Sand CreekOden BayChuck SloughLittle Sand CreekBottle BaySagle Slough / Comeback BayMurphy BayHornby CreekGamlin LakeShepherd Lake
4.7·20 catches
20
Logged catches
4.7
Top fish species at Kootenai Bay
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Kootenai Bay fishing reports
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When are Northern Pike biting on Kootenai Bay?
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Fishing regulations at Kootenai Bay, ID
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Idaho can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Smallmouth bass as of April 2nd, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Smallmouth bass
Seasons
Open
Bag limit
6
Aggregate
6
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Panhandle Region except as modified in Panhandle Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Panhandle Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish pages 10- 11
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (see Pages 10-11 for details)
Special Rule Waters for the Panhandle Region
Anderson Lake (includes the channel to the Coeur d'Alene River)- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No limit on lake trout
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No bait allowed Dec. 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout • Lake Creek and tributaries, closed to fishing
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Electric motors only
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Closed to fishing
- Closed to fishing
- Electric motors only
- December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend - closed to fishing
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 20 inches
- Crappie limit is 6, none under 10 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 2, no Rainbow or Cutthroat Trout under 16 inches
- Sturgeon - Fishing for or targeting sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal
- No limit on the number of fishing rods per angler while fishing from a boat
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass
- no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- No limit on Lake Trout,
- Lake Trout can be possessed in the field or in transit with head removed
- No harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout limit is 2, only 1 over 20 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No bait allowed December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Fishing closed 100 yards upstream and downstream of Grouse Creek Falls (on Grouse Creek)
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Kokanee limit is 6
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no
- Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (see Pages 10-11 for details)
Micropterus dolomieui
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Panhandle Region except as modified in Panhandle Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Panhandle Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish pages 10- 11
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (see Pages 10-11 for details)
Special Rule Waters for the Panhandle Region
Anderson Lake (includes the channel to the Coeur d'Alene River)- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No limit on lake trout
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No bait allowed Dec. 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout • Lake Creek and tributaries, closed to fishing
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Electric motors only
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Closed to fishing
- Closed to fishing
- Electric motors only
- December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend - closed to fishing
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 20 inches
- Crappie limit is 6, none under 10 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 2, no Rainbow or Cutthroat Trout under 16 inches
- Sturgeon - Fishing for or targeting sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal
- No limit on the number of fishing rods per angler while fishing from a boat
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass
- no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- No limit on Lake Trout,
- Lake Trout can be possessed in the field or in transit with head removed
- No harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout limit is 2, only 1 over 20 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Rainbow Trout catch-and-release December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- No bait allowed December 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekend
- Fishing closed 100 yards upstream and downstream of Grouse Creek Falls (on Grouse Creek)
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Kokanee limit is 6
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 6, only 2 may be Largemouth Bass, no
- Largemouth Bass under 16 inches
- Electric motors only
- Electric motors only
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- Trout limit is 6, no harvest of any trout with a red or orange slash below jaw
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (see Pages 10-11 for details)
Regulations for
48°18′29.9″N 116°29′38.7″W
FAQ about Kootenai Bay fishing
Kootenai Bay is a lake located in Bonner County, Idaho, United States. Its coordinates are:
48°18′29.9″N 116°29′38.7″W
.Find the best fishing spots on Kootenai Bay by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
The most common species in Kootenai Bay are:
- Smallmouth bass - 7 members reported to have caught this fish
- Northern pike - 6 members reported to have caught this fish
- Black crappie - 3 members reported to have caught this fish
The latest Kootenai Bay fishing reports are:
- @mileslandis reported a nice Northern pike.
- @owenmercier reported a nice Northern pike.
- @XanderM reported a nice Smallmouth bass.
- @nik.samoylich reported a nice Yellow perch.
- @Battles_BASSIN reported a nice Smallmouth bass.
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