Brook trout, native to the eastern U.S., do well in higher elevation Idaho waters from small streams to alpine lakes but the largest may be found in Henrys Lake. In many waters, brookies reproduce all too well and stunting occurs where there is not enough fishing pressure or predators. Watch regulations for areas where a special bonus limit of brookies is offered. One of the best-tasting of all trout or char species, this is not a challenge. There is at this time no legal harvest of bull trout in the State of Idaho.
Bull trout are in trouble throughout most of their range in the northern Rockies.
Idaho anglers and fisheries managers are trying to recover this native fish before it goes on the Endangered Species list. Lake trout fishing rewards the specialized angler equipped to fish deep in big water. The huge lakes of north Idaho and Bear Lake in the southeast corner are well-known as lake trout waters. A few smaller lakes including Payette Lake and Warm Lake in the western mountains contain lake trout as well but there is a special 36-inch minimum at Payette Lake to protect the spawning stock there. Grayling are not trout but they are taken from the same waters by the same methods and are highly regarded by most trout anglers.