Fishing at Pole Lake, Lemhi County, Idaho

• Overview

  Pole Lake is a Lemhi County water, Idaho side. It lies 8,035 feet above sea level. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Lemhi County are larger. Supplies mean a trip to Challis, 28 miles off. Boise is the closest city, 111 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pole Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Across Lemhi County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Pole Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 54°F at the top of summer and 18°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and mid November closes it again. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. On Pole Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Woodtick Lake at 4.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Pole Lake before loading the car.