Brandon Lakes, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Brandon Lakes lies in Idaho County, Idaho. It lies 7,326 feet above sea level. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. It is a small entry by Idaho County standards. Grangeville sits 34 miles from here and is the nearest stop. McCall follows at 46 miles, then Kamiah at 51 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Brandon Lakes

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Idaho County list rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and cutthroat trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Brandon Lakes repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 53°F and December at 18°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. At Brandon Lakes the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Hurst Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Brandon Lakes carry more weight than any list.