Stone Lakes Fishing in Beaverhead County, Montana

• Overview

  Stone Lakes falls in Beaverhead County, part of Montana. The land about it is rolling bush. At roughly 15 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest place of any size is Anaconda, 34 miles away. It is 204 miles to Boise, the nearest city. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Stone Lakes

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Beaverhead County cover rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Stone Lakes should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 18°F in December to roughly 55°F in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Count the season from break-up, usually mid May. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Stone Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Sand Lake at 4.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Stone Lakes.