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Ice Fishing

a hole lotta fun
Ice fishing on a lake in Norway at sunset.
Henry's Lake

Known as the “gem of the gem state,” Henry’s Lake is located just outside of Yellowstone National Park and offers some of the best fishing opportunities in the area. During the winter months, ice fishing Henry’s brings ice fisherman from all corners of the country for a chance to land a 6 pound trout. The lake is renowned for having some of the largest brook trout, cutthroat, and hybrids in the region, with two of the largest state-records caught in the lake. You can access the lake by foot, snowmobile, or ATV, but be warned, Henry’s is known and beloved by ice fishing fanatics in the region, so there may be a bigger crowd than you’re used to at your local hole. Henry’s Lake is located in Island Park, which is a mecca for outdoor recreation year-round. If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, be sure to check out some other winter activities such as snowmobiling rentals/tours, or cross country skiing in Harriman Park. As always, be sure to check local rules, regulations, and season dates for ice fishing on Henry’s. 

Scenic winter ice fishing in the mountains of Colorado
Ririe Reservoir

Located just 30-35 minutes outside of Idaho Falls, Ririe Reservoir is a great place for a quick day of ice fishing. This reservoir also has the widest variety of species in this list with kokanee, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, tiger trout, and whitefish residing in the lake–just to name a few. Ririe has also been known to freeze earlier and stay frozen longer than Henry’s Lake, which makes it a great place to ice fish throughout the winter, without early season end dates. Although you may not be catching trophy sized trout, there’s a certain charm to Ririe by simply knowing you could catch a different species with each rig drop. The lower portion of the reservoir is also accessible at Blacktail Park. If you do choose to go this route, be aware that road plowing stops a few miles before the park access during the winter, so scope out how far your vehicle can make, and hike or snowmobile the rest of the way down.

palisades
Palisades Reservoir

Palisades is a beautiful reservoir on the Idaho/Wyoming border. Located in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, the reservoir covers over 16,000 acres and is home to a variety of fish species including kokanee salmon, cutthroat trout, lake trout, and brown trout. If aspirations of catching a landlocked salmon are on your bucket list, Palisades is the place for you, due to the much higher catch rate of kokanee compared to any other ice body on this list. The fish population in Palisades is healthy year round with consistent stocking occurring nearly every year. Additionally, it is one the prettiest places to ice fish in east Idaho, with towering mountains surrounding the reservoir. If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, be sure to make the trip to iconic Jackson Hole for great dining, lodging and activities. 

Ice fisherman is catching a big fish. Photo is taken under ice cover.
American Falls

Located 30 minutes from Pocatello is the largest reservoir in east Idaho. It’s a popular place to fish in the summer, but proves just as bountiful in the winter. The reservoir holds a wide variety of fish such as rainbows, cutthroats, cutbows, brown trout, small & large mouth bass, and perch. It is one of the most productive fisheries for perch in the area, with the potential to hit your bag limit in only an hour. The most unique feature about American Falls, however, is the presence of an underwater ghost town. In preparation for the dam’s construction, the majority of the town of American Falls was moved to facilitate land for the reservoir. There are, however, some remnants of the old town that still lay beneath the surface of the water, which provides great structural protection for fish to live. If you can manage to find some of the structures below that house fish, catching has been reported to be phenomenal. 

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