Fishing at East Lake, Shoshone County, Idaho

• Overview

  Shoshone County, Idaho, is where East Lake sits. This is mixed forest country. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. Osburn is the closest town at 19 miles. For a city, Spokane is 77 miles off. Within a short run: Berry Lake 0.7 miles, Ninetythree Mile Lake 2.8 miles off, Beaver Lake 8.6 miles, Beaver Lake 9.1 miles off and Noxon Reservoir 10 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on East Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Shoshone County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Arctic grayling and brook trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of East Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 24°F and August at about 60°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to East Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Berry Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for East Lake.