Lake Ida in Chelan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Lake Ida in the Chelan County part of Washington. The bank is 6,752 feet above sea level. About 16 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It sits higher than most water we list in Washington. Leavenworth is the closest town at 9.6 miles. Then Cashmere, 20 miles, and Sunnyslope, 27 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ida

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Chelan County, recorded fish include cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon and largemouth bass. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Lake Ida decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 22°F in December to roughly 56°F in August. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Lake Ida the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Lake Augusta is 1.7 miles off. Where Lake Ida is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.