations up deserves an award of some kind. This is one of the reasons why I catch and release all my fish. I'm not bright enough to figure out the regulations.......

[Jay K]

Thanks for the reply Marc. I think your interpretation is correct. My assumption is that they don't really care about the eastern brooks (meaning you can take 10), but they'd prefer you didn't hook other trout. So, if you end up hooking and retaining 2 trout other than brookies, then you're done for the day. No damaging the poor lips of the non-brookie trout. However if you ARE retaining and are able to hook only brookies, you can continue to do so until you hit your limit. Strange that they don't say you must stop after hooking 2 non-brookie trout, but rather retained - this doesn't seem to help in "hurting" fish that they'd like to "protect" or are more protective of.

[Marc Martyn]

It has been many years since I fished that region. I do remember that it was difficult finding good access points do to private land and marshy areas. However, I do recall catching a beautiful 16" Brookie under one of the bridges. There were a brooks in the river then and probably still are. Post a reply on this this thread about how you did and also post a fishing report. It's a pretty area up there and I would be curious to know how the fishing is now after so many years.