Square Mountain Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Idaho County in Idaho is where Square Mountain Lake sits. Around the bank it is lake country bush. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. Most waters listed here for Idaho County are larger. For a base, Grangeville sits 25 miles out. After that come Kamiah at 44 miles and McCall at 49 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Square Mountain Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Idaho County include rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and bull trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Square Mountain Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 52°F on average, December about 20°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate averages put the opening at about mid May and the closing near mid November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan around that when you fish Square Mountain Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Twin Lakes at 1.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Square Mountain Lake are worth checking on the day.