Panhandle Hunt & Fish 🎣🦌

Coeur d’Alene Lake is one of North Idaho’s premier kokanee fisheries, offering consistent action and quality fish in one of the most scenic settings you’ll find anywhere. These landlocked sockeye salmon provide some of the best table fare and hardest fights you’ll experience on Idaho waters. 2026 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for CDA Lake kokanee. Anglers are already reporting 14-16" fish being caught - which are impressive sizes for this time of year. This suggests we’re looking at an outstanding year-class that should provide excellent fishing throughout the season. ...

Spring in North Idaho is pure chaos - and I mean that in the best possible way. Turkey season, morel hunting, spring fishing, and bear season all overlap in this magical window where everything’s happening at once. You can hunt turkeys at dawn, pick mushrooms midday, and fish the evening bite all in the same day. But to make the most of it, you need gear that works for everything. Here’s what I actually carry and why, after years of chasing everything North Idaho springs have to offer. ...

Coeur d’Alene Lake is home to one of the most unique fisheries in the Northwest — naturally reproducing landlocked Chinook salmon. Also called kings, these fish offer the thrill of salmon fishing without the ocean trip. There aren’t many lakes in the country where you can troll for Chinook, and CDA is one of the best. Spring is when the bite turns on, and right now is the time to get out there. ...

If you’re looking for an easy, fun, family-friendly outdoor trip that doesn’t require a ton of planning or expensive gear, crabbing and mussel picking on the Oregon coast is hard to beat. We just got back from a trip to Lincoln City and Newport with young kids, and it was one of the best family vacations we’ve done. Here’s everything you need to know to do it yourself. The Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport — this is where the crabbing happens. Foggy mornings on the dock with a trap soaking is about as relaxing as it gets. ...

Morel mushroom hunting in North Idaho is one of those spring traditions that gets in your blood. Once you find your first patch of morels poking up through the ash in a burned-over hillside, you’re hooked. There’s something deeply satisfying about filling a mesh bag with pounds of one of the most prized wild mushrooms on the planet — and the Panhandle is one of the best places in the country to do it. ...

Spring bear season in North Idaho is one of the most underrated hunting opportunities in the state. While most people associate Idaho bear hunting with fall baiting or running hounds, spring spot-and-stalk hunting in the Panhandle is a challenging, rewarding way to chase black bears — and the country you do it in is absolutely stunning. Here’s what you need to know. When and Where to Go Timing Spring bear season in Idaho typically opens in April and runs into June, depending on the unit. In the Panhandle, the magic window is late April through May, when bears are emerging from their dens and actively searching for food after months of hibernation. ...

If you live in North Idaho, you know the feeling. Months of short days, cold temps, and cabin fever. By March you’re climbing the walls. The couch has a permanent dent in it. You’ve watched everything worth watching twice. Then spring hits. The snow starts pulling back. The days get longer. The air smells different. The lakes thaw, the rivers swell, the first green shows up on the south-facing hillsides — and suddenly the Panhandle transforms into one of the best places on earth to be outside. ...

Spring turkey hunting in North Idaho is one of the most fun, action-packed hunts you can do. Unlike big game hunting where you might sit for days without seeing your target, turkey hunting is fast-paced and interactive. When a fired-up tom is gobbling back at every call you make and closing the distance with his fan spread wide — there’s nothing quite like it. The Panhandle holds a solid population of Merriam’s wild turkeys, and spring is when they’re at their most vocal and vulnerable. Here’s how to make it happen. ...

Shed hunting in North Idaho has exploded in popularity over the last few years, and for good reason. The Panhandle is loaded with whitetail and elk, the public land access is incredible, and there’s something deeply satisfying about finding a matched set of antlers on a mountainside. But there’s more to it than just wandering through the woods. Here’s what we’ve learned from years of putting on miles in the North Idaho mountains. ...

If you’re looking to fish in North Idaho, you’ve picked one of the best regions in the entire Northwest. The Idaho Panhandle is packed with lakes that range from massive, deep-water trophy fisheries to quiet mountain lakes where you won’t see another soul all day. Here are seven lakes every angler in the Panhandle should know. This is what fishing in Idaho’s Panhandle looks like. Crystal clear water, granite peaks, and not another soul in sight. ...