I am planning a trip out the Idaho Panhandle for spring smallmouth bass fishing.  Might see about a black bear too.  When is the normal spawning time for the smallmouth in the panhandle?  Do the lake freeze over?  Dworshak reservoir is the pirimary lake and will likely stop at lake Pend orielle.  Any information would be helpful.

thanks

By no means an expert on the panhandle fisheries, but May should be prime spawn season. The bigger lakes may temporarily freeze or have certain areas that freeze, but they don't freeze over from shore to shore for the winter. 

 

Dworshak should be great but don't sleep on Coeur d'Alene or Hayden if those are a lot closer to where you'll be staying. Some of my favorite fishing days have been on Hayden.

Thanks for the reply.  Lake in MN where I am at might be frozen solid until May sometimes and even if they are not the state has a closed season for bass until the middle of May. Seems like the beginning of May might be respawn.

May.   “Winter stays along time this high.”