Payette Lake Fishing
A 4,987-acre Idaho lake in Valley County.
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Payette Lake, the short version
Planner size for Payette Lake: 4,987 acres, in Valley County. The matched NHD outline reads 1,516 feet. IDFG manages it from the IDFG Southwest Region (McCall subregion). McCall sits roughly 2 miles away for fuel and groceries. IDFG notes: Flows into the North Fork Payette River. IDFG puts it on its recommended list.
Neither IDFG nor the federal layers record a launch on it. IDFG has recorded 195 stocking records here since 1990. Facilities marked on the Planner: boat ramp, dock, toilet, campground and accessible facilities.
Surface acres as listed in the IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner (water page), read November 7, 2026. Elevation from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset and GNIS for the matched lake outline, read November 7, 2026. Census 2020 places.
Fish worth targeting on Payette Lake
What IDFG records show for Payette Lake:
What IDFG nets and electrofishing found in Payette Lake
- Catostomus sp.survey 2026
- Kokaneesurvey 2026
- Lake Troutsurvey 2026
- Largescale Suckersurvey 2026
- Mountain Whitefishsurvey 2026
- Northern Pikeminnowsurvey 2026
- Rainbow Troutsurvey 2026
- Smallmouth Basssurvey 2026
- Yellow Perchsurvey 2026
- Rainbow x Cutthroat Troutsurvey 2023
- Lake Chubsurvey 2020
- Brook Troutsurvey 2014
- Bull Troutsurvey 2014
- Bridgelip Suckersurvey 2013
- Cutthroat Troutsurvey 2013
- Redside Shinersurvey 1994
IDFG sampling catches nongame fish as well.
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner water page, read November 7, 2026.
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Agency data show no ramp on Payette Lake; local or private launches may exist.
Other IDFG, BLM and Forest Service launches near Payette Lake
- Little Payette Lake boat rampLittle Payette Lake, 3 miles east
Places to fish from shore by Payette Lake
- Brown's Pond (Airport Pond)Browns Pond, 4 miles
- Rowland Pond / Lick CreekRowland Pond, 4 miles
- Northwest Passage PondNorthwest Passage Pond, 5 miles
- Fish Lake AccessFish Lake, 6 miles
The Planner lists no motor restriction here.
IDFG Fishing and Boating Access Sites layer, BLM Idaho recreation site points and USDA Forest Service recreation opportunities (EDW), read November 7, 2026.
Surface level at Payette Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Payette Lake At Mccall Id | 1.01 ft gage height | Nov 9 8:15 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 9, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
The Payette Lake panel shows the newest value on file.
What IDFG hatcheries released into Payette Lake
Recent plants at Payette Lake, out of 195 rows dated 1990 to 2026:
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 2,030 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 5, 2026
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 5,016 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), July 13, 2026
- KokaneeKokanee, 36,259 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 17, 2026
- KokaneeKokanee, 114,706 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 251 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), June 3, 2026
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 3,841 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), June 2, 2026
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 4,978 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), May 14, 2026
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 5,005 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), July 8, 2025
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 4,970 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), June 26, 2025
- Rainbow Trout (triploid)Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 4,956 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), May 22, 2025
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner page (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.
Possession and size rules at Payette Lake
| Group | Region 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 |
These are the IDFG Southwest Region lines; any special rule for Payette Lake below takes priority.
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
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.
Certified and catch-and-release records from Payette Lake
| Species | Size | Category | Water as printed | Caught | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 43.25 inches | catch-and-release (length) | Payette Lake | source |
Idaho state record fish, read November 8, 2026.
How Payette Lake compares in its corner of Idaho
By IDFG acreage, Little Payette Lake tops the list with 1,440 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Region | Recommended fish | Launch sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payette Lake | 4,987 | Southwest Region | 4 | 0 | |
| Little Payette Lake | 3 miles southeast | 1,440 | Southwest Region | 4 | 1 |
| Cruickshank Reservoir | 4 miles southeast | 112 | Southwest Region | 0 | 0 |
| Blackwell Lake | 5 miles northeast | 34 | Southwest Region | 3 | 0 |
| Fish Lake (Adams County) | 6 miles west | 19 | Southwest Region | 1 | 0 |
| Browns Pond | 6 miles east | 83 | Southwest Region | 2 | 0 |
IDFG Idaho Fishing Planner and the agency access layers, read November 7, 2026.
Beside Payette Lake
Lakes a quick detour from Payette Lake
- Little Payette Lake3 miles southeast
- Cruickshank Reservoir4 miles southeast
- Blackwell Lake5 miles northeast
- Fish Lake (Adams County)6 miles west
- Browns Pond6 miles east
Tackle stores a short drive from Payette Lake
- Mile High Marinamarina, McCall, 2 miles
- Hi-Per Sports Incmarina, Mccall, 3 miles
- Mountain Marine Constructionmarina, McCall, 6 miles
- Tamarack Marinamarina, Tamarack, 18 miles
- Tackle Tom'sbait and tackle shop, Cascade, 29 miles
- Valley Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Cascade
Idaho towns with a bed near Payette Lake
- McCall2 miles
- Cascade30 miles
The counties along Payette Lake
- Valley Countyseat: Cascade
A Piscifun spinning kit for the run up to Payette Lake
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Visual ID for fish swimming at Payette Lake
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain
Straight answers on Payette Lake
How do I find Payette Lake on an Idaho map?
Expect it in Valley County, about 2 miles from McCall.
Is Payette Lake a big lake for Idaho?
Some 4,987 acres on the Planner, at about 1,516 feet.
Can I get a boat onto Payette Lake from a public site?
No launch on it appears in the IDFG, BLM or Forest Service layers; nearby sites are in the access band.
What does the Planner say lives in Payette Lake?
The Planner names kokanee, lake trout, cutthroat trout and rainbow trout.
How many trout may an Idaho angler creel at Payette Lake?
Under the IDFG Southwest Region block: 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. Kokanee: Kokanee limit is 6.
What does the Idaho statutory fee come to for a trip to Payette Lake?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
When was Payette Lake last stocked?
IDFG logged Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 2,030 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 5, 2026 most recently.
Where do anglers bound for Payette Lake fill the tackle box?
Mile High Marina, about 2 miles away heads our shop list here.
Has Payette Lake been drawn down?
The level band shows the newest reading with its agency and date (USGS).
Which Idaho record did IDFG announce from Payette Lake?
IDFG announced a catch-and-release (length) record for Lake Trout at 43.25 inches (Payette Lake), caught on a date the release gave; anglers are not named here.
Hitch the boat for Payette Lake
Fees, region tables and rule blocks are gathered on one page.