Payette Lake

A stunning 4,987-acre alpine lake near McCall, Idaho. Flows into the North Fork Payette River. Excellent for kokanee, lake trout, and rainbow trout with beautiful mountain scenery. Popular destination with full amenities at Ponderosa State Park.

Species: Kokanee Salmon, Lake Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Bull Trout, Brook Trout. Difficulty: intermediate. Some experience pays off here.

Best timing: Spring and Summer and Fall. Spring fishing keys on warming water and emerging insects. Summer fishes best at first light and late evening; midday is technical. Fall is prime — heavy feeding before winter, fewer crowds.

Regulations: Southwest Region Bag Limits. Trout limit 6. Kokanee limit 6. Always confirm with the current IDFG rule book before fishing.

Southwest context

Southwest Idaho is the most accessible fishing in the state — the Boise River runs through downtown stocked with rainbows, and Lake Cascade and C.J. Strike are short drives for bass, perch, and walleye. The South Fork of the Boise tailwater and the Owyhee River provide higher-quality trout fishing within a couple hours of Boise. Boise, Nampa, and McCall are the staging towns.

Plan for the experience level the fishery rewards.