Idaho is home to some incredible fishing destinations. Some tourist destinations are busier than others, so you can easily find an awesome place to visit with all the amenities of home, but you can easily find a destination where you can get away from the crowds and find some awesome places to fish all by yourself.
Take a look below to learn more about the best fishing destinations in the state of Idaho.
Featured Destinations – Quick Links
| Bear Lake | Orofino, ID |
| Boise, ID | Priest Lake |
| Challis, ID | Riggins, ID |
| Coeur d’Alene, ID | Salmon, ID |
| Ketchum – Sun Valley | Stanley – Sawtooth, ID |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Teton Valley, ID |
Learn more about our featured fishing destinations below.
Bear Lake
Bear Lake is located on the Idaho – Utah border. The lake is known for its turquoise blue water. It is a popular summer vacation destination. Many people visit here to enjoy the beautiful waters. Boating and fishing are popular on Bear Lake.
Anglers fish for cutthroat, mackinaw and whitefish. If you enjoy fishing for trout, you will enjoy fishing on Bear Lake.
Boise, ID
Boise is the capital and most populous city in Idaho. You can find plenty of hotels and restaurants throughout the city as well as all of your modern-day conveniences. Boise also offers plenty of outdoor recreation such as fishing, rafting, kayaking and more.
The Boise River flows right through the city and it is very popular for rafting and fishing. The Lucky Peak State Park has a nice reservoir that offers fishing and boating. Boat rentals are also available at the marina.
Challis, ID
Challis is a small town in central Idaho. This town isn’t as popular as some of the other areas that we covered in Idaho, but you will find some of the same adventures in Challis that you find in other towns. The Salmon River offers excellent fishing and whitewater rafting adventures. Steelhead fishing is good on the Salmon River as well as they migrate from the Pacific from the fall through the spring.
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Coeur d’Alene is a popular tourist destination and it is the largest city of Kootenai County, Idaho. This area has so much to offer with the dining, shopping, nightlife, skiing and outdoor recreation. There is even a casino in the area if you enjoy gambling. Lake Coeur d’Alene is very popular among boaters and fishermen. There are marinas available as well as fishing guide services to take care of your needs.
Lake Coeur d’Alene has a diverse fishery. In the lake, you can catch chinook salmon, kokanee salmon, northern pike, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. There are guides available on the lake which will definitely help if you’re a first time visitor. It’s a unique lake and worth fishing. There aren’t too many places where you can target salmon in deeper water and then go fish shallower for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass on the same lake.
Ketchum – Sun Valley
The Sun Valley – Ketchum area is known for its world-class skiing and outdoor recreation. There are many resorts in these towns as well as nice restaurants, shopping and bars. There is so much to do here and the scenery is breath-taking. During the summer months, people come here to experience the fishing and whitewater rafting.
Some of the popular areas to fish are Silver Creek, Wood River and the Big Lost River. Most of the rivers in the area have excellent rainbow trout fishing with some brown trout and brook trout mixed in. Some anglers make a day trip up to the town of Stanley (about 60 miles away) during the steelhead run. Wherever you end up fishing, you will have plenty of options and there are fishing guide services and outfitters available to make sure you catch fish.
Lake Pend Oreille
Lake Pend Oreille is a popular lake to visit in northern Idaho. The lake is 65 miles long and as deep as 1,150 feet in some spots. Lake Pend Oreille is surrounded by quite a few small towns and national forests. Some of the more popular towns on this lake are Sandpoint, Bayview and Hope.
The fishing is excellent on Lake Pend Oreille for rainbow trout and lake trout, although, there are many other species to catch such as bass, whitefish, crappie and perch. Most anglers come here to fish for trout. There are a few fishing charters available here and if you want to do some trout fishing, expect to do some trolling to cover some water and land some nice trout.
Orofino, ID
Orofino is a small town located in the northeastern part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The area is very scenic with the Clearwater River, Dworshak Reservoir and the surrounding mountains. There are some hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and lodges to accommodate you as well as guides and outfitters to put you on some fish. Fishermen come here every year to catch steelhead in the Clearwater River.
Priest Lake
Priest Lake is located in the northern most portion of Idaho. The northern part of this lake is only 15 miles from the Canadian border. Priest Lake is a popular vacation destination. If you enjoy being outdoors, you will enjoy Priest Lake. It is a gorgeous lake that is loved by fishermen and pleasure boaters. This lake is a solid fishing lake, especially if you like to fish for trout.
Lake trout dominate this lake and you can find a few charters that will be able to take you out for a fishing trip. The average fish is usually in the 5 to 10 pound range, although, it is not uncommon to catch lake trout in the 20 to 30 pound range and even bigger on this lake. Smallmouth bass are also available in this lake. There are other lakes and streams nearby that offer some excellent trout fishing too.
Riggins, ID
Riggins, Idaho is located between the two deepest gorges in North America: Hells Canyon to the west and the Salmon River Canyon to the east. This town is popular for people that are looking for a vacation with a little bit of adventure. The scenery is beautiful and there is plenty to do with the Salmon River, Little Salmon River and Snake River nearby.
There is plenty of whitewater here and many outfitters that can set you up for a trip of a lifetime. The fishing can be excellent on the Salmon River. Most people come here to catch steelhead in the spring and fall. Steelhead are amazing fighters and they taste excellent. Chinook salmon are also very popular and the smallmouth bass fishing can be pretty good too, although, they are usually not targeted nearly as much in this area.
Salmon, ID
Salmon is a small city located in Lemhi County, Idaho on the Salmon River. This city is a very popular vacation destination. People that enjoy a little adventure will love it in Salmon, Idaho. People enjoy taking river trips, fishing and hunting.
The middle fork of the Salmon River provides some of the best fishing in this area for rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. From late fall through early spring, there is also good fishing for steelhead. These fish enter from the Pacific Ocean in the fall and hold over during the winter and they spawn in the spring. The Lower Gorge of the Salmon River is warm enough for smallmouth bass and sturgeon. Some anglers and guides do target these fish. From summer through early fall, the smallmouth bass fishing can be very good. There are plenty of fishing guides and outfitters in Salmon, Idaho to take you fishing for whatever is biting best during your trip.
Stanley – Sawtooth, ID
The Stanley-Sawtooth area in central Idaho is great place to take a vacation. Get away from it all and enjoy the mountains, wilderness lands and wild rivers. Spend some time whitewater rafting or fishing on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
The fishing is excellent for native cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and dolly varden. Anglers do well in this area and you will find several fishing guides available to put you on some fish here.
Teton Valley, ID
Teton Valley is located on the western slope of the Teton Mountain Range and is composed of the following cites: Victor, Driggs and Tetonia, Idaho & Alta, Wyoming. This area is home to some excellent recreational opportunities. Whether you want to go for a drive and take in the scenery or get a little more up close and personal by hiking, horseback riding or actually getting on the rivers to do some boating or fishing, you have plenty of things to do to keep you busy here. The area rivers provide excellent fishing for numbers and big fish too. Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout in the area rivers. There are 3 excellent rivers you can fish in this area and they are the Teton River, the South Fork of the Snake River and Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.
