Fishing Ball Lakes in Boundary County, Idaho

• Overview

  Set in Boundary County, Idaho, this is Ball Lakes. It sits in pine and birch country. At 7 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Head to Bonners Ferry, 16 miles away, for anything you forgot. Spokane is the closest city, 87 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Ball Lakes

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Boundary County: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Ball Lakes for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 55°F, the coldest about 18°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Averages suggest open water from about early May through to roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Ball Lakes that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Pyramid Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Signs at Ball Lakes carry more weight than any list.