Fishing Millin Reservoir in Owyhee County, Idaho

• Overview

  Millin Reservoir is one of the Owyhee County listings for Idaho. It lies 5,413 feet above sea level. A splashy cast here empties the swim; a quiet one owns it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Owyhee County list. The nearest place of any size is Mountain Home, 77 miles away. Glenns Ferry follows at 78 miles, then Jackpot at 87 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Millin Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Owyhee County: rainbow trout, great basin cutthroat trout and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Millin Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 27°F to 68°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Millin Reservoir runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Ross Lake sits 2.8 miles off and takes the overflow. For Millin Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.