Panfish Lakes in Spokane Vicinity

[Kfedka]

I would like help from those here in the Spokane area, I recently got 12' aluminum boat with a 9.9hp motor and electric motor as well.

I'm looking for lakes within an hours drive from Spokane, WA that have very successful fishing for crappie, bluegill, or perch.
Also was wondering what they catch best on and what parts of the lakes. Thanks ahead of time.

[dknodel]

Try NEWMAN - LIBERTY- WAITTS these lakes hold a lot of what your looking for - I think NEWMAN may be your best bet, some lillypad edges hold crappie. My son and I fish this and when he get bored of looking for bass he always catches perch and blugill. GOOD LUCK

[spadam98]

Silver lake and Jump Off Joe as well as Downs lake are allpretty good as well.

[crappie007]

I catch crappie from clear lake and perch from Loon lake and Diamond lake.
When fishing for both types I mostly use a inch and half 1/16 ounce white curly tail jig, with a light action rod spooled with 4lb test. I'll tip the jig with a piece of worm for perch and tip it with a maggot for crappie.
Normally I'll fish from 10ft of water to 45 ft of water all areas of the lake.
Structure, sunken islands, drop offs and coves.

[Gisteppo]

Long, Rock, Bonnie, Downs, Diamond, Eloika, blah blah blah.

Most of them!

Bonnie gets very little pressure because its very hard to get to, but would be perfect in your boat.

E

[crappie007]

Bonnie is getting alot more pressure these days, I have a friend who goes there often.
He camped on the island last week and claimed there were 12-15 boats there.
He also said someone had a 20ft jet boat up there. HHmmm, that one is hard for me to believe. I've taken a 14ft boat up there and it wasn't easy. Best of luck to you finding those panfish! I started about five years ago and its been a blast!

[Kfedka]

Thanks for all the posts. Out of all those lakes which ones would top the list? I would really like to try Bonnie lake, which part of the lake is most active and what bait is best?

[crappie007]

I haven't been to bonnie in years. If you dont know already, there is a creek you need to navigate with your boat or whatever you have. A little bit more than half way up there ,you will run into a beaver dam. I posted a report for bonnie last time I went.
That was 4 years ago and the report is listed under my name (Rich)in bonnie lake reports for spokane co.
Since I've only been there once, I dont know the lake. Ofcourse I used my ole' stand by jig and a worm. This combo always produces some action.

[crappie007]

I haven't been to bonnie in years. If you dont know already, there is a creek you need to navigate with your boat or whatever you have. A little bit more than half way up there ,you will run into a beaver dam. I posted a report for bonnie last time I went.
That was 4 years ago and the report is listed under my name (Rich)in bonnie lake reports for spokane co.
Since I've only been there once, I dont know the lake. Ofcourse I used my ole' stand by jig and a worm. This combo always produces some action.
If you look at long lake reports, "Gisteppo" is holding a picture of a massive Crappie.
I think if you wanted to fish Long lake, "Gisteppo" could give you some productive information.

[catchmorebluegill]

I like Silver Lake. The average sized sunfish in their are pretty big, and I've caught a sunfish around 8" weighing 1/2 lb. out there. Someone said that there were crappie in there, but I don't know if there really are or not. Eloika is supposed to have really good crappie; when I was there, someone came back with their limit after an hour or two with no fish under 12". That same morning, a couple came back with 80 perch after a couple of hours. But that was in May.