A Return to Henry’s Lake
Of all the places I have visited, Henry’s Lake outside Island Park, Idaho has the most dependable and outstanding sunrises and sunsets of any. Given who I travel with, I have been guaranteed to see both each and every day, on the water, these last three years. And happily so.
I was again invited to join a group of five to an annual visit to Henry’s Lake in early fall, the first week of October. Henry’s Lake is a relatively small, shallow alpine lake in eastern Idaho. Approximately 8 square miles in area, at 4 miles in length and 2 miles in width, its surface elevation is 6,472 ft above sea level and is the source of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. While Native American tribes likely had their own names for the river, these names are not widely documented or used today. The river carries the name of explorer Andrew Henry, who was part of the Missouri Fur Company and explored the region in the early 1800s.
Henrys Lake is known for producing big big fish and is stocked with Yellowstone Cutthroat, Brook Trout, and hybrid cutbows. The winner of last year’s big fish trophy was 28.5”, and caught by your author. The record fish caught from the lake is a 36-inch rainbow/cutthroat hybrid trout caught by Hailey Thomas on October 4, 2022 and may have weighed from 17 - 20 lbs.
The fishing this year was a tad slower than previous trips but we all ground out several fish a day including a monster brook trout and a 25.5” hybrid. We have definitely noticed a pattern and that these fish travel in pods. Catch one and your more than likely to catch another. When the bite cools pick up and locate another pod. Its also clear that the lake is a food factory and that the phenomenal growth rate of these fish is due to the huge abundance of scuds, ie freshwater shrimp. We pumped a couple and nothing but scuds. Yet curiously, we could not get them to take a scud pattern.
Don’t get me wrong, I like to fish. However, the thing that sets this trip apart from my other adventures is the company. My companions have got to be the most intense and enjoyable fisherman I have been out with, ever. Regardless whether the fishing is slow or lights out there is a smile on their face and ready for the last cast until the last light. And a guarantee that I will enjoy yet another fabulous sunset, on the water.
