Iron Lake Fishing Guide, Lemhi County, Idaho

• Overview

  Within Lemhi County, Idaho, you have Iron Lake. It sits in pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 16 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Idaho listings. For supplies, Salmon is 24 miles out. After that come Challis at 28 miles and Dillon at 79 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Iron Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Survey and observation records for Lemhi County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Chinook salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Iron Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 52°F; by December the average is down near 17°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late May. Ice usually gives way near late May, and forms again about early November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Iron Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows a campsite some 150 yards from the water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Cougar Lake is 7.5 miles distant. Confirm access to Iron Lake locally before you travel.