Lower Goose Lake in Fremont County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Fremont County, Idaho, is where Lower Goose Lake sits. It sits at 6,073 feet above sea level. At 18 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest place of any size is Ashton, 16 miles away. It is 173 miles to Billings, the nearest city. Near neighbours: Tule Lake 1.7 miles, Paddy Lake (2.7 miles), Thompson Hole 3 miles, Steele Lake (3.9 miles) and Indian Lake 4.6 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lower Goose Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Across Fremont County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Lower Goose Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 60°F, the coldest about 18°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lower Goose Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Tule Lake sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Lower Goose Lake should be assumed from this page alone.