Henrys Lake is a shallow, fabulously fertile natural lake up near the Idaho-Montana line, and it grows trout the size of footballs — big cutthroat, brook trout, and the famous hybrid 'cutbows' that pull like freight trains. It's a stillwater game played from a tube or a boat, working damsels, leeches, and scuds along the weed edges and spring inlets. The lake gets warm and weedy in high summer and fishes best on the cool shoulders, spring and fall, when those heavy fish move shallow and a slow retrieve gets eaten hard.
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
45% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
SW 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
19°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for cutthroat trout
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Spring and autumn for the big shallow-moving fish; avoid warm midsummer
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Temperature (moderate) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Henrys Lake · profile
Who this water suits
Strengths · watch-outs · best for
About this water
Henrys Lake, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedHenrys Lake · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Henrys Lake is a shallow, fabulously fertile natural lake up near the Idaho-Montana line, and it grows trout the size of footballs — big cutthroat, brook trout, and the famous hybrid 'cutbows' that pull like freight trains. It's a stillwater game played from a tube or a boat, working damsels, leeches, and scuds along the weed edges and spring inlets. The lake gets warm and weedy in high summer and fishes best on the cool shoulders, spring and fall, when those heavy fish move shallow and a slow retrieve gets eaten hard.
- Lake
- Mixed
Henrys Lake · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Henrys Lake · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- TroutSaturday of Memorial Day weekend → 31 October
Henrys Lake · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Idaho stillwater regulations — check Idaho Fish & Game.
Henrys Lake
Terrain map
Henrys Lake is a shallow, fabulously fertile natural lake up near the Idaho-Montana line, and it grows trout the size of footballs — big cutthroat, brook trout, and the famous hybrid 'cutbows' that pull like freight trains.
Species
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
45% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
SW 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
19°C
Cloud
Broken
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
77%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp100%
A good match for this venue — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Spring and autumn for the big shallow-moving fish; avoid warm midsummer
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Why this score
- Temperature (moderate) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
1
2
1
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Idaho stillwater regulations — check Idaho Fish & Game.
Directions
About this water
Henrys Lake is a shallow, fabulously fertile natural lake up near the Idaho-Montana line, and it grows trout the size of footballs — big cutthroat, brook trout, and the famous hybrid 'cutbows' that pull like freight trains. It's a stillwater game played from a tube or a boat, working damsels, leeches, and scuds along the weed edges and spring inlets. The lake gets warm and weedy in high summer and fishes best on the cool shoulders, spring and fall, when those heavy fish move shallow and a slow retrieve gets eaten hard.
- Lake
- Mixed
Seasons & zones
- TroutSaturday of Memorial Day weekend → 31 October
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Henrys Lake is a shallow, fabulously fertile natural lake up near the Idaho-Montana line, and it grows trout the size of footballs — big cutthroat, brook trout, and the famous hybrid 'cutbows' that pull like freight trains. It's a stillwater game played from a tube or a boat, working damsels, leeches, and scuds along the weed edges and spring inlets. The lake gets warm and weedy in high summer and fishes best on the cool shoulders, spring and fall, when those heavy fish move shallow and a slow retrieve gets eaten hard.
Other water nearby · 5