Fish Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Idaho County, Idaho. It sits at 5,699 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 24 acres — small enough to read in one session. Bank access stretches around 0.9 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for Idaho County. Grangeville sits 32 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Kamiah at 47 miles and McCall at 54 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Idaho County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and bull trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The near bank of Fish Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 52°F; by December the average is down near 18°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid May. Ice clears near mid May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Fish Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Square Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Fish Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.