Forage Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Forage Lake is set in Shoshone County, Idaho. The bank gives way to rolling bush. At 7 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Plains sits 38 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Spokane, 111 miles distant. What else is close: Halo Lake just 0.6 miles, Bacon Lake a shade over 0.8 miles, Heather Lake just 1.9 miles, Gold Lake a shade over 2.5 miles and Copper Lake just 2.5 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Forage Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Shoshone County list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The near bank of Forage Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 58°F in August. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Forage Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Halo Lake is 0.6 miles off. The position on Forage Lake is worth confirming on the day.