Browns Lake

About eight and a half miles northeast of Cusick, in Kaniksu National Forest, Browns Lake is open from the fourth Saturday in April through October 31. Fly-fishing only, all motors are prohibited. Browns Lake receives annual plants of Westslope Cutthroat Trout fry, and offers Cutthroat from 8 - 16+ inches. Rainbow Trout, formerly stocked in the lake and now naturally reproducing in Browns Creek, are still occasionally encountered (as are Rainbow Trout x Cutthroat Trout hybrids).

To find this high-elevation lake (3,450 feet), cross the Pend Oreille River at Usk and continue straight on Kings Lake Road for approximately 6.25 miles, then turn left on USFS Road 3389 and follow it 4.25 miles to the lake. A USFS campground and boat launch is present.

Two-pole fishing is allowed

Special fishing restrictions:

Fly fishing only for this lake

Shoreline access: Good - Shoreline access is good around Forest Service campground.

Species you might catch

Lake information

County: Pend Oreille
Acreage: 87.30 ac.
Elevation: 3415 ft.
Center: 48.438173, -117.192565
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Fishing resources

Fishing prospects calendar

Rainbow trout

Fishing success for Rainbow Trout is generally best in the spring when thousands of fish are stocked statewide, but they can be caught year-round in most waters with a little patience and persistence. Success remains high into June and gradually declines as water temperatures increase and fish move offshore to stay cool. Fish that escaped the spring harvest return to the nearshore areas in the fall as waters cool off. Some waters may also be stocked again in the fall further boosting catch rates.

Westslope cutthroat trout

See chart for details.