Fishing Saddleback Lakes in Custer County, Idaho

• Overview

  Custer County, Idaho, is where Saddleback Lakes sits. Around the bank it is mixed forest. Small at around 15 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Nearest town is Sun Valley, 40 miles off. Boise is the closest city, 69 miles away. Nearest other option: Lower Cramer Lake some 2.4 miles off, Lily Lake just 2.4 miles, Middle Cramer Lake some 2.4 miles off, Upper Cramer Lake just 2.5 miles and Braxon Lake some 2.6 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Saddleback Lakes

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Custer County list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and Arctic grayling. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Saddleback Lakes a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 16°F and July at about 51°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late May. Climate figures give an open season running late May to early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Saddleback Lakes fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Lower Cramer Lake is 2.4 miles distant. Check the position at Saddleback Lakes before loading the car.