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Cascade Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Lake Cascade on the North Fork Payette: big yellow perch, stocked rainbow trout and coho, and one of Idaho's most popular ice fisheries.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~47 F est.
Air / High
45 / 49 F
Wind
N 15 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Cascade Reservoir is in its winter mode: slow, deep and deliberate. Today brings cloud cover, wind N around 15 mph, rising pressure near 1016 hPa and a high of 49. Water sits around 47 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 10:22 AM-12:22 PM and 10:53 PM-12:53 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutExcellent

In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Largemouth bassGood

Below about 50Β°F feeding slows sharply, Iowa DNR notes; use small, slow baits near deep cover and fish the warmest part of the day.

Smallmouth bassGood

Fish hold in slower, deeper water; fish slowly and expect fewer bites until spring warming.

WalleyeGood

Spawning runs begin soon after ice-out in the high 30s to mid 40s Β°F; before that, slow presentations with live bait in deep, low-current wintering areas and below dams.

Yellow perchGood

Ice season. Perch stay active under the ice in both shallow and deeper water, so small jigs or spoons tipped with live bait over known winter areas are the usual approach.

Tomorrow: Similar at 51 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Idaho requires a fishing licence from age 14, from $35.50 for residents. What a Idaho licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with IDFG before you keep anything. The season dates for Idaho, read off the agency, are on the Idaho seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~47 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp45 F
High / Low49 / 33 F
WindN 15-22 mph
Pressure1015.7 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 68%
Sunrise / Sunset08:10 / 18:46
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~47 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Cascade Reservoir this week

Today is the pick of the week on Cascade Reservoir, at 3 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Oct 23 β€” fair at 3/5, rising pressure behind a front, typically the slowest.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
10:22 AM-12:22 PM and 10:53 PM-12:53 AM
Minor period
4:48 AM-5:48 AM
Sun
08:10 to 18:46
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Rain, 18 mph
Rain chance
68%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Cascade Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. Below about 50Β°F feeding slows sharply, Iowa DNR notes; use small, slow baits near deep cover and fish the warmest part of the day.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Fish hold in slower, deeper water; fish slowly and expect fewer bites until spring warming.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spawning runs begin soon after ice-out in the high 30s to mid 40s Β°F; before that, slow presentations with live bait in deep, low-current wintering areas and below dams.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Caught all year, including under the ice through winter

Yellow perch are schooling panfish of the Great Lakes and northern lakes, and Michigan DNR calls them the game fish most often caught in that state. Ice season. Perch stay active under the ice in both shallow and deeper water, so small jigs or spoons tipped with live bait over known winter areas are the usual approach.

When to come: the Cascade Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 47 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~47 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Cascade Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Idaho requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

An Idaho fishing license is required. Cascade Reservoir has no special rules in IDFG's 2025–2027 booklet, so the Southwest Region general rules apply: open all year; trout (including coho) 6 a day; kokanee 6; bass 6, none under 12 inches; walleye harvest encouraged with no limits. Check the current IDFG Seasons & Rules before keeping fish.

Access

Lake Cascade State Park has six boat ramps, day-use areas and 10 campgrounds; Van Wyck, Blue Heron and Curlew were first come, first served in 2026, the others by reservation. Check the park page for ramp closures at low water.

About this water

A 27,151.5-acre Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the North Fork Payette River at Cascade, Valley County, Idaho, completed in 1948.

Fishing Cascade Reservoir: the full guide

The reservoir

Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) lists Cascade Reservoir, also called Lake Cascade, at 27,151.5 acres in Valley County. The Bureau of Reclamation built Cascade Dam on the North Fork Payette River near the town of Cascade in 1946–1948; the top of the active pool is at 4,828 feet. IDFG's recommended game fish are yellow perch, rainbow trout, coho salmon, kokanee, smallmouth and largemouth bass, bluegill and other sunfish, bullhead and mountain whitefish.

Yellow perch

The Idaho record yellow perch, 3.22 pounds and 16.25 inches, came from Cascade Reservoir on March 9, 2021, according to IDFG's 2025–2027 rules booklet. In its 2022 fishery update IDFG described the size of perch in its fall netting as extraordinary and unrivaled by other Western reservoirs, and found more 5- to 7-inch perch than in years. Its 2021–22 creel survey estimated 66,780 perch harvested, and 10% of ice anglers caught 73% of the perch, so IDFG's advice is to stay mobile and use electronics to find schools.

Trout, coho and the rest

IDFG's stocking records show triploid rainbow trout of 12 to 14 inches planted each spring (for example 24,976 on May 7, 2026) and coho salmon each June (139,000 fingerlings on June 17, 2026). The Idaho freshwater coho record, 6 pounds, came from Cascade Reservoir in 1992. IDFG's 2025 surveys also found walleye, which IDFG says were stocked illegally in the Southwest Region and may harm existing fisheries.

Lake Cascade State Park

Idaho Parks and Recreation runs Lake Cascade State Park around the shore: 279 campsites in 10 developed campgrounds, including Van Wyck, Crown Point, Poison Creek and Ridgeview, plus day-use areas and six boat ramps. Ramps can close when the water drops: in summer 2026 the park reported Buttercup ramp closed for low water. The park office is at 100 Kelly's Parkway in Cascade.

Common questions

How big do the perch get?

The Idaho record yellow perch, 3.22 pounds and 16.25 inches, was caught here on March 9, 2021, according to IDFG.

Is ice fishing popular?

Yes. IDFG calls Lake Cascade one of the most popular ice fisheries in Idaho, though its 2021–22 survey found most effort (73%) and harvest (92%) came in open water.

What does IDFG stock?

Catchable triploid rainbow trout in spring and coho salmon in June, according to its stocking records.

Is fishing good at Cascade Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Brownlee Reservoir46 miPayette River47 miBoise River68 miWallowa Lake71 miLucky Peak Reservoir75 miLake Lowell79 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 44.6150, -116.0920 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 6, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 6, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.