Fishing Report For Henrys Lake, ID

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Fly fishing is not covered in this website, but cutthroat trout are being caught on plenty of other lures and bait. From February 15 through the Friday before Memorial Day weekend each year, it is catch-and-release only for all trout species on Henrys Lake. During this period you may fish, but cannot keep any trout. Staley Springs and within 100 yards of Hatchery Creek are closed to fishing year-round. The lake's shallow water and abundant weed beds create ideal habitats for these fish. Cutthroat trout, are Yellowstone cutthroat (not pictured here) feed on insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Year round, including while ice fishing, small jigging spoons, salmon eggs, worms and prepared baits are also delivering.

WINTER. When Winter sets in, and the lake has frozen over. Ice fishing was good for cutthroat trout last Winter, and is starting off to be good again this year. Early risers are having the best success just after sunrise. Jigging spoons and jigs tipped with bait are catching nice cutthroat, out of 4 to 10 feet of water. The shoreline around Henrys Lake State Park, Henrys Lake Outlet, and around the Hatchery Creek are good spots in Winter.

SPRING. As water begins to warm in early Spring, cutthroat trout move from their winter holding areas into shallow, warmer water - 6 to 12 feet deep. They seek our incoming water from snow-melt runoff. Generally, cutthroats will be drawn to these areas to spawn in clear, shallow water. Structure and weedlines along the north, east, and west shoreline are ideal spawning areas in Spring. Most cutthroat will be caught early in the morning or late afternoon. A wide variety of small spinners and spoons are catching most of the fish. Later in Spring trout are caught 10 to 15 feet deep.

SUMMER. Once Summer is here to stay, the warmer water entices cutthroat into 6 to 15 feet of water. They also seek out deeper holes near shallow-water feeding areas. Fishing is best from dusk, throughout the night, and early in the morning. Casting and drift fishing with bait, produce the majority of bites.

FALL. Cooling water temperatures again draw rainbow trout shallower. Anglers are catching them 5 to 12 feet deep on points, rocky structure, humps, and anywhere baitfish are gathering. Now that they had a full summer to grow, there are some bragging size cutthroat catches, with 20 to 24 inch fish being taken fairly often. Small spinners, spoons, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are catching cutthroat, as are salmon eggs and prepared baits.

Current Report: Good

The state record brook trout came from these waters, and many anglers believe it could be broken here again. Like the cutthroat here, flies or small lures are catching brookies. Salmon eggs, worms, corn and powerbait are also catching some fish. Brook trout here average 15 to 17 inches, but big brooks 22 to 24 inches are somewhat common. These bigger fish often weigh 5 or 6 pounds.

WINTER. The lake has been frozen over, and brook trout are being caught through the ice as they search for food on wee edges and deeper shelves, around 4 to 12 feet deep. Henrys Lake State Park access points, and around the no fishing zone at Hatchery Creek, are popular ice fishing spots.

SPRING. Expect to find brook trout in 2 to 8 feet of water early in the day, around weed edges near deeper water, where anglers are catching them on spinners and flatfish. Stream inlet mouths, and weedy areas along the north and east shorelines are popular. As the water warms, brookies drop into 15 to 25 feet of water later in the season.

SUMMER. Seeking cooler water temperatures, brook trout migrate to deeper, cooler water. Early mornings find them in 6 to 8 feet deep. Mid day they drop into 10 to 15 feet of water. Brook trout are caught at this time using a wide variety of lures and baits.

FALL. As the weather begins to cool in Fall, brookies are getting more active, typically in 4 feet of water or less. Brookies here spawn in fall, typically in September or early October. They are typically caught on virtually any trout lure, from spinners shallow, to crankbaits in 5 to 10 foot of water, and on jigs, bait and spoons in deeper water. Shallow bays, creek and inlet mouths, and flats along the north and east shorelines section of the lake, are popular for brookies.