Cave Lake is a lake in Idaho, near Kootenai County.
Cave Lake is a lake in Kootenai County, Idaho.
No reliable acreage is listed for Cave Lake, so begin with visible cover and the first clear change in depth.
Fish listed for Cave Lake include Black Crappie, Brown Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Largescale Sucker, Northern Pike, Northern Pikeminnow, Smallmouth Bass, Tench, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, and Yellow Perch.
On a warm summer afternoon near the outside weed line with light wind, keep a small jig tipped with a worm or minnow close to bottom on a shelf for yellow perch.
On an overcast morning near the downwind side beside useful cover, cover weeds, shallow points, and flat edges with a spoon or sturdy minnow lure for northern pike.
On a quick scouting pass near the outside weed line before changing areas, fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops for black crappie.
On a cool spring morning near a protected point away from empty shoreline, drag a tube or Ned rig across rock and the hard edge of a point for smallmouth bass.
Other targets listed here include Largemouth Bass and Brown Bullhead; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig.
During the final pass near the outside weed line in stained water, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.
While using one protected-water check near the downwind side near visible bait, early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.
During the first hour near the mouth of a pocket after warm rain, a medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles most jigs and small casting baits; add a stronger outfit and a proper leader when northern pike are the target.
On a check of nearby water near scattered wood while the water is rising, record the wind, water color, depth that held fish, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.