Dan Lake Fishing near Stevensville, Idaho

• Overview

  Dan Lake is an Idaho County water, in Idaho. What surrounds it is rolling bush. At roughly 7 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Some 18 miles away sits Stevensville, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Hamilton at 21 miles and Lolo at 26 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Dan Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Idaho County include rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Dan Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 56°F on average, December about 19°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It holds true on Dan Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. 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. If the gate is shut, Dodge Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Dan Lake are worth checking on the day.