Idaho is known for its world-class trout streams and rivers, many of which provide worthy challenges for even the most seasoned anglers. But there are also countless places that are perfect for family fly fishing in Idaho, offering opportunities for kids and beginners to learn the ropes and catch a few fish in the process.
Lakes and ponds tend to be best for less-experienced fly fishers, allowing novice anglers to work on key skills and techniques without the added challenge of heavy current. Plus, many lakes and ponds in Idaho are stocked with hatchery-raised trout that are relatively easy to catch compared to the wary natives of remote mountain streams. If you’re looking for a place to take a beginner fly fishing, Idaho offers some great options.
Round Lake: Kid-Friendly Trout Fishing in North Idaho
A prime spot for family fishing in the Idaho Panhandle, Round Lake is a 54.8-acre glacial lake that feeds into Cocolalla Creek. The lake is stocked with several thousand 12 to 14-inch rainbow trout most years in April and May, often with additional stocking in September or October. The lake also supports largemouth bass, brook trout and various panfish. It’s a great place to practice fly fishing with streamers, or practice matching the hatch as mayflies emerge in summer.
Round Lake is located within Round Lake State Park in Bonner County, and the park offers tent and RV camping. There’s easy access to the water via a boat launch and fishing docks on the north shore. Boats are restricted to electric motors only, making Round Lake ideal for smaller craft like kayaks and float tubes.
Stoddard Mill Pond: Easy Casting for Young Anglers
This tiny pond in Eastern Idaho is a perfect place to take kids fishing. Stoddard Mill Pond spans just 0.6 acres, with a grassy bank on one side and an ADA-accessible fishing platform on the other. Kids have plenty of overhead room to practice casting and other essential skills. The Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) also stocks the pond with several hundred catchable triploid rainbow trout multiple times each summer from June through August, so kids have a real shot at catching something.
Stoddard Mill Pond also comes with a bonus: it’s a stone’s throw from the legendary Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. The McCrea Bridge Campground, located right on Henry’s Fork where it feeds into Island Park Reservoir, is less than 10 minutes away.
Hagerman WMA: Southern Idaho Fly Fishing for Families
Located within the Snake River drainage in Southern Idaho, Hagerman Wildlife Management Area offers tremendous family fly fishing opportunities. The WMA spans 882 acres and includes 15 lakes and ponds that are stocked with a variety of game fish. The season also opens early here, with fishing permitted as early as March 1.
The five ponds known as the Frank Oster Lakes are among the most popular, particularly Oster Lake #1, which has an ADA-accessible fishing pier and is stocked nearly every week with triploid rainbow trout and occasionally with yellow trout. Bass and bluegill call the WMA ponds home as well. Part of the reason this area is stocked so heavily is that Hagerman WMA is also home to the Hagerman Fish Hatchery. Idaho’s largest hatchery, it supplies trout and other fish to waters all over the state and is also open for free public tours.
Boise-Area Ponds: Convenient Fly Fishing for Beginners
More than a dozen ponds throughout the Treasure Valley Region—mostly in the greater Boise metropolitan area—are stocked with catchable rainbow trout every spring, providing some of the best kid-friendly fly fishing in Idaho. Most of the ponds, including Esther Simplot Pond (Boise), Caldwell Rotary Pond (Caldwell) and Riverside Pond (Garden City) are located in public parks with easy access, plenty of parking and public restrooms. Check out the Southwest Idaho Stocking Schedule for more info.
IDFG Family Fishing Waters: Stocked Ponds Across Idaho
The IDFG has designated dozens of Family Fishing Waters across the state. These waters are mostly ponds and small lakes that have amenities like parking, restrooms and fishing platforms to make access easy for kids and beginners. These waters are typically stocked with trout and also offer warm-water game fish, such as bass and bluegill.
Family Fishing Waters offer some of the best kid-friendly fishing in Idaho, and the IDFG website offers a handy search tool for finding designated waters in each region of the state. Many Family Fishing Waters are located in state or local parks, and some also offer campground accommodations.