Lake Cascade Fishery Update for 2025

As we enter the new year, the ice fishing season on Lake Cascade is off to a strong start. Winter arrived early this year, and we have received reports of people catching some nice perch, trout, and coho through the ice already. Ice depths are reportedly reaching up to 8 inches on the lake's southern and northern ends, but it is still a little thin in the mid-lake area. While December brought cold temperatures, it also brought lots of snow, creating mixed ice conditions. Be careful of the changing ice conditions, and keep an eye on colder nighttime temperatures to help strengthen the early-season ice. Fish and Game will not provide routine ice condition updates this year, so check in with local tackle shops for the latest conditions.

Read below to learn about what we saw in the fishery in 2024 and what you can expect to see at the end of your fishing line during the 2025 ice and open water seasons.

Yellow perch outlook

Over the past few years we have seen an increase in the number of Yellow Perch caught during our annual October gill netting survey relative to the lower abundance period between 2017 and 2019. This trend continued in 2024 where we saw the highest perch catch rates since the early 2010s. A large component of our catch this year was a strong class of 8- to 11- inch fish. While 8-inch perch may be a nuisance to anglers looking for those 14+ inch perch, this bodes well for the future of the Lake Cascade perch fishery.  

Similar to what we saw with the cohort of 8- to 11- inch perch in 2012-2013 (see Figure 1 below), we expect the younger cohorts of perch observed this year to reach “jumbo” status in four years or so. This means we should have lots of large perch in the fishery through the late 2020s. Have no fear; we still see large perch in our sampling gear and plenty of reports from anglers reeling in 14+ inch perch throughout the open water and ice seasons. The bottom line: with lots of fish around from multiple cohorts, we should continue to see good catch rates for jumbo perch in Lake Cascade in the foreseeable future.  

2024 Perch tagging

Every year, Idaho Fish and Game biologists and technicians spend several weeks on Lake Cascade conducting routine surveys. These surveys give us a snapshot of the current fishery and what we expect to see in the following years. Often, the field season starts once ice out happens on the lake, and we begin our Yellow Perch tagging efforts. This year, we tagged 842 Yellow Perch in April as part of the ongoing Tag, You’re It! program. The Tag, You’re It! Program relies on anglers reporting tagged fish to help us estimate catch and harvest rates for various fisheries across the state. Over the past five years, we have tagged over 3,000 Yellow Perch in Cascade. When you report your catch, IDFG will provide you with information about that fish, including its original tagging date, length when tagged, and location at the time of tagging. While most tagged perch are caught within a year or two of being tagged, we have had some fish that were reported over ten years after we tagged them! So be on the lookout for an orange tag on the perch you catch – you might even get lucky and catch a REWARD tag!

Graduate study

Many of you may recall this blog or have seen the orange buoys on Lake Cascade from a University of Idaho graduate student over the last two years. The graduate study focused on the diets of Yellow Perch, Northern Pikeminnow, and Smallmouth Bass in Cascade. As the research wraps up, we wanted to share a few interesting findings with you. The big take-home is that age-0 perch feed almost every fish in Cascade - everything eats perch. Most of you probably already knew that. However, it was interesting that there was one period of the study where perch were not the primary diet item of larger perch. This was in early 2022 when they primarily fed on chironomids (blood midges). I’m sure many of you recall catching perch full of chironomids in the winter of 2021/2022. Whether this occurs due to a low abundance of age-0 perch in the lake or more of a function of a really high chironomid abundance is a question we’re interested in exploring more. The graduate student also documented a perch just a few years younger than him, a 21-year-old Yellow Perch, which is the oldest Yellow Perch we’re aware of ever being recorded. In fisheries, we use a fish's otolith (pictured below) to age a fish, similar to counting the rings on a tree. A perch this long-lived has yet to be documented in other perch fisheries and adds to the story that despite it being a "down" period for jumbo fishing, these fish persist in Cascade for a very long time. In fact, this fish was potentially one of the transplanted fish from restoration efforts during the early 2000’s.

More than just perch

 Those who have had the opportunity to fish Lake Cascade probably have hooked into a handful of other species while fishing for perch. In our annual surveys, we typically capture up to 12 different species. Some of the more common fish we catch are Rainbow Trout (wild and hatchery), Coho Salmon, kokanee, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, and Black Crappie. You may encounter these fish when targeting perch, but don’t hesitate to change tactics and gear to target some of these other species during the ice and open water seasons. Fortunately, we know from the University of Idaho graduate study mentioned above that perch are the major food source for all predators in Cascade, so lures that imitate age-0 perch in color and size are a great starting point. If lures aren’t effective, try to tip them with worms or maggots, or consider switching to a jig (think blood worms from above). Often, folks catch Rainbow Trout, Coho salmon, and kokanee just a foot or so below the ice surface, and the bass are typically associated with rocky bottoms near the shoreline. Don’t be afraid to set up a tip-up or an extra rod a bit shallower than you are used to.

Angler access

During the 2025 ice season, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation will maintain ice fishing access at Poison Creek, Boulder Creek, Van Wyck, and Blue Heron boat ramps. In 2022, IDFG worked with a private landowner to sign a 5-year Access Yes! Agreement to create a formal parking area for ice anglers at Stonebreaker Lane. The Stonebreaker parking allows angler access to Cascade from the Sugarloaf Boat ramp area during the winter months. Keep in mind this is on and surrounded by private property, so please be courteous. In 2023, the 90-degree turn on West Mountain Road was widened to improve parking for walk-in anglers during the winter season. This location does not have a ton of space, so if you’re hauling a trailer, please consider using Poison Creek to park your rig. Please refer to the maps below for more information on ice fishing access sites on Lake Cascade.

Reminder, camping is allowed only at the following locations: Poison Creek, Van Wyck, and Blue Heron boat ramps. Visit (Lake Cascade Winter Recreation | Department of Parks and Recreation) for more information about overnight camping. Please do not leave vehicles overnight at any of the other access locations.

For more information on Lake Cascade and the other McCall subregion fisheries, contact the McCall Fish and Game office (208)-634-8137, Regional Fisheries Biologist anthony.dangora@idfg.idaho.gov  or Regional Fisheries Manager jordan.messner@idfg.idaho.gov.