Battle Lake Fishing near Hamilton, Idaho

• Overview

  In Idaho, Battle Lake falls inside Idaho County. The ground around here is rolling bush. Roughly 36 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Few waters listed in Idaho County are bigger. The closest town, Hamilton, is 21 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Spokane, 167 miles away. Round about: Park Lake at 3.1 miles, Moose Lake 4.8 miles, Mud Lake at 5.7 miles, Granite Lake 5.9 miles and Upper Twin Lake at 6 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Battle Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Idaho County cover rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, bull trout and brook trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Battle Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 56°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in December. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early May. Climate figures give an open season running early May to mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing Battle Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Park Lake is 3.1 miles off. Nothing here settles the position at Battle Lake for certain.