Stoner Lake near Mancos: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Stoner Lake sits in Montezuma County, out in Colorado. The water sits 9,062 feet up. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. Head to Mancos, 20 miles away, for anything you forgot. Cortez follows at 25 miles, then Mountain Village at 32 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end. It goes down as a lake on the record.

• Where to Fish on Stoner Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Montezuma County include bluehead sucker, brook trout and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Treat Stoner Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 61°F and January near 23°F on the long-run figures. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Stoner Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Bald Hill Reservoir, 2.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Stoner Lake are worth checking on the day.