Green Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Green Lake sits in Butte County, out in Idaho. This is lake country bush ground. It is high ground by Idaho standards. Sun Valley sits 25 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Boise is 117 miles off. Also on the doorstep: Brockie Lake lies 1.2 miles on, Long Lake within 1.7 miles, Round Lake lies 2.2 miles on, Iron Bog Lake within 3.7 miles and Fishpole Lake lies 4.4 miles on. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Green Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Fish documented in Butte County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Green Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 17°F and July at about 53°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late May. Open water usually runs from late May until about mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Expect Green Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Brockie Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Signs at Green Lake carry more weight than any list.