Long Lake Fishing Guide, Butte County, Idaho

• Overview

  Long Lake sits in Butte County, out in Idaho. Elevation runs to 9,488 feet. At 11 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Idaho listings. Sun Valley lies 26 miles from the water. After that come Ketchum at 27 miles and Bellevue at 28 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Reported across Butte County: rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Arctic grayling, brook trout and california golden trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Long Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 17°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. Ice clears near late May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Long Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, Round Lake is 0.5 miles off. Rules at Long Lake are worth checking on the day.