Ruby Lake Fishing in Idaho County, Idaho

• Overview

  Ruby Lake is one of the Idaho County waters in Idaho. Height above sea level is 6,985 feet. The water measures roughly 10 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The closest town, Grangeville, is 33 miles distant. Then Kamiah, 49 miles, and McCall, 50 miles. Nearest other option: Bear Lake just 0.9 miles, Crescent Lake lies 1.4 miles on, Deer Lake just 1.9 miles, Round Lake lies 2.1 miles on and Square Lake just 2.3 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Ruby Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Idaho County names rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and bull trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Treat Ruby Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 19°F and July at about 54°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early May and starts locking again about mid November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Ruby Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Bear Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Ruby Lake should be assumed from this page alone.