Lake · Bonner, Idaho
Lake Pend Oreille near Hope
Current Lake Rating
Point-in-time lake rating — separate from the trip recommendation below.
Fair
This condition rating is estimated because current on-water monitoring is not available.
Estimated Conditions
Estimated from available current readings, weather, seasonal patterns, destination characteristics, and historical conditions. Some important on-water measurements may be unavailable.
Rating confidence: Low
Should I Go?
Consider
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Recommendation confidence: Low
Why
- Current water-level and water-temperature observations are not available.
- StrikeTracks is showing a provisional Estimated Conditions rating from accepted secondary evidence.
- Available atmospheric evidence is favorable for provisional Estimated fishing suitability; the public rating is capped by the accepted Estimated evidence path and confidence policy.
Current Readings
- Gage height
- 62.24 ft
- Last updated
- Sep 1, 2026, 10:15 PM
Stale observation
Source: USGS · LAKE PEND OREILLE NR HOPE, ID · 12392500 · Gage height · Stale data
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
52°F
Feels like
47°F
Wind
7 mph NE
Wind gust
8 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 4, 2026, 10:30 PM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.05 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 1 AM
Clear
Temp 51°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 5 AM
Clear
Temp 51°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Sat 9 AM
Clear
Temp 58°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 2 mph
Sat 1 PM
Clear
Temp 69°F
Chance 2%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 5 PM
Clear
Temp 72°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 9 PM
Clear
Temp 63°F
Chance 5%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Overcast
High 72°F / Low 51°F
Chance 8%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 9 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Drizzle
High 77°F / Low 54°F
Chance 45%
Precip 0.05 in
Max gust 7 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Overcast
High 76°F / Low 50°F
Chance 68%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 17 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Gage Height History
Loading historical gage height…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Lake Pend Oreille.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho's largest and deepest natural lake and a flagship stillwater. StrikeTracks keeps this existing public ID on PATH B static fishery value. USGS 12392500 is gage height only and was not fresh on the 2026-08-21 IV recheck — not live lake temperature and not Monitoring-Backed thermal. IDFG Panhandle special rules include cutthroat catch-and-release, a two-rainbow limit with one over 20 inches, encouraged lake trout and northern pike harvest, and a six-bass limit with largemouth size rules. Bull trout and kokanee are not selector IDs. Hatch Match publishes general fly suggestions only. Confirm current IDFG Lake Pend Oreille fisheries pages.
Target species
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
IDFG encourages lake trout harvest on Pend Oreille with no bag, length, or possession limit and allows spearfishing. Confirm current rules.
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Unknown
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
IDFG Pend Oreille rainbow special limit. USGS 12392500 is gage height only. Native cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii, including Yellowstone and westslope forms where IDFG manages them) are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID. They are described in overview and regulation caution only. Bull trout are IDFG catch-and-release statewide and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID. Kokanee are an IDFG-managed salmonid in some Idaho stillwaters and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID.
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
IDFG Pend Oreille bass special limit (combined largemouth/smallmouth with largemouth size rules). Mixed two-story fishery; coldwater+warmwater primaries stay generic-fishing so this existing elevation-only ID is not forced through coldwater_profile. Confirm current rules.
Northern Pike
Esox lucius
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
IDFG encourages northern pike harvest on Pend Oreille year-round with no bag/length/possession limit. Confirm current rules.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Mixed flow regime
Very deep natural coldwater / two-story lake near Hope. Elevation-only USGS is not a thermal substitute and does not authorize ordinary warmwater Lake Estimated.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Fly fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public lake fishing and launches are documented by IDFG Fishing Planner and Pend Oreille boat access. Catalog coordinates are the USGS Hope point, not a launch pin. Some tributaries (Gold, Granite, Trestle creeks) are closed.
Stocking information
IDFG manages a complex Pend Oreille fishery including Gerrard/Kamloops rainbow, lake trout control, and kokanee. Confirm current official stocking and Lake Pend Oreille Fisheries program notices separately.
Official sources
IDFG Panhandle 2025-2027: Lake Pend Oreille (includes named tributary listings) — no rod limit from a boat; bass 6 with only 2 largemouth and none under 16 inches; lake trout harvest encouraged with no bag/length/possession limit and spearfishing allowed; cutthroat catch-and-release; rainbow limit 2, only 1 over 20 inches; northern pike harvest encouraged. Closed tributaries include Gold, Granite, and Trestle creeks. Confirm current rules. Do not treat 00065 as water temperature.
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerConservative overlap streamer family. Not an insect Hatch claim.
- Parachute-style dryOne general surface family appropriate to mixed fisheries — not a Hatch report.
- Pheasant-tail-style nymphOne general subsurface family. Not destination entomology.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Bonner, Idaho
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Bonner
Management Category
Deep coldwater stillwater
Regulation Scope
Lake Pend Oreille near Hope
Regulation Summary
Lake Pend Oreille: IDFG Panhandle Lake Pend Oreille special rules. Confirm current 2025-2027 Fishing Seasons & Rules.
Target Species
rainbow-trout, lake-trout, smallmouth-bass, northern-pike
Public Access
Public
Description
Lake Pend Oreille at USGS 12392500 near Hope. Current continuous values are gage height (00065) only, and the IV recheck on 2026-08-21 found the latest 00065 in February 2026. That is not same-lake water temperature. This existing public ID stays on PATH B static fishery value. Deep coldwater / two-story character is not forced into ordinary warmwater Lake Estimated. Coordinates are the USGS monitoring-location point.
