Fishing Fawn Lake in Idaho County, Idaho

• Overview

  This water sits in Idaho County, Idaho. The surroundings are lake country bush. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Grangeville sits 36 miles out. Beyond it, McCall at 49 miles and Kamiah at 51 miles. Close by you also have: Oregon Butte Lake after 1.7 miles, Round Lake just 1.9 miles, Deer Lake after 2.7 miles, Ruby Lake just 2.8 miles and Bear Lake after 3.6 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Fawn Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Idaho County cover rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, bull trout and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fawn Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 54°F, with December the cold end at about 19°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count the season from break-up, usually early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Fawn Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Oregon Butte Lake sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Fawn Lake is worth confirming on the day.