Fishing Upper Trilby Lake in Idaho County, Idaho

• Overview

  Upper Trilby Lake sits in Idaho County, out in Idaho. The surface lies 7,110 feet up. At 14 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Grangeville lies 57 miles from the water. Hamilton follows at 57 miles, then Salmon at 63 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple. Most people fish the same few areas, which leaves the rest quiet.

• Where to Fish on Upper Trilby Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Idaho County include 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. The near bank of Upper Trilby Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 53°F, with December the cold end at about 18°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice-out usually falls in mid May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around mid May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Plan around that when you fish Upper Trilby Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Middle Trilby Lake, 0.4 miles out. Treat access at Upper Trilby Lake as something to verify.