Fishing in Ada County, Idaho
County seat: Boise. Population 494,967.
- 14lake pages
- 1launch sites
- 6river pages
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Reservoirs, creeks and launches of Ada County at a glance
Ada County keeps its courthouse in Boise, and the 2020 Census put 494,967 people inside the county. The IDFG Fishing Planner files 100% of the county's listed waters under the IDFG Southwest Region; drainage lines, not the county line, decide the rest.
Lake guides cover 14 waters totalling 3,717 acres; Lucky Peak Reservoir is the biggest. Agency maps show 1 launch site (1 IDFG). IDFG maps 1 walk-in access site for anglers on foot.
Census 2020 population and county seat; IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (list of Idaho waters), read November 7, 2026. IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service), read November 7, 2026.
A map of Ada County launches and lake points
IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites, BLM and Forest Service launch points, Fishing Planner lake points (outlet) and stream midpoints. Checked November 2026.
Ada County lakes and reservoirs with their own page
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Kind | Game fish IDFG names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Peak Reservoir | 2,766 | 0 | reservoir | kokanee, yellow perch, mountain whitefish |
| Swan Falls Reservoir | 470 | 0 | reservoir | bluegill and sunfish, bullhead, white sturgeon |
| Indian Creek Reservoir (Ada County) | 126 | 1 | reservoir | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass |
| Blacks Creek Reservoir | 106 | 0 | reservoir | yellow perch, bluegill and sunfish, salamander |
| Hubbard Reservoir | 103 | 0 | reservoir | |
| Lake Harbor Pond | 32 | 0 | lake | |
| Quinns Pond | 23 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Veterans Park Pond | 18 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Star City Pond West | 18 | 0 | lake | smallmouth bass, bluegill and sunfish, rainbow trout |
| Halverson Lake | 13 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass |
| Esther Simplot Pond | 13 | 0 | lake | rainbow trout, tiger trout, bluegill and sunfish |
| Eagle Island Park Pond | 11 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Esther Simplot Pond II | 10 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, bullhead, largemouth bass |
| Parkcenter Pond | 8 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, channel catfish |
Surface acres as listed in the IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner, read November 7, 2026. Game fish are the Planner’s recommended species; IDFG prints no lake depths there.
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Out to 50 miles from Boise, bluegill and sunfish turns up on the most lake pages.
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish and stocking rows, counted per lake page within 50 miles; not a creel survey.
More named Ada County lakes on the Planner list
Another 20 named lakes in Ada County have too few published facts for a page and are listed here by size.
| Water | Acres | Kind | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star City Pond East | 16 | lake | Star |
| Eagle Island Park Pond East | 5 | lake | Eagle |
| Tadpole Lake | 5 | lake | Mountain Home AFB |
| Kleiner Pond | 4 | lake | Meridian |
| Loggers Pond | 4 | lake | Boise |
| Riverside Pond | 3 | lake | Garden City |
| Williams Pond | 3 | lake | Boise |
| Julia Davis Lagoon | 2 | lake | Boise |
| Merrill Park Pond | 2 | lake | Eagle |
| Sego Prairie Pond | 2 | lake | Kuna |
| McDevitt Pond | 1 | lake | Eagle |
| Optimist Park Pond | 1 | lake | Garden City |
| Molenaar Park Pond | 1 | lake | Boise |
| Redwood Park Pond | 1 | lake | Garden City |
| Terry Day Pond | 1 | lake | Boise |
| Mariposa Pond | 1 | lake | Garden City |
| Settlers Park Pond | 1 | lake | Meridian |
| Heroes Park Pond | 0 | lake | Meridian |
| M. K. Nature Center Pond | 0 | lake | Boise |
| Magnolia Park Pond | 0 | lake | Garden City |
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (list of Idaho waters), read November 7, 2026.
Rivers and trout creeks of Ada County
- Mores CreekIDFG recommended water, 1 USGS gauge, 40 mi Planner length
- Boise River, Eagle Island South ChannelIDFG recommended water, 7.2 mi Planner length
- Boise RiverIDFG recommended water, 5 USGS gauges
- Snake River1 launch, 14 USGS gauges
- Mason Creek1 USGS gauge, 18.2 mi Planner length
- Cottonwood Creek1 USGS gauge, 9.1 mi Planner length
Ada County creeks the Planner names, listed here only (63)
- Indian Creek66.5 mi
- Ridenbaugh Canal42.1 mi
- New York Canal35.7 mi
- Phyllis Canal34.7 mi
- Fivemile Creek33.2 mi
- Tenmile Creek27.6 mi
- Farmers Union Canal25.3 mi
- North Indian Creek22.5 mi
- Dry Creek21.2 mi
- Corder Creek18.1 mi
- Unnamed Stream17.1 mi
- Bowns Creek16.7 mi
- Sand Creek (Ada County)15.4 mi
- Unnamed Stream15.4 mi
- Willow Creek15.1 mi
- South Fork Willow Creek14.5 mi
- Blacks Creek14 mi
- Eightmile Creek12.3 mi
- Rabbit Creek12.1 mi
- Unnamed Stream12.1 mi
- Big Gulch Creek11.5 mi
- Waldvogel Canal11.3 mi
- Bryans Run11 mi
- Stewart Gulch10.9 mi
- North Slough10.5 mi
- Spring Valley Creek10 mi
- Crane Creek (Ada County)9 mi
- Unnamed Stream8.9 mi
- Little Gulch Creek8.7 mi
- Thurman Mill Canal8.7 mi
- Unnamed Stream8.5 mi
- South Slough7.9 mi
- Mason Creek Feeder7.6 mi
- Unnamed Stream6.8 mi
- Currant Creek6.7 mi
- Warm Springs Creek6.3 mi
- Middleton Canal6.2 mi
- Woods Gulch6 mi
- Lanktree Gulch5.3 mi
- North Fork Daniels Creek4.8 mi
- Sheep Creek4.8 mi
- Curlew Gulch4.4 mi
- Picket Pin Creek4.4 mi
- Maynard Gulch4.1 mi
- Sheep Creek4.1 mi
- Charcoal Creek3.9 mi
- Freestone Creek3.6 mi
- Shingle Creek3.6 mi
- Unnamed Stream3.6 mi
- Birch Creek3.5 mi
- McFarland Creek3.5 mi
- Council Spring Creek3.2 mi
- Deer Creek3.2 mi
- Goose Creek3 mi
- Pierce Gulch3 mi
- Loggers Creek2.5 mi
- Fivemile Creek2.4 mi
- South Fork Daniels Creek2.3 mi
- Seaman Gulch1.7 mi
- Little Charcoal Creek1.6 mi
- Unnamed Stream1.6 mi
- Daniels Creek1.4 mi
- Unnamed Stream1.1 mi
Live river readings in Ada County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Snake River Nr Murphy Id | 6,380 cfs, 22.48 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:15 pm |
| Boise River At Glenwood Bridge Nr Boise Id | 239 cfs, 3.26 ft gage height | Nov 13 6:45 pm |
| Boise River South Channel At Eagle Id | 203 cfs, 2.47 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:00 pm |
| Eagle Drain At Eagle, Id | 9 cfs, 10.65 ft gage height | Nov 13 7:00 pm |
| Cottonwood Creek Bel Fivemile Cr Nr Boise Id | 1 cfs, 7.69 ft gage height | Jul 1 3:00 am Not updated since Jul 1, 2020. |
| Freestone Cr At Freestone Cr Trailhead Nr Boise Id | 3.30 ft gage height | Nov 13 6:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (list of Idaho waters), read November 7, 2026. Stream lengths as printed in the Planner; USGS gauges live.
Stocking rows for Ada County water
IDFG lists 2,898 hatchery releases into Ada County water on its Planner pages: 12,025,215 fish in 9 waters.
- Snake RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 500 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 27, 2026
- Snake RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 21,576 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 22, 2026
- Snake RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 5,846 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 21, 2026
- Lucky Peak ReservoirRainbow Trout, 4,140 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 8, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 633 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), September 23, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 633 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), September 23, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 618 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), September 10, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 618 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), September 10, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 453 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 25, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 495 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 25, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 491 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 13, 2026
- Boise RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 491 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 13, 2026
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026. Newest releases first.
Launches and walk-in access of Ada County
- Indian Creek Reservoir boat rampIndian Creek Reservoir, IDFG, boating access, ramp, restroom
IDFG bank spots of Ada County (1)
- Eagle Hatchery fishing accessfishing access, restroom
IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service), read November 7, 2026. BLM and Forest Service points as published; lanes and ramp counts are not fields in any layer.
Fish an angler may keep across Ada County
This is the IDFG Southwest Region block, since most of Ada County's listed water sits in it; special rules printed for a water come first. The annual license fee written into Idaho Code 36-416 is $28.75 for an Idahoan and $106.25 for a visitor; GoOutdoorsIdaho and vendors add processing.
| Group | Rule as printed |
|---|---|
| Bass | Bass limit is 6, both species combined; None under 12 inches |
| Brook Trout | Brook Trout limit is 25; Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules – if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for Brook Trout |
| Bull Trout | Bull Trout – catch-and-release |
| Kokanee | Kokanee limit is 6 |
| Salmon | Spring and summer Chinook Salmon seasons and limits are set by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission and issued in separate brochures; Seasons and limits for fall Chinook Salmon and Coho Salmon can be found here; Sockeye Salmon fishing is illegal. Defined as ocean-run Oncorhynchus nerka longer than 14 inches in the Snake River drainage below Hells Canyon Dam, the Salmon River drainage (excluding above Mosquito Flat Dam) |
| Steelhead | Defined as Rainbow Trout longer than 20 inches in the Salmon River drainage (excluding lakes and reservoirs). Between Hells Canyon Dam and Oxbow Dam and the Boise River from its mouth upstream to Barber Dam during steelhead seasons, steelhead are Rainbow Trout over 20 inches with the adipose fin clipped (as evidenced by a healed scar); Fishing for steelhead is prohibited unless a steelhead season is specifically open |
| Sturgeon | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| Tiger Muskie | Tiger Muskie limit is 2, none under 40 inches |
| Trout | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| Walleye | No bag, length, or possession limits. Harvest is encouraged (Stocked illegally in this Region. May be harmful to existing fisheries.) |
| Whitefish | Whitefish limit is 25; Harvest allowed during any open season unless otherwise noted under Special Rules – if gear or bait restrictions are listed, they apply when fishing for whitefish |
| Protected Nongame Fish | May not be harvested or possessed |
| All Other Fish Species | No bag, length, or possession limits |
Ada County water carrying special rules (5)
- Boise RiverAll Waters Open All Year
- Boise River, Eagle Island South ChannelAll Waters Open All Year
- Mores CreekAll Waters Open All Year
- Parkcenter PondTrout limit is 2
- Snake RiverAll Waters Open All Year
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027 for the Southwest Region, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026. Fishing license fees as set in Idaho Code 36-416 (statute; IDFG sale prices add vendor and processing fees), read November 7, 2026.
2026 Idaho records tied to Ada County
Record catches closest to Ada County came from the waters below, all inside 80 miles.
| Species | Record | Kind | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullhead Catfish | 17 inches | catch-and-release (length) | Cascade Reservoir | Sept. 5, 2026 |
Idaho state record fish, read November 8, 2026. A partial list: records IDFG announced in 2026.
Tackle, flies and outfitters in Ada County
Idaho tackle counters in Ada County
- Anglersbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Cabela's, 8109 W Franklin Rdbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 131 N Milwaukee Stbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 3415 N Eagle Rdbait and tackle shop, Meridian
- Dreams on the Flyfly shop, Meridian
- Kokanee Tacklebait and tackle shop, Boise
- Kokanut Fishing Tacklebait and tackle shop, Meridian
- Loon Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Boise
- NW School of Fly Fishingfly shop, Boise
- Pro Salmon & Steelhead Shopbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Scheelsbait and tackle shop, Meridian
- Sierra, 2050 N Eagle Rdbait and tackle shop, Meridian
- TRR Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Eagle
- Tackle.io, Incbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Topper Tacklebait and tackle shop, Boise
- Waterworks Lamsonbait and tackle shop, Boise
- Bi-Mart Kunasporting goods store, Kuna
- Bi-Mart Starsporting goods store, Star
- Sportsman's Warehouse Meridiansporting goods store, Meridian
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (city of business); retrieved November 7, 2026.
Idaho highways leading out of Ada County
Motels and diners for a Ada County trip
Idaho county guides sharing a line with Ada County
- Canyon County26 miles northwest
- Elmore County39 miles east
- Gem County43 miles north
- Boise County45 miles northeast
Rods, reels and pliers from Piscifun before Ada County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Visual ID for fish swimming at Ada County
Photo: Under the same moon, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Ryndon, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Brief answers on fishing Ada County
How many IDFG, BLM and Forest Service launches serve Ada County?
1 launch site on the access layers (1 IDFG).
Which lake in Ada County does IDFG list with the most acres?
Lucky Peak Reservoir, at 2,766 acres in the IDFG Fishing Planner.
Which game fish does IDFG name on water near Ada County?
Bluegill and sunfish lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles, followed by largemouth bass, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass.
Which Ada County stores keep hooks and flies?
19 in all, starting with Anglers.
How many Idaho guide listings name a Ada County town?
Idaho guide listings name no town inside the county.
Which Idaho town holds the Ada County county offices?
Boise is the seat.
Does fishing in Ada County need an Idaho license?
The annual license fee written into Idaho Code 36-416 is $28.75 for an Idahoan and $106.25 for a visitor; GoOutdoorsIdaho and vendors add processing.
Which Idaho county guides ring Ada County?
The nearest county pages are Canyon County, Elmore County and Gem County.
Which IDFG region covers most Ada County water?
100% of the Planner waters sit in the IDFG Southwest Region.
Does IDFG print special rules for any Ada County water?
The Planner prints special rules for 5 county waters with a page here, starting with Boise River; the list above shows the first ones.
Does IDFG stock fish in Ada County?
2,898 IDFG releases listed on Planner pages, 12,025,215 fish; the newest went into Snake River on Oct. 27, 2026.
Choose an IDFG lake or river in Ada County
Open a lake for its launches, limits and releases.