The abundant kokanee population has benefitted Smallmouth Bass for a couple of reasons. First, lots of kokanee simply means lots of food for bass. Additionally, the high kokanee numbers have led to smaller-sized kokanee and that means there is more food available to small bass, not just the ones that are already big. In Dworshak, smallmouth typically grow relatively slow until they reach 12 inches. Once they get past that size they grow as fast as anywhere in the world. Over the last couple of years, the bass that were already a good size have gotten huge, and lots of bass that were “stalled” out around 11-12 inches have gotten past that bottleneck and are now also growing to a very good size. All of this will lead to outstanding bass fishing in 2023. 

Rainbow Trout

Kokanee and smallmouth get the most attention on Dworshak, and for good reason. One additional opportunity that anglers should be aware of is Rainbow Trout. Catchable-sized rainbows are stocked from May through October at the Dent Acres boat launch. They distribute well throughout the reservoir, especially on the lower end below Dent bridge. Anglers often encounter these trout in creek mouths or when trolling for kokanee, but they can also provide an opportunity for shore anglers, especially at the main campgrounds including Dent Acres and Dworshak State Park. After spending the winter in the reservoir, the flesh quality of these fish can be quite good. Check out the upcoming stocking schedule for the Clearwater region.