Aside from simply looking cool, the Sawtooth Mountains are home to some of the best backcountry skiing in the country. Many a powder hound has gazed with big eyes at the steep slopes and chutes that run like white veins down the mountainside; but, alas, the summer tourist can only dream. There are just a few whom follow-up six months later to return to Stanley and make what was a summer daydream a winter reality.

For those who do have the determination to ski the Sawtooths there is no better way of doing it than utilizing the ski base called the Bench Hut. The Bench Hut is tucked away in the mountains out just six miles from Redfish Lake and can sleep up to 20 people inside.

A giant wall tent, the Bench Hut contains all the amenities you will need to spend as much time as you’d like in the Sawtooths: Two wood stoves, a two burner propane stove for cooking, pots, pans, tableware, lanterns, bunks with foam mattresses, books, cards, games and a wood fired sauna will make your excursion comfortable. Those visiting the Bench Hut simply need to bring their food and sleeping bag.

Skiing from the Bench Hut is phenomenal and the terrain offers a wide variety of options. There are gentle slopes, huge bowls, steep chutes, and cross-country and snowshoe options as well.

The Bench Hut is run by Sun Valley Trekking and reservations are required. They also have other yurts and huts to choose from depending on the size of your group. One popular option is to visit multiple yurts and huts during a longer trip. This allows you to see different terrain and find your favorite place to stay for future trips. To reserve your yurt or hut, call Sun Valley Trekking at 208-788-1966 or visit them online at www.svtrek.com.

Main Salmon River:
The Main Salmon River begins its over 900 mile journey to the Pacific Ocean from the Stanley/Sawtooth area. Before it joins with the Snake River and then the Columbia, it becomes a mighty river but in the Stanley area, it is a much smaller stream and a great place to fish. The Idaho Fish and Game Department stocks catchable Rainbows in the area from about 20 miles above and about 20 miles below Stanley. Beyond those areas there is a better likelihood of finding native Westslope Cutthroat, Rainbows, hybrid Cutbows and Bull Trout. In the spring there is a great chance of catching an ocean run Steelhead.
If you just like to get out and fish a bit, the fishing within a couple miles of Stanley is a great place to toss a line and relax and fish with the views of the Sawtooth Mountains overwhelming your fishing spot. If you prefer to spend more time and are looking for better chances at native fish try the areas farther from town or give Sawtooth Fishing Guides a call for a day of guided fishing. Call them at 208 774 8768.

Valley Lakes:
There are a number of larger valley lakes that it is possible to drive to and fish, hike or just enjoy the views. The best valley lake for fishing during most of the summer is Stanley Lake. It is located by driving about 4 miles West of Stanley on Highway 75, turning off on the Stanley Lake Road and driving another 3 miles. The most popular spot to fish is around the inlet area at the far end of the lake.
If you never caught a fish at Stanley Lake, you would be sure that just driving there and seeing the view was reason enough to go there! It is spectacular! This lake has several kinds of fish and is stocked with Rainbows. That doesn’t mean you might not catch a Cutthroat, a Brook Trout, a Bull Trout or a Mountain White Fish as all of them are present in the lake.
Mountain Lakes:
Most any of the lakes that have hiking trails also have fish in them. Idaho Fish & Game typically stocks fingerlings in these high lakes on a three year rotation. As always, the place to start with fishing most of the high lakes is near the inlet or outlet. Recommended lakes that aren’t a super long day hike are Farley Lake and Cabin Creek Lakes in the Sawtooth Mountains and Fourth of July and Washington Lakes in the White Cloud Mountains.
If you are up for a longer hike, most any of the lakes hold fish and most of the fish are willing to come to a fly as the season for “food gathering’ for these fish is a short one. Many of the lakes are snowed in and iced over from November until June or later. It is always wise to check with the Forest Service before you hike to a lake to find out trail conditions.
For information on guided fishing in the Stanley area, call Sawtooth Fishing Guides at 208 774 8768 or www.sawtoothfishingguides.com

For information on fishing licenses types, purchase of licenses and Idaho fishing regulations, contact Idaho Fish & Game at 1-800-824-3729 or visit http://fishandgame.idaho.gov McCoy’s Tackle Shop in Stanley also sells fishing licenses.

For more information and a map of hiking trails, mountain biking trails and roads to different areas near Stanley, look for “Sawtooth & White Cloud Mountains” trail map produced by Adventure Maps. It can be purchased at McCoy’s Tackle shop, online at www.adventuremaps.net or sales@adventuremap.net or by calling 1-800-849-6589.

When I have a day or a week off my first choice is to hike in, study the water as I am eating my lunch to determine the best way to fish. I must admit that the incredible beauty of Central Idaho sometimes  distracts me from my fishing , especially when I see Big Horn Sheep walk up to the far shore to get a drink or watch elk graze in the meadows. And as I look back, one of life’s greatest treasures is to have been able to share these experiences with my Children as they were growing up.

So, if you are planning a trip to our area be sure to stop by McCoy’s Tackle and Gift Shop for the best selection of flies and lures for this area. We can show you what works best at the time you will be fishing here and give you some tips on the best way to use them. As an ORVIS dealer we have a great line of rods, reels and can easily put line on your reels for you. If you are looking for a convenient travel rod with a sturdy  case, contact us before your trip and we can get you the appropriate set up for this area and have it ready to fish on your arrival. Or if you don’t want to travel with your gear we have both Fly Rod’s and Spin Rods to rent. We have Outdoor Clothing and accessories, T-shirts and very informative Maps and  books about the area. Looking forward to seeing you on your next vacation. We are located in Stanley, Idaho, one block off HWY 21, across from the Post Office.

Jane Mc Coy the long time owner of Mc Coys Tackle has a great fly selection and always knows what the fish like at any goiven time.  Jane always has a warm smile and  abig Idaho greeting for all who enter her shop. All of the Solitude River Trip guides buy flies at Mc Coys on a regular basis.

“The Middle Fork of the Salmon – framed by the Sawtooth and Salmon River Mountains in the heart of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness in central Idaho – remains a stronghold for native west slope cutthroat. And anglers could hardly hope for a prettier place to pursue this most becoming salmonid.”

Through in-depth interviews with many of fly fishing’s acknowledged gurus, the book beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. Readers can vicariously cast mouse patterns to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana’s Armstrong’s Spring Creek….and watch brightly colored Middle Fork cutts rocket up through the river’s clear waters to take a well-presented caddis imitation. The essays include a cultural/natural history of each destination, along with colorful anecdotes based and authorities’ experiences. Full of engaging fish tales, the book also provides adventurous anglers with enough travel-and-tackle information so that they, too, can start planning excursions to go fish around the globe.

For both armchair travelers and avid outdoorsmen who may have already started a checklist of their own, Fifty Places To Fly Fish Before You Die maps out the Meccas of the fly-fishing world. It’s been one of the best-selling fly fishing books since A River Runs Through It was released in 1976.