Pioneer Lake Fishing in Lemhi County, Idaho

• Overview

  The Lemhi County end of Idaho holds Pioneer Lake. What surrounds it is rolling bush. At roughly 3 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Most waters listed here for Lemhi County are larger. You are 14 miles from Salmon. Dillon lies 47 miles off, Challis another 57 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Pioneer Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Lemhi County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Pioneer Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 18°F and July at about 53°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late May. Expect the water usable from around late May until roughly early November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Expect Pioneer Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Highup Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Pioneer Lake for certain.