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92,765-acre lake near Bonner. The lake tops out around 1152 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Lake Pend Oreille maps at 86,845 acres behind 161.2 miles of shoreline — 6 islands included. An index of 3.9 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Roughly 8% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 26.5 mi long by 20.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Bonner County. If the bite dies, Shepherd Lake is 7 mi to the northwest.
Spring rainbow trout on Lake Pend Oreille hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Clark Fork inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 8 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season kokanee use the shallows, holding in 10 to 30 ft. Expect a summer slide to 30 to 70 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 80 ft. Put Clark Fork inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 8 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (979 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Deep basin (979 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (979 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, lake trout slide up into 10 to 40 ft. By summer they slide out to 50 to 120 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Offshore hump: an offshore hump around 129 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Offshore hump (129 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (163 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (979 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Come spring, look for bull trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 30 to 90 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 70 ft. Start at Clark Fork inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A trolled plug on downrigger or a heavy jigging spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Large jointed plug, 6" swimbait (kokanee/trout pattern) |
| Summer | 30 to 90 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (979 ft) | Trolled plug on downrigger, Heavy jigging spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Large glide bait, Jointed plug |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | dawn | Break off the point (518 ft) | Heavy spoon (slow lift), Large soft swimbait |
In spring, cutthroat trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 35 ft before dropping to 10 to 40 ft for winter. Spring cutthroat trout concentrate at Clark Fork inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Clark Fork inflow (8 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Lake Pend Oreille carries 29 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 979 ft down.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17 | Kokanee | — | ~1.5" |
| Jun 16 | Kokanee | — | ~1.5" |
| Jun 15 | Kokanee | — | ~1.5" |
Source: Idaho Fish & Game stocking records, retrieved 2026-09-03.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Idaho waters are set by the Idaho Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Lake Pend Oreille specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Idaho fishing regulations →
Lake Pend Oreille is about 1152 ft (351 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, lake trout, bull trout, cutthroat trout on Lake Pend Oreille.
Clark Fork inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Idaho Fish & Game stocking records records, Lake Pend Oreille was most recently stocked Jun 17 with kokanee. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Lake Pend Oreille is regulated by the Idaho Fish and Game. Check the official Idaho regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Shepherd Lake 7 mi · Round Lake 11 mi · Antelope Lake 12 mi · Kelso Lake 16 mi · Blue Lake 22 mi · Spar Lake 23 mi, MT · Bull Lake (Lincoln) 27 mi, MT · Marshall Lake 32 mi, WA · Savage Lake 34 mi, MT · Diamond Lake 36 mi, WA · Priest Lake 39 mi · Kilbrennan Lake 40 mi, MT
See how Lake Pend Oreille stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Idaho · best lake trout lakes in Idaho · best kokanee lakes in Idaho · best cutthroat trout lakes in Idaho
More water nearby: Bonner County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Idaho fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.