Cornice Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Custer County in Idaho is where Cornice Lake sits. It sits in rolling bush country. Surface area runs to about 2 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Custer County list. Sun Valley at 28 miles is the nearest place to stop. Boise sits 85 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Cornice Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Custer County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Arctic grayling. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Cornice Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 16°F in December up to 50°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early June. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cornice Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Rock Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Cornice Lake before loading the car.