Fish Lake Fishing Guide, Idaho County, Idaho

• Overview

  Fish Lake lies within the bounds of Idaho County, Idaho. Height above sea level is 7,152 feet. It measures about 26 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. On our Idaho County list it sits near the top for size. Some 50 miles away sits McCall, the nearest settlement. Grangeville is 54 miles and Kamiah 67 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Fish 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. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Idaho County: rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and cutthroat trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Fish Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 18°F and July at about 54°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Fish Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Sheepeater Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. For Fish Lake in particular, ask before you travel.