Reynolds Lake in Idaho County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Reynolds Lake in Idaho County, Idaho. Height above sea level is 7,520 feet. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The town to know is Salmon, 41 miles out. Then Hamilton, 51 miles, and Stevensville, 69 miles. More in the same country: Thirteen Lakes within 11 miles, Lost Packer Lake just 13 miles, Swet Lake within 13 miles, Hamilton Lakes just 14 miles and Elk Track Lakes within 14 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Reynolds Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Idaho County names rainbow trout, Chinook salmon and cutthroat trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Reynolds Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 54°F; the cold one sits at 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid May. The open-water window runs from around mid May to about mid November in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Reynolds Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Thirteen Lakes, 11 miles away. Ask locally about Reynolds Lake if anything is unclear.