Fishing Summit Reservoir in Custer County, Idaho

• Overview

  Custer County, Idaho, is where Summit Reservoir sits. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. Roughly 48 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The whole outline is near 1.9 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is among the larger waters listed here for Custer County. The closest town, Challis, is 38 miles distant. Sun Valley is 59 miles away, with Ketchum at 61 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Summit Reservoir

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Survey and observation records for Custer County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Summit Reservoir where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 59°F and January reads 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in early May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The open-water window runs from around early May to about mid November in an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Expect Summit Reservoir to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Mill Creek Lake at 10 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Summit Reservoir if anything is unclear.