Trout Fishing in Idaho - Fly Fishing

The 5 primary trouts are the rainbow, brook, brown, cutthroat and lake trout. Brown trout are considered the most difficult to catch and brookies are the easiest. Pure cold water is key to survival of the trouts and the brook trout is the most sensitive to temperature. The others are comfortable in slightly warmer waters.

Trout Fishing Lakes In Idaho

Henrys Lake yielded the state record brook trout, the South Fork Snake River was home to the state record brown trout, the state record cutthroat came from Bear Lake, the Idaho record Dolly Varden trout came out of Lake Pend Oreille, the state record golden trout was caught from White Sands Lake, the record for Kamloops Trout came from Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake gave up the Idaho state record lake trout, the state record rainbow trout came from Hayden Lake and the Idaho state record steelhead trout came from Clearwater River. So there are big trout throughout Idaho waters.

Some of the major lakes with healthy populations of trout include American Falls Reservoir, Anderson Ranch Reservoir, Arrowrock Reservoir, Bear Lake, Blackfoot Reservoir, Brownlee Reservoir, C J Strike Reservoir, Cascade Reservoir, Coeur D'Alene Lake, Deadwood Reservoir, Dworshak Reservoir, Hayden Lake, Hells Canyon Reservoir, Henry's Lake, Island Park Reservoir, Lake Pend Oreille, Lake Walcott, Lucky Peak Reservoir, Magic Reservoir, Mormon Reservoir, Mud Lake, Palisades Reservoir, Payette Lake, Priest Lake, Redfish Lake, Ririe Reservoir, Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir and Spirit Lake.

Visit the Idaho Fish and Game Department website for details on trout stocking in Idaho.

Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss

Brook Trout
Salvelinus fontinalis

Brown Trout
Salmo trutta

Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush

Cutthroat Trout
Salmo clarki

Organizations & Resources

Cutthroat Trout Conservation
DMOZ Trout Section

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The states list to the left can direct you to information about trout fishing in other states.

All About Fly Fishing for Trout in Idaho.

42 lbs - 2 oz

19 lbs - 0 oz

52 - 68 Degrees

Prefers generally clear flowing waters with turbulence for oxygenation over gravel, rock or sandy bottoms.

14 lbs - 8 oz

7 lbs - 1 oz

52 to 64 Degrees

Prefers clear cold water with moderate current over gravel, rocks or sand.

41 lbs - 7 oz

26 lbs - 6 oz

56 - 64 Degrees

Prefers slightly stained cool water with minimum current over rock or sandy bottoms with heavy cover.

72 lbs - 0 oz

57 lbs - 8 oz

52 - 68 Degrees

Prefers clear to slightly stained water with significant depths and sandy bottoms in the shallows.

41 lbs - 0 oz

18 lbs - 15 oz

68 - 72 Degrees

Prefers slightly stained to murky water with little or no current.