Elizabeth Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Boise County, Idaho, this is Elizabeth Lake. It lies 8,123 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Boise County list holds plenty of bigger water. Start from Challis, 48 miles down the road. Sun Valley follows at 56 miles, then Ketchum at 56 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Elizabeth Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Boise County include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, california golden trout, Arctic grayling and mountain whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Elizabeth Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 55°F on average, December about 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. Ice usually gives way near early May, and forms again about mid November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Elizabeth Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Kelly Lake, 1.1 miles away. Nothing on Elizabeth Lake should be assumed from this page alone.