Goat Lakes is a lake in Idaho, near Idaho County.
Goat Lakes is a lake in Idaho County, Idaho.
Use the shape you can see at Goat Lakes: check the best cover, the first drop, and one open-water line before moving.
On a warm summer afternoon near a shaded bank away from empty shoreline, the fish mix is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.
On a cool spring morning near the mouth of a pocket where food is present, begin with one slow bottom presentation and one moving bait, then let bites show whether fish are holding close to cover or roaming open water.
On a bright afternoon near the outside weed line where two features meet, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.
While using one protected-water check near a channel bend in clear water, spring fishing starts with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.
On a steady fall day near a protected point under flat light, a medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle.
On a warm summer afternoon near a firm-bottom flat after a cold night, record the wind, water color, depth where fish bit, 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.