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Priest Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Idaho’s crown jewel: Priest Lake holds mackinaw in cold, clear water under the Selkirks, with a wild upper lake beyond.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
243 cfs
Air / High
55 / 61 F
Wind
SSW 7 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 12395000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 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.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Priest Lake lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 243 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings cloud cover, wind SSW around 7 mph, rising pressure near 1016 hPa and a high of 61. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Lake troutGood

Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Yellow perchGood

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 69 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Priest River near Priest River (outlet).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 12395000.

203221239243 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp55 F
High / Low61 / 50 F
WindSSW 7-9 mph
Pressure1016.0 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 23%
Sunrise / Sunset06:09 / 19:23
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 61/50 F, wind 9 mph, rain 23%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Lake trout illustration

Lake trout

Best: ice-out and fall turnover

The char of the deep: 40-year-old predators patrolling the cold basins of glacial lakes, from the Finger Lakes to the Rockies. Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Priest Lake 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
Lake trout
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 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 Priest Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 62 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 61 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 79 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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

Idaho license. Lake trout, cutthroat and kokanee limits per current IDFG rules; bull trout are protected and must be released.

Access

Coolin, Kalispell Bay, Indian Creek and Priest Lake State Park ramps; thoroughfare access to Upper Priest Lake.

About this water

A 23,000-acre glacial lake in Bonner County, Idaho, connected to Upper Priest Lake beneath the Selkirk Mountains.

Fishing Priest Lake: the full guide

Two lakes and a thoroughfare

Priest Lake covers 23,000 acres in Idaho’s northern panhandle, connected by a two-mile natural channel to Upper Priest Lake, a smaller, wilder basin protected as a scenic area. Cold, deep and exceptionally clear, the system supports lake trout (mackinaw) as the primary fishery, with cutthroat trout, kokanee and bull trout: the latter protected: plus smallmouth bass in the warmer shallows.

Mackinaw water

Lake trout are the target and Priest is known for numbers as well as size: troll spoons and plugs deep, or jig tubes over the structure at 80-150 feet through summer. Spring after ice-out and fall bring fish shallower where casting and shallow trolling reach them. The lake has produced very large mackinaw historically, and the deep basins still hold fish that require serious gear.

Cutthroat and the upper lake

Westslope cutthroat hold near tributary mouths and along the shorelines, especially in the upper lake and the thoroughfare, taking dry flies and small spinners in summer. Upper Priest is reached by boat through the thoroughfare or by trail, and its protected status keeps it quiet: paddling in and fishing for cutthroat is one of the classic Idaho experiences.

Panhandle logistics

Ramps at Coolin, Kalispell Bay, Indian Creek and Priest Lake State Park serve the main lake, with campgrounds and resorts around the shoreline. The thoroughfare to Upper Priest is shallow and requires care. Wind builds across the open basin, and the lake is cold enough year-round that safety gear is not optional. Coolin and Nordman provide supplies.

Common questions

What is a mackinaw?

The western name for lake trout: Priest Lake is one of Idaho’s best fisheries for them, in both numbers and size.

Can I reach Upper Priest Lake?

Yes, by boat through the two-mile thoroughfare or on foot by trail. Its protected status keeps it quiet and wild.

Are bull trout catchable?

They are present but protected: release any bull trout immediately and check current IDFG identification guidance.

Is fishing good at Priest Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Pend Oreille35 miCoeur d Alene Lake71 miKootenai River72 miNoxon Rapids Reservoir74 miLake Roosevelt83 miSaint Joe River96 mi
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