Run in the Morning, Fish in the Evening: A Trout Angler’s Guide to Malad, Idaho

Most runners pick a marathon and fly in the day before. They run, they shower, they fly home. They miss the country around the race. If you fish, work a Malad weekend a little harder. The marathon goes at 8 AM Saturday. You can have a trout on the line by 4 PM the same day.

The Malad Valley sits in southeast Idaho between two ranges, and the water draining out of both ranges holds trout. Here is where to go and what to bring.

Crowther’s Reservoir

Right in town. The easiest fishing weekend you can have around a race: walk or drive a few minutes from the start line. Good shoreline access, family-friendly, and a solid spot to cast for an hour after the awards ceremony.

Daniels Reservoir

Daniels Reservoir is the trophy water of the area. Drive west on Daniels Road for about fifteen miles. The road climbs through ranchland and tops out in the timber. The reservoir sits in a basin of pine and aspen. Rainbow trout average twelve to sixteen inches with the occasional brood fish pushing twenty. Brook trout in the inlet stream above the lake. Fly anglers do well with elk hair caddis in September and a hopper-dropper rig before the first frost. Spin anglers can throw a small spoon or a worm and bobber off the dam. Float tubes work better than the shore once the wind picks up.

Devil’s Creek Reservoir

Take I-15 exit 17 and follow the canyon road in. A pretty drive and a quieter shoreline than the in-town water. Trout fishing, picnicking, and not many people on a weekday morning.

Deep Creek Reservoir

Bigger water than the others. Rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and a healthy population of perch. The bass bite picks up through September as the water cools. A drop-shot rig with a small soft plastic works on the rocky points. For trout, troll a small Rapala along the dam at first light or last light.

Bear Lake

Bear Lake is ninety minutes east through Logan Canyon. The lake holds four sport fish unique to the basin including Bonneville cisco and Bear Lake whitefish. Lake trout fishing is the headliner here, but those are deep-water fish and a boat helps. From shore, you can catch yellow perch and the occasional cutthroat. The water is turquoise. Even on a slow day, you will not mind being there.

The Malad River

The Malad River winds through the valley itself. Smaller water, brown trout in the slow corners, sucker fish in the shallows. A short rod and a dry fly will get you into fish in the cottonwood pools. Catch and release keeps the river healthy and the locals will thank you.

When to go and what to expect

In September: morning lows in the low 40s, daytime highs in the low 70s. The water is cooling, the trout are feeding, and the bugs are still hatching. Caddis and small mayflies dominate. Bring a wading jacket for early mornings and a hat for afternoons.

Licenses

Idaho fishing license required outside Bear Lake (which is half in Utah). Three-day nonresident licenses are available online from Idaho Fish and Game and at most gas stations on I-15 north of the border. Buy before you leave home to save time on race weekend.

Gear list for a race-and-fish weekend

Rod and reel. A 5-weight fly rod or a light spinning rod covers most of what you will fish around Malad. If you are spinning, a 2500-size reel with 6-pound mono works for everything from perch to a hot rainbow.

Box of flies. Elk hair caddis in 14 and 16. Parachute Adams in 14. A few hoppers in 8 and 10. Zebra midges in 18 and 20 for a dropper. One streamer in olive or black.

Bait and hardware. A couple of small spoons and a pack of worms if you fish bait. Salmon eggs work on the stocked reservoir trout.

Other. Net, polarized sunglasses, wading sandals if you plan to step into the river.

A small cooler for the truck. The drive home from any of these waters takes thirty minutes to two hours. A cool drink at the end is worth it.

You came to run a marathon. Stay for the fish. The water is here, the air is cool, and the trout have been waiting.