What is the biggest lake in Idaho?

Lake Pend Oreille, at 93,900 acres.

Biggest lakes in Idaho: the top 10 by size

Q: What is the second biggest lake in Idaho?

American Falls Reservoir, at about 49,200 acres.

How big are the biggest lakes in Idaho? Here are the top 10, with their size and what to do on each.

The list

Sizes are the published surface area where one exists; the others are our own measure of the water's outline and read "about". Reservoirs shrink and grow with their level, so a dry year shows less water.

#	Lake	Size	Shoreline
1	Lake Pend Oreille	93,900 acres
2	American Falls Reservoir	about 49,200 acres	about 80 mi
3	Coeur d'Alene Lake	31,900 acres
4	Lake Cascade	30,100 acres	about 65 mi
5	Priest Lake	26,000 acres	about 61 mi
6	Blackfoot Reservoir	18,000 acres	about 67 mi
7	Dworshak Reservoir	17,100 acres	about 140 mi
8	Palisades Reservoir	about 14,700 acres	about 51 mi
9	Lake Walcott	11,000 acres	about 35 mi
10	Lake Lowell	10,200 acres	about 21 mi

1. Lake Pend Oreille

At some 93,900 acres, Lake Pend Oreille is a huge piece of water. Trout, lake trout, kokanee salmon and northern pike are the draw. At about 1152 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove to work.

Lake Pend Oreille today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. American Falls Reservoir

At about 49,200 acres, American Falls Reservoir is a big lake. You will find it next to American Falls. It is the Snake River behind American Falls Dam. Like most lakes its size in Idaho, it should hold largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. The lake bed gives you three steep ledges and an upper arm to work.

American Falls Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Coeur d'Alene Lake

Coeur d'Alene Lake spreads over 31,900 acres of water. The fish here are largemouth bass, northern pike, kokanee salmon and trout. At about 194 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Coeur d'Alene Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Lake Cascade

At 30,100 acres of water, Lake Cascade is a big lake. It lies within an easy drive of Boise (about 60 miles). Cascade Dam holds it on the North Fork Payette River. It holds yellow perch, trout, smallmouth bass and kokanee salmon. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start. Lake Cascade is one of Idaho's top yellow perch fisheries.

Lake Cascade today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Priest Lake

At 26,000 acres, Priest Lake is a big lake. The lake is about 19 miles southeast of Ponderay. The fish here are trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon. It goes down to about 369 ft.

Priest Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Blackfoot Reservoir

Blackfoot Reservoir covers some 18,000 acres. It lies about 7.1 miles south of Conda. Trout are the draw. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Blackfoot Reservoir is a large irrigation reservoir known for its cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing.

Blackfoot Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Dworshak Reservoir

At 17,100 acres of water, Dworshak Reservoir is a big lake. You will find it near Orofino. It is the North Fork Clearwater River behind Dworshak Dam. Like most lakes its size in Idaho, it should hold largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Dworshak Reservoir was formed by damming the North Fork Clearwater River, which once held one of the finest wild steelhead runs in the world.

Dworshak Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Palisades Reservoir

Palisades Reservoir spreads over about 14,700 acres. You will find it about 12 miles southeast of Star Valley Ranch. It is the Snake River behind Palisades Dam. The usual Idaho mix applies: trout, lake trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start. Palisades Reservoir, on the upper Snake River near the Wyoming border, is impounded by 270-foot Palisades Dam.

Palisades Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Walcott

Lake Walcott spreads over 11,000 acres of water. It lies about 46 miles east of Pocatello. Minidoka Dam holds it on the Snake River. Like most lakes its size in Idaho, it should hold largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. Lake Walcott was formed by Minidoka Dam, completed in 1909 as one of the earliest U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projects on the Snake River.

Lake Walcott today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake Lowell

Lake Lowell is a reservoir of some 10,200 acres. You will find it about 2.1 miles east of Nampa. The usual Idaho mix applies: largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and bluegill. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and an upper arm to work. Lake Lowell is an off-stream storage reservoir within the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge, filled by diversion from the Boise River.

Lake Lowell today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Big water, big days

The bigger the lake, the more the wind matters. Plan the day around the forecast, start on the sheltered side and give yourself a way home if it builds.