Highup Lake, Idaho: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Idaho, Highup Lake belongs to Lemhi County. The ground round it is mixed forest. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Lemhi County are larger. Salmon lies 14 miles from the water. Dillon lies 47 miles off, Challis another 57 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Highup Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Lemhi County records list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon and brook trout among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Highup Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 53°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Climate figures give an open season running late May to early November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Highup Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Skytop Lake at 0.1 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Highup Lake is worth confirming on the day.