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.
Featured Destinations – Quick Links
Rivers & Lakes
| Bear Lake | Middle Fork Salmon River |
| Clark Fork River | Priest Lake |
| Clearwater River | Saint Joe River |
| Henry’s Fork Snake River | Salmon River Idaho |
| Kootenai River | Snake River |
| Lake Pend Oreille | |
Featured Towns & Regions
| Boise, ID | Ketchum – Sun Valley, ID |
| Challis, ID | Orofino, ID |
| Coeur d’Alene, ID | Riggins, ID |
| Idaho Falls, ID | Salmon, ID |
| Lewis & Clark Valley | Stanley – Sawtooth, ID |
| Lewiston, ID | 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.
The Clark Fork River is about 360 miles long as it flows from the Butte, Montana area through western Montana and into Idaho. The river eventually flows into Lake Pend Oreille and on into the Columbia River. Depending what part of the Clark Fork River you are fishing, you may be catching a variety of species such as salmon, trout, walleye, northern pike, whitefish, smallmouth bass and more.
Clearwater River
The Clearwater River flows around 75 miles from the Bitterroot Mountains to the Snake River at Lewiston, Idaho. This river is a popular fishing river in north central Idaho. Anglers come here to fish for steelhead, King salmon and cutthroat trout. There are numerous guides on the river to help put you on some of the excellent fishing for steelhead and salmon.
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.
Henry’s Fork Snake River
Henrys Fork of the Snake River is a tributary river of the Snake River that flows around 127 miles in southeastern Idaho. It is also referred to as the north fork of the Snake River. This river is a very popular fishing river due to its large numbers of trout and its year round fishery. Anglers catch a variety of trout such as rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and more.
Idaho Falls, ID
Idaho Falls is a popular tourist town in Idaho. With the Snake River running through town, people have tons of outdoor opportunities here to go along with a vibrant downtown area that offers plenty of shops, restaurants, lodging and more. Anglers come here to fish the Snake River, Teton River and Warm River to go along with a variety of mountain lakes as they fish for a variety of trout species.
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.
Kootenai River
The Kootenay River or Kootenai River is a major river of the Northwest Plateau in southeastern British Columbia, northern Montana and Idaho. People in Canada refer to the river as the Kootenay River and the people in the United States refer to it as the Kootenai River. This river is a major tributary of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. Anglers target a variety of trout such as rainbows, cutthroats, bull trout and brown trout.
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.
Lewis & Clark Valley
Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington are the 2 main towns that make up the Lewis Clark Valley area. This is where people come who want to explore the beauty of Hells Canyon, which is North America’s deepest river gorge. There is plenty to do in town or out on the river. In town, people have plenty of shops, restaurants and lodging to accommodate them on their trip. On the river, people enjoy checking out the scenery from guided jet boats or rafts. Anglers have good success fishing for a variety of trout in the area waters.
Lewiston, ID
Lewiston is a city and the county seat of Nez Perce County, Idaho. This is a city that traces its beginnings to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Today, the city combines with the nearby city of Clarkston, Washington to form an awesome vacation destination for people who enjoy the outdoors. In the area rivers, people enjoy whitewater rafting, fishing, tubing, kayaking, swimming and more.
Middle Fork Salmon River
The Middle Fork Salmon River is a tributary of the Salmon River. It is a fairly remote river that flows more than 100 miles in Idaho. It flows through the town of Stanley, Idaho. Anglers enjoy fishing the clear waters for a variety of trout such as Westslope cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, bull trout and cut-bow hybrid trout. The river provides very good fishing from June through September.
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.
Saint Joe River
The Saint Joe River is a 140-mile long tributary of Coeur d’Alene Lake in northern Idaho. The river begins at an elevation of more than 6,400 feet in the Northern Bitterroot Range of eastern Shoshone County. The Saint Joe River is a clear and cold river that is home to a variety of trout such as westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. There are warm water species such as northern pike, perch, bass and kokanee salmon in the lower river.
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.
Salmon River Idaho
The Salmon River flows for more than 420 miles through central Idaho while draining a thinly populated watershed. It is known as “The River of No Return” because boats would depart down the river and they would not be able to return due to the fast moving waters of the river. The Salmon River flows through a vast wilderness in the 2nd deepest gorge on the continent. Several of our featured destinations are near the Salmon River, so you can definitely find some places to plan an excellent fishing trip to fish this river. Some of the species in the river are King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Steelhead, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, whitefish and sturgeon.
Snake River
The Snake River is a popular river located in southern Idaho and it flows along the Idaho – Oregon border. The river enters the state of Washington and flows west to converge with the Columbia River. It is a huge stretch of water that offers anglers some very good fishing opportunities. You have miles upon miles of productive water to fish in the river with some awesome reservoir fishing along the Snake River as well. Depending where you are fishing, you may be able to catch smallmouth bass, steelhead, salmon, crappie, catfish and trout.
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.
