Fishing: Snake River steelhead fishing should be picking up with recent rain and colder weather. The last creel checks showed from about five hours of fishing per catch on the Tucannon River tributary, to over 20 hours of effort per fish on the Snake River stretch between Ice Harbor and Lower Monumental dams. If the old adage is true about Snake River steelheaders having to freeze body parts to catch a fish, the catch rate should be improving by the day. Lake Roosevelt rainbow trout and kokanee fishing is also getting better as winter approaches. The big reservoir's net-pen-reared rainbows are especially catchable this month and next for boat anglers. Sprague Lake walleye are plentiful for those willing to figure out how to catch them. Frustrated walleye anglers can at least haul in Sprague's also-plentiful rainbows. For those planning ahead, the number of lakes in the region stocked with rainbow trout that open Dec. 1 for the winter-only-season is down to three this year: Hog Canyon Lake in Spokane County was treated with rotenone this fall to improve next year's fishing, but there aren't any fish to be caught there this season. Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line and Williams and Hatch lakes in Stevens County should all be good for the Dec. 1 opener.