Lookout Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Bonner County, Lookout Lake is an Idaho water. The surface lies 5,597 feet up. Small at around 3 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Bonner County. The closest town, Bonners Ferry, is 22 miles distant. Spokane is the closest city, 83 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Lookout Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Bonner County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Lookout Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 60°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lookout Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try West Fork Lake, 4.2 miles away. Treat access at Lookout Lake as something to verify.