Fishing in Lewis County, Idaho
County seat: Nezperce. Population 3,533.
- 1lake pages
- 2launch sites
- 4river pages
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Reservoirs, creeks and launches of Lewis County at a glance
Lewis County keeps its courthouse in Nezperce, and the 2020 Census put 3,533 people inside the county. The IDFG Fishing Planner files 100% of the county's listed waters under the IDFG Clearwater Region; drainage lines, not the county line, decide the rest.
Lake guides cover 1 water totalling 103 acres; Winchester Lake is the biggest. Ocean-run fish show up on the game fish lists of Salmon River and Clearwater River. Agency maps show 2 launch sites (2 IDFG). IDFG maps 2 walk-in access sites 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.
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IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites, BLM and Forest Service launch points, Fishing Planner lake points (outlet) and stream midpoints. Checked November 2026.
Lewis County lakes and reservoirs with their own page
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Kind | Game fish IDFG names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester Lake | 103 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, bullhead, largemouth bass |
Beyond the Lewis County boundary these paged lakes lie closest to Nezperce.
| Lake | From Nezperce | Acres | Launches | Kind | Game fish IDFG names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deyo Reservoir | 14 miles northeast | 52 | 1 | reservoir | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Tolo Lake | 22 miles south | 36 | 1 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, channel catfish |
| Soldiers Meadow Reservoir | 24 miles west | 112 | 1 | reservoir | bullhead, largemouth bass, yellow perch |
| Dworshak Reservoir | 27 miles north | 16,484 | 0 | reservoir | kokanee, cutthroat trout, smallmouth bass |
| Campbells Pond | 28 miles northeast | 7 | 0 | lake | bluegill and sunfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Lake Waha | 29 miles west | 94 | 1 | lake | kokanee, yellow perch, smallmouth bass |
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.
Which fish the Planner ties to water near Lewis County
Out to 50 miles from Nezperce, rainbow trout 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 Lewis County lakes on the Planner list
Another 1 named lakes in Lewis County have too few published facts for a page and are listed here by size.
| Water | Acres | Kind | Nearest town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson Pond | 2 | lake | Kamiah |
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (list of Idaho waters), read November 7, 2026.
Rivers and trout creeks of Lewis County
- Salmon RiverIDFG recommended water, steelhead or salmon listed, 4 USGS gauges, 425.3 mi Planner length
- Clearwater RiverIDFG recommended water, steelhead or salmon listed, 3 USGS gauges, 74.8 mi Planner length
- Lawyer Creek1 USGS gauge, 44.6 mi Planner length
- Lapwai Creek1 USGS gauge, 32.9 mi Planner length
Lewis County creeks the Planner names, listed here only (50)
- Big Canyon Creek33.8 mi
- Mission Creek24.4 mi
- Little Canyon Creek18.8 mi
- Deer Creek17.1 mi
- Long Hollow Creek16.5 mi
- Eagle Creek14.9 mi
- Deep Creek14.2 mi
- Deep Creek12 mi
- Rock Creek10.9 mi
- Coldspring Creek9.7 mi
- Holes Creek9.1 mi
- Maloney Creek9 mi
- North Fork Willow Creek9 mi
- Willow Creek9 mi
- Sixmile Creek8.2 mi
- Fivemile Creek7.3 mi
- West Fork Maloney Creek6.2 mi
- Somers Creek6.1 mi
- Effie Creek5.1 mi
- Hamilton Canyon5.1 mi
- Cougar Creek4.8 mi
- Eureka Creek4 mi
- East Fork Deer Creek3.5 mi
- Dug Creek3.4 mi
- Camp Creek3.3 mi
- Lookout Creek3.3 mi
- Tryon Creek3.2 mi
- Pleasant Valley Creek2.9 mi
- Davis Creek2.8 mi
- Muir Creek2.5 mi
- Knight Creek2.4 mi
- Mountain Sheep Creek2.3 mi
- Bob Creek2.2 mi
- Cat Creek2.2 mi
- Roland Creek2.2 mi
- Christmas Creek2.1 mi
- Big Canyon Creek2 mi
- Birch Creek1.9 mi
- Chalk Creek1.9 mi
- Pittsburg Creek1.9 mi
- McCarty Creek1.8 mi
- Thorn Spring Creek1.8 mi
- Bean Creek1.7 mi
- Slaughter Gulch1.7 mi
- Robinson Gulch1.6 mi
- China Creek1.4 mi
- Lonepine Creek1.4 mi
- Copper Creek1.3 mi
- Fence Gulch1.3 mi
- Durham Creek1.2 mi
Live river readings in Lewis County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer Creek At Kamiah Id | 14 cfs, 62.63 ft gage height | Nov 13 6:45 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.
Where Lewis County streams carry steelhead or salmon
- Salmon RiverIDFG Southwest Region
- Clearwater RiverIDFG Clearwater Region
Steelhead and salmon seasons come from separate Fish and Game Commission proclamations, which this site could not read during the November 2026 IDFG site maintenance. Idaho steelhead and salmon rules
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (list of Idaho waters), read November 7, 2026.
Stocking rows for Lewis County water
IDFG lists 2,164 hatchery releases into Lewis County water on its Planner pages: 152,135,176 fish in 3 waters.
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 26 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), November 5, 2026
- Salmon RiverCutthroat Trout – Westslope, 38,679 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), October 13, 2026
- Winchester LakeRainbow Trout – Triploid, 3,344 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), September 29, 2026
- Winchester LakeChannel Catfish, 1,000 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,066 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 11, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 2,451 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 7, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 424 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 4, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 423 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 3, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,492 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 24, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 2,388 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 23, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 238 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 20, 2026
- Salmon RiverRainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,234 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 16, 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 Lewis County
- Five-Mile Creek boat ramplaunch site, IDFG, boating access, ramp, restroom, camping
- Longcamp boat ramplaunch site, IDFG, boating access, ramp, restroom, camping
IDFG bank spots of Lewis County (2)
- Robinson Pondfishing access
- Winchester Lake fishing accessfishing access, dock, 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 Lewis County
This is the IDFG Clearwater Region block, since most of Lewis 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 | In rivers and streams, no bag, length or possession limits; In lakes and reservoirs, limit is 6, both species combined |
| 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 25 |
| 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 prohibited. 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 D |
| Steelhead | Defined as Rainbow Trout longer than 20 inches in the Snake River drainage below Hells Canyon Dam, the Salmon River drainage (excluding lakes and reservoirs), and the Clearwater River drainage (excluding that portion above Dworshak Dam, and lakes); Fishing for steelhead is prohibited unless a steelhead season is specifically opened for that water. See fishing regulations for details |
| 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 | In rivers and streams, trout limit is 2, all species combined; In lakes, reservoirs, ditches and canals, trout limit is 6, all species combined; 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 |
Lewis County water carrying special rules (3)
- Clearwater RiverAll Waters Open All Year
- Salmon RiverAll Waters Open All Year
- Winchester LakeElectric motors only
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027 for the Clearwater 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 Lewis County
Record catches closest to Lewis County came from the waters below, all inside 80 miles.
| Species | Record | Kind | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 20.03 pounds | certified weight | Dworshak Reservoir | Jan. 13, 2026 |
Idaho state record fish, read November 8, 2026. A partial list: records IDFG announced in 2026.
Tackle, flies and outfitters in Lewis County
Idaho tackle counters in Lewis County
- Hescock's Southfork Tackle Cobait and tackle shop, Kamiah
Yellow Pages and chain store listings, guide listings (city of business); retrieved November 7, 2026.
Idaho highways leading out of Lewis County
Motels and diners for a Lewis County trip
- Kamiahpop. 1,117
Idaho county guides sharing a line with Lewis County
- Nez Perce County17 miles northwest
- Latah County43 miles north
- Clearwater County47 miles northeast
- Idaho County53 miles southeast
Rods, reels and pliers from Piscifun before Lewis County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Benchland and bank around Lewis County, seen through a lens
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Sam Beebe, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided, Public domain
Brief answers on fishing Lewis County
How many IDFG, BLM and Forest Service launches serve Lewis County?
2 launch sites on the access layers (2 IDFG).
Which lake in Lewis County does IDFG list with the most acres?
Winchester Lake, at 103 acres in the IDFG Fishing Planner.
Which game fish does IDFG name on water near Lewis County?
Rainbow trout lead the count of lake pages within 50 miles, followed by largemouth bass, bluegill and sunfish and bullhead.
Which Lewis County stores keep hooks and flies?
1 in all, starting with Hescock's Southfork Tackle Co.
How many Idaho guide listings name a Lewis County town?
Idaho guide listings name no town inside the county.
Which Idaho town holds the Lewis County county offices?
Nezperce is the seat.
Does fishing in Lewis 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 Lewis County?
The nearest county pages are Nez Perce County, Latah County and Clearwater County.
Which IDFG region covers most Lewis County water?
100% of the Planner waters sit in the IDFG Clearwater Region.
Does IDFG print special rules for any Lewis County water?
The Planner prints special rules for 3 county waters with a page here, starting with Clearwater River; the list above shows the first ones.
Does IDFG stock fish in Lewis County?
2,164 IDFG releases listed on Planner pages, 152,135,176 fish; the newest went into Salmon River on Nov. 5, 2026.
Can I fish for salmon in Lewis County?
The Planner lists steelhead or salmon on Salmon River and Clearwater River. This page leaves out steelhead and salmon dates because the Commission proclamations were not reachable on the IDFG site in November 2026.
Choose an IDFG lake or river in Lewis County
Open a lake for its launches, limits and releases.