Harrison Lake in Bonner County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Bonner County, Harrison Lake is an Idaho water. The surface lies 6,198 feet up. Bonners Ferry lies 16 miles from the water. Further out sit Ponderay (26 miles) and Sandpoint (28 miles). Other water nearby: Corner Lake roughly 2 miles, Brooks Lake out at 2.2 miles, Upper Standard Lake roughly 2.2 miles, Lower Standard Lake out at 2.8 miles and Bottleneck Lake roughly 2.9 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Harrison Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Bonner County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Harrison Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 56°F, the coldest about 19°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early May. The lid tends to go about early May and return around mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Harrison Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Corner Lake is 2 miles off. For Harrison Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.