Fishing at Horse Heaven Lake, Adams County, Idaho

• Overview

  Horse Heaven Lake sits in Adams County, out in Idaho. The surface lies 7,484 feet up. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Adams County. For a base, Joseph sits 33 miles out. McCall lies 34 miles off, Enterprise another 36 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Horse Heaven Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Adams County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon and yellow perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Horse Heaven Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 52°F at the top of summer and 20°F at the bottom of winter. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid May. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Horse Heaven Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Slide Rock Lake is 0.5 miles off. Check the position at Horse Heaven Lake before loading the car.