Lake Coeur d’Alene fishing conditions · Idaho

Now until 4 amChinook salmon

The bite peaks at 82.

Right now: 82 for chinook salmon, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Chinook salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

82Mon
82
82
823 am
68
68
686 am
68
68
689 am
60
48
4812 pm
50
50
583 pm
58
50
506 pm
50
58
589 pm
58
58
58Tue
58
58
583 am
58
58
586 am
58
58
589 am
58
65

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 5 mph
Light: Dark
Sky: Mostly Cloudy
Air: 44°F
Barometer: Falling
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Idaho non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

24" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Idaho Panhandle Region (Coeur d'Alene Lake): 2 landlocked chinook a day, none under 24". The lake's naturally reproducing chinook are the region's big-fish target.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Kokanee salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Kokanee salmon bite in 45–59° water, best near 53°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 20–120 ft down.

Keep

15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Idaho Panhandle Region, including Coeur d'Alene Lake: 15 kokanee a day. Other regions set 6 to 25.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Year-round. More on kokanee salmon

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Idaho general rules: 6 trout a day in lakes and reservoirs, all species combined; possession is 3 times the daily limit. Coeur d'Alene Lake bars keeping cutthroat.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Idaho bass limits vary by region: Panhandle 6 a day combined with no minimum (Coeur d'Alene Lake); Southwest and Magic Valley 6 with none under 12"; Southeast 6 with none under 14"; Upper Snake no limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Northern pike

Esox lucius

82Worth the tripNow until 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Northern pike bite in 50–70° water, best near 63°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Idaho Panhandle Region: no bag, length or possession limit on northern pike, and harvest is encouraged; pike were stocked illegally. Spearfishing is allowed on some waters.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Idaho non-tidal

Season here: Year-round. More on northern pike

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer30.04 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:22 am
Sunset today5:39 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarSunday 11:30 pm–1:30 am
Minor solunarToday 7:50 am–8:50 am
Major solunarToday 11:50 am–1:50 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Idaho Fish & Game has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Idaho Fish & Game · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A 25-mile glacial lake in the Idaho Panhandle, ringed by forested mountains at the edge of the city of Coeur d’Alene. A diverse fishery: naturally reproducing chinook salmon (the marquee big-fish target), abundant kokanee, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and a thriving northern pike population the state urges anglers to harvest. City Beach and Independence Point offer public launches.

Chinook 2 a day, none under 24"; kokanee 15; trout 6 with no cutthroat kept; bass 6 combined; no limit on northern pike, and harvest is encouraged. The southern end is on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, which sets its own rules.

WaterLake
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesIdaho non-tidal
WhereKootenai County · 47.6650, -116.7900

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Flathead Lake124 mi · MontanaBest now until 5 am

82Worth the trip

Bitterroot River151 mi · MontanaBest now until 5 am

78Worth the trip

Blackfoot River152 mi · MontanaNo window clears the bar

53Sit it out

Georgetown Lake194 mi · MontanaBest tonight 9 pm to tomorrow 1 pm

68Marginal

Missouri River at Craig229 mi · MontanaBest tomorrow 12 am–1 pm

92Go

Big Hole River235 mi · MontanaNo window clears the barDense Fog Advisory

49Sit it out

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Coeur d’Alene?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Coeur d’Alene you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Coeur d’Alene?

Lake Coeur d’Alene is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Kokanee Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Coeur d’Alene?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Coeur d’Alene against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Coeur d’Alene have?

Lake Coeur d’Alene has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Chinook 2 a day, none under 24"; kokanee 15; trout 6 with no cutthroat kept; bass 6 combined; no limit on northern pike, and harvest is encouraged. The southern end is on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation, which sets its own rules.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Coeur d’Alene?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Coeur d’Alene. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Coeur d’Alene tidal water?

No. Lake Coeur d’Alene is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.