Elk Lake Fishing near McCall, Idaho

• Overview

  Set in Adams County, Elk Lake is an Idaho water. It lies 7,024 feet above sea level. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. For supplies, McCall is 27 miles out. After that come Grangeville at 44 miles and Joseph at 48 miles. Also within reach: Piper Lake a touch under 0.9 miles, John Lake just 1.2 miles, Gay Lake a touch under 1.2 miles, Mary Lake just 1.2 miles and Goat Lake a touch under 2.1 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Elk Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Adams County cover rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Elk Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 53°F, with December the cold end at about 20°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid May in spring and again near mid November in autumn. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Expect Elk Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Piper Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Elk Lake are worth checking on the day.