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Best cutthroat trout lakes in Idaho

30 Idaho waters hold cutthroat trout, 3 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native trout of the West, named for the orange slash under its jaw. A shoreline cruiser that hunts drop-offs, inlets and rocky points for baitfish and insects.

1. Lake Pend Oreille — 1152 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
2. Bear Lake — 197 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Cutthroat TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
3. Palisades Reservoir — 235 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Brown Trout, KokaneeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
4. Cascade Reservoir — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
5. American Falls Reservoir — 53 ft max · Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho SalmonWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
6. Priest Lake — 330 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, KokaneeWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Salmon River (Upper) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, Cutthroat TroutWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
8. Lake Lowell — 29 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
9. Snake River (South Fork) — 12 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
10. Henrys Lake — 18 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
11. Deadwood Reservoir — 38 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, KokaneeWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
12. Ashton Reservoir — 26 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
13. Chesterfield Reservoir — 21 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Brown Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
14. Cedar Creek Reservoir — 37 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Brook TroutWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
15. Payette Lake — 392 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
16. Lost Valley Reservoir — 21 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Cutthroat TroutWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
17. Stone Reservoir — 9 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
18. Upper Payette Lake — 85 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
19. Goose Lake — 11 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
20. Mann Creek Reservoir — 123 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. Little Blue Creek Reservoir — 9 ft max · Cutthroat TroutWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
22. Treasureton Reservoir — 13 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
23. Yellow Belly Lake — 66 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
24. Foster Reservoir — 13 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
25. Lamont Reservoir — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, MuskellungeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 5 more Idaho waters holding cutthroat trout.

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When to fish cutthroat trout in Idaho

• Spring 3–15 ft — Pre- and post-spawn cutthroat gang up at tributary mouths and cruise gravel shorelines — swing a spinner or fly through the inlet current.
• Summer 10–35 ft — Summer cutthroat hold along the first shoreline drop and off rocky points, sliding deeper as the surface warms — troll or cast the 15-30 ft edge.
• Fall 5–25 ft — Cooling water brings cutthroat back onto rocky points and gravel shoals to feed hard before winter.
• Winter 10–40 ft — Cold-tolerant like all trout — cutthroat hang on the deep shoreline drops and basin edges through the cold months.

Also in Idaho: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes

Cutthroat Trout elsewhere: British Columbia · Montana · Wyoming · Washington · Alberta · Utah · Colorado · New Mexico · Nevada