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Fishing Stanley Reservoir: what the data says
589-acre reservoir near North Dakota. North Dakota Game & Fish survey water. The lake tops out around 11 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Stanley Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 3 to 11 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 3 to 11 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 11 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 11 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 11 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 11 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Stanley Reservoir?
Stanley Reservoir is about 11 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Stanley Reservoir?
Anglers target rainbow trout on Stanley Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Stanley Reservoir?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Stanley Reservoir?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Clearwater Lake · Powers Lake · White Earth Dam · Smishek Lake · Tioga Dam · McGregor Dam
See how Stanley Reservoir stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in North Dakota
Browse all North Dakota fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.