Ranger Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Ranger Lake is set in Idaho County, Idaho. Elevation runs to 6,516 feet. For supplies, Stevensville is 15 miles out. Spokane is the closest city, 162 miles away. Neighbouring water: Siah Lake sits 1.4 miles out, Big Creek Lakes the better part of 2.9 miles, Maud Lake sits 3 miles out, Dan Lake the better part of 3.3 miles and Beaver Lake sits 3.4 miles out. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ranger Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Idaho County cover rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, bull trout and brook trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Ranger Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August runs about 56°F on average, December about 19°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around 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. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Ranger Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Siah Lake, 1.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Ranger Lake carry more weight than any list.