Marshall Lake in Custer County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Idaho, Marshall Lake falls inside Custer County. The bank is 7,703 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Custer County standards. The closest town, Challis, is 44 miles distant. After that come Sun Valley at 45 miles and Ketchum at 45 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Marshall Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Custer County records list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and Chinook salmon among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Work Marshall Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 54°F for July and 16°F for December. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Break-up near mid May, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. At Marshall Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Goat Lake at 1.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Marshall Lake before loading the car.