Goat Lake in Elmore County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Goat Lake is listed under Elmore County, Idaho. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. The water measures roughly 6 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It sits higher than most water we list in Idaho. The nearest place of any size is Ketchum, 32 miles away. Sun Valley follows at 33 miles, then Hailey at 38 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Goat Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Elmore County: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Goat Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 54°F and December at 18°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, mid May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Goat Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Little Bear Lake, 1.9 miles out. Treat access at Goat Lake as something to verify.