Fishing at Hunt Lake, Bonner County, Idaho

• Overview

  Hunt Lake sits within Bonner County in Idaho. It lies 5,823 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 14 acres — small enough to read in one session. Nearest place of any size is Bonners Ferry, 19 miles away. Spokane sits 71 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Nearest other option: Fault Lake (1 mile), McCormick Lake within 1.6 miles, Roman Nose Lakes (6.5 miles), Snow Lake within 6.7 miles and Lower Standard Lake (7.2 miles). The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Hunt Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Hunt Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 58°F; by January the average is down near 20°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Hunt Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Fault Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. For Hunt Lake in particular, ask before you travel.