Fishing Stanley Lake in Custer County, Idaho

• Overview

  Stanley Lake is listed under Custer County, Idaho. The surface lies 6,519 feet up. Surface area is around 180 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 2.3 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Few waters listed in Custer County are bigger. Challis sits 45 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Boise sits 71 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Stanley Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Custer County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Stanley Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°F to 54°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. On average, mid May opens the water and mid November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Stanley Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. A recognised fishing spot is mapped about half a mile away. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Alpine Lake at 4.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Stanley Lake.