Fishing at Old Man Lake, Idaho County, Idaho

• Overview

  Old Man Lake is set in Idaho County, Idaho. The surface lies 5,571 feet up. It measures about 46 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 1.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Few waters listed in Idaho County are bigger. Kamiah lies 38 miles from the water. Spokane is the closest city, 144 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Old Man Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Idaho County list rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and bull trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Old Man Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 56°F and December near 18°F on the long-run figures. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing Old Man Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Kettle Lake, 1.1 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Old Man Lake.