Fishing Report For Payette Lake, ID

By Rick Seaman

April 25, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Payette Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Fishing Boat Rentals
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Payette Lake, ID

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Payette Lake, ID

Kokanee Salmon

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Once the ice melted away, at the beginning of Spring, locals starting to catch a few fish. July and August are reportedly the prime months to catch kokanee here at Payette Lake. Downriggers or leaded line are the two primary methods for catching kokanee here, while trolling. Kokanee school up and hang out over deep water, usually above some type of structure. Anglers are catching a few kokanee in the 20" range, but the average is closer to 14". Worm harnesses and wedding ring spinner setups are popular when trolled behind a 4" dodger. Locals are tipping these baits with shoepeg white corn, PowerBait, Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ, or live nightcrawlers to helps attract bites. Experiment with depth, starting around 20'. Trolling these baits between 1.2 mph and 1.8 mph is a good speed for these kokes.

Lake Trout

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

Payette Lake is reported to have the biggest lake trout in the state for the past decade or more. Ice fishing for lakers was good this year with quite a few monster lake trout caught. Anglers are just beginning to catch a few trolling after ice-out, but July and August are the best months to catch the trophy fish. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. Other choices include nightcrawlers or Berkeley Power Crawlers, fished on drop-shot rigs. Flashy spoons can be fished at any depth, either jigging, trolling or cast and retrieve. For big lakers, use larger baits.

Rainbow Trout

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Idaho Fish and Game regularly stocks rainbows in Payette Lake to maintain a healthy fishery for anglers. Many are caught trolling, but anglers are also catching them by casting and jigging. The diet of rainbows consists of insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Use flies or small lures, imitating their natural food, to tempt them into biting. Small spinners, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are catching rainbows, as are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and prepared baits.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, lake trout, yellow perch and kokanee salmon at Payette Lake in Idaho.

Payette Lake is a 5,000-acre lake with over 20 miles of shoreline, some of which is accessible for fishing from the bank. Anglers favorites include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon. Quality smallmouth fishing is also available.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Click here for fishing boat rentals available at this lake.

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Marinas

Click here for marinas available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Idaho Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".