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Idaho species

Brook Trout in Idaho

brook trout under the 2025-2027 Idaho rules.

  • 25 a daybag
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Photo of the fish, not an Idaho water: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5

Idaho fish

Brook Trout in Idaho, summed up

A daily number for brook trout appears in 7 Idaho region tables. For the IDFG Panhandle Region, IDFG prints "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".

Start with Henrys Lake, Spirit Lake and Cocolalla Lake; 105 Idaho pages carry it as a recommended fish. Planner stocking tables on built waters hold 53 stocking rows for it, the newest dated September 22, 2026. IDFG uses the name Salvelinus fontinalis for it.

25 a daybag
7regions listing it
105IDFG picks with pages
53stocking rows
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Region limits

How each Idaho region handles Brook Trout

IDFG regionLine as printed
IDFG Panhandle RegionBrook 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
IDFG Clearwater RegionBrook 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
IDFG Southwest RegionBrook 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
IDFG Magic Valley RegionBrook 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
IDFG Southeast RegionBrook 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
IDFG Upper Snake RegionBrook 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
IDFG Salmon RegionBrook 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

Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.

Read each IDFG region block

Stocking

Idaho waters planted with Brook Trout

WaterRelease as printed
Henrys LakeBrook Trout – Triploid, 114,810 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), September 22, 2026
Henrys LakeBrook Trout – Triploid, 93,765 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), September 23, 2025
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout – Triploid, 24,270 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), September 24, 2024
Henrys LakeBrook Trout – Triploid, 106,788 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), September 19, 2024
Deer Creek ReservoirBrook Trout – Triploid, 2,533 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 13, 2024
Cedar Creek ReservoirBrook Trout, 5,019 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), February 2, 2024
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 23,760 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), May 6, 2020
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 18,534 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), April 29, 2019
North Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 18,534 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), April 29, 2019
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 24,304 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), May 1, 2018
North Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 24,304 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), May 1, 2018
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 18,971 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), April 13, 2017
North Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 18,971 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), April 13, 2017
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 350 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 15, 2016
East Fork Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 248 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 9, 2016
Wildhorse CreekBrook Trout, 503 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 2, 2014
Eightmile CreekBrook Trout, 8,017 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 11, 1991
Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 150 fish, Adults, October 17, 1980
American RiverBrook Trout, 4,984 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 27, 1980
Birch CreekBrook Trout, 11,700 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), August 7, 1979
Elk CreekBrook Trout, 1,900 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 1, 1979
Elk CreekBrook Trout, 1,974 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 31, 1979
Big Lost RiverBrook Trout, 495 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), August 15, 1978
Crooked River (Boise County)Brook Trout, 23,016 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), May 3, 1977

Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.

Where to fish

Idaho pages that list brook trout

Reservoir pages naming brook trout

  • Henrys Lake6,077 acres
  • Spirit Lake1,535 acres
  • Cocolalla Lake804 acres
  • Little Wood Reservoir524 acres
  • Lost Valley Reservoir522 acres
  • Fernan Lake423 acres
  • McArthur Lake422 acres
  • Warm Lake412 acres
  • Pettit Lake400 acres
  • Goose Lake (Adams County)366 acres
  • Fish Creek Reservoir350 acres
  • Upper Payette Lake302 acres
  • Yellow Belly Lake193 acres
  • Granite Lake (Valley County)188 acres
  • Elk Creek Reservoir87 acres
  • Mirror Lake85 acres
  • Browns Pond83 acres
  • Bull Trout Lake72 acres
  • Little Redfish Lake67 acres
  • Deer Creek Reservoir65 acres
  • Hazard Lake63 acres
  • Stoneridge Reservoir58 acres
  • Round Lake (Bonner County)55 acres
  • Robinson Lake (Boundary County)54 acres

Stream pages naming brook trout

  • Baker CreekBlaine County
  • Salmon Falls CreekTwin Falls County
  • American RiverIdaho County
  • Bear Valley CreekValley County
  • Big Lost RiverButte County
  • Big Wood RiverBlaine County
  • Birch CreekButte County
  • Brushy Fork CreekIdaho County
  • Cassia CreekCassia County
  • Cocolalla CreekBonner County
  • Crooked River (Idaho County)Idaho County
  • East Fork Big Lost RiverCuster County
  • East Fork Potlatch RiverClearwater County
  • East Fork Salmon RiverCuster County
  • East Fork South Fork Salmon RiverValley County
  • East Fork Weiser RiverAdams County
  • East Fork Wood RiverBlaine County
  • Elk CreekClearwater County

IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.

Special rules

Water-specific brook trout rules in Idaho

  • Henrys Fork Snake RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
  • Henrys LakeIDFG Upper Snake Region

Special rules for every Idaho water

Rule blocks printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.

Photos

Reservoirs, alpine lakes and canyon runs close to Brook Trout, in pictures

Meridian, Idaho
Meridian
Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
Brownlee Reservoir, Idaho
Brownlee Reservoir
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Palisades Reservoir, Idaho
Palisades Reservoir
Photo: 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
Canyon County, Idaho
Canyon County
Photo: FunGi_ (Trading), CC BY-SA 2.0
Answers

Gem State brook trout, question by question

What is the Idaho bag on brook trout?

Each region differs; IDFG Panhandle Region: "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 Br".

What is the latest Idaho brook trout record?

No new mark appears in the 2026 news read here.

Best Idaho water for brook trout?

Henrys Lake, Spirit Lake and Cocolalla Lake, plus more: 105 pages.

Are brook trout on the Planner stocking tables?

Yes; 53 rows, the newest into Henrys Lake on September 22, 2026.

Any Idaho water with a brook trout exception?

2 waters do, Henrys Lake among them.

Is brook trout a protected fish in Idaho?

No federal listing applies to it.

Which Idaho license covers brook trout?

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.

Who certifies Idaho brook trout records?

Yes for length: IDFG runs a catch-and-release list by total length; weight records need a certified scale.

Map out a brook trout day in Idaho

Start from a water listed above.

Idaho fishIdaho rules