Window Lake Fishing near Sun Valley, Idaho

• Overview

  Window Lake lies in Blaine County, in Idaho. The surface lies 10,033 feet up. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Blaine County list. The nearest place of any size is Sun Valley, 13 miles away. The nearest city of size is Boise, 86 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Window Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Blaine County names rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Arctic grayling and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Window Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 16°F in December and 50°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early June. Break-up sits around early June on average, with the water closing again about early November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Window Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try North Fork Lake, 6.8 miles away. Treat Window Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.