A Fisherman's Guide to Selected Lakes of Northeast Washington and Northern Idaho

2 ANTELOPE LAKE - NORTHERN IDAHO

SIZE: 16 Acres
ELEVATION: 2,754 Feet
MAXIMUM DEPTH: Unknown
COUNTY: Bonner, Idaho
COORDINATES: T55N R2E Sec12D

Longitude: 116d 9m 6s to 116d 9m 27s West
Latitude: 48d 8m 3s to 48d 8m 9s North

SPECIES, CONFIRMED:
Rainbow Trout

SPECIES, REPORTED:
Arctic Grayling
Cutthroat Trout
Eastern Brook Trout

CHARACTERISTICS:
This northern Idaho lake lies in a timber covered area.

The northeast corner has cliffs rising a couple of hundred feet above the lake, with a lot of vertical rock showing. Steep, timber covered slopes lie between the vertical rock and the lake. Behind the vertical rock, timbered slopes rise to the highest point above the lake.

The other sides of the lake are lower, but also heavily timbered. The ground drops away quickly to the west, behind a thin strip of trees, leaving timbered mountains visible in the near distance to the west and southwest.

There is timber and brush to the waters edge all around the lake. The only breaks in the cover are at the southwest corner where the road reaches the lake, a small area at the northwest corner, and an even smaller area at the center of the south side. The spot on the south shore shows much evidence of bank fishing activity.

At the southwest corner, where the "access" is found, are some crude campsites and a dirt parking area. There are no facilities. The boat launch area is just a rough, but low, dirt bank. It isn't suitable for launching anything large.

Trails run from the southwest corner along part of the south side and across the west end. The west end trail drops to old roads below and to the north of the lake.

Cattails line the shores on almost all of the north shore and much of the east end. There are also small pockets along the south side, and a good-sized bed at the west end.

This northern Idaho lake has a lot of snags. Most are submerged. Many are found along the shores, both lining shore and extending out from it. They are scattered randomly, but found everywhere.

The bottom is silt, with some rock. The shallower areas have a covering of low, bottom hugging aquatic vegetation. Taller aquatic weeds rise from deeper water out from the shores around the lake.

The water is very clear.

DIRECTIONS TO:
Take Highway 200 to mile 57.2, east of the town of Clark Fork, Idaho where a gravel road will be found on the north side of the highway.

Turn onto the gravel road and go 0.3 miles to a fork. The left goes to a house. Keep to the right and continue climbing.

At 0.9 miles you will pass an old road, on the right. Keep Left.
At 1.5 miles you will reach the southwest corner of the lake.

NOTE: The road is steep, rough and narrow with very few turnouts. It is not suited to large vehicles, and not a good road on which to meet oncoming traffic.

An ALTERNATE ROUTE to Antelope Lake is by trail.
Take Highway 200 to mile 55.2, in the middle of the town of Clark Fork, Idaho.

The road on the north side of the highway, on the west side of the school, is signed for “Forest Entrance”.

Turn here and go north out of Clark Fork to an intersection at 0.6 miles.

Keep right at the intersection, and the pavement will end in another 0.1 mile.

At 1.2 miles, Lower Mosquito Creek Lane will be reached, on the right.

Turn onto Lower Mosquito Creek Lane, and take it 0.2 miles to a fork.

Take the left fork, and just beyond is a sign indicating “Trail” pointing to the right at an old road.

Turn here, and you will see another sign in the trees on your right saying “Antelope Lake” with an arrow pointing up the road.

As of the spring of 2005, the “trail road” was blocked by a downed tree about 50 feet up. Park here and start walking. The road/trail runs about a mile to the lake, climbing about 450 feet.

FISHING TIPS:
Flies worked along shoreline cover are effective.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
Planting records indicate that the lake received:
Eastern Brook Trout in 1997;
Arctic Grayling, 175 adult fish in 1999.

MAP REFERENCES:
*Idaho Atlas & Gazetteer, Page 63.
*USGS Topographic Map, Idaho (48116-B2-TF-024-00)
Clark Fork Quadrangle, 7.5 Minute Series.
*USGS Topographic Map, Idaho (48116-A1-TM-100-00)
Sandpoint Quadrangle, 30x60 Minute Series