Swift Lake in Lemhi County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Swift Lake lies in Lemhi County, Idaho. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 2 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Lemhi County are larger. Head to Salmon, 16 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Boise, 167 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Swift Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Lemhi County cover rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, brook trout and Arctic grayling. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Swift Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 53°F in July and bottom out at 18°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late May. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Swift Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Cowbone Lake, 1.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Swift Lake for certain.