Fishing at Arrastre Lake, Carbon County, Wyoming

• Overview

  The Carbon County end of Wyoming holds Arrastre Lake. Elevation runs to 10,223 feet. Surface area runs to about 9 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Saratoga, is 23 miles distant. After that come Laramie at 41 miles and Rawlins at 53 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Arrastre Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Carbon County include brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and white sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Arrastre Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 52°F in July and bottoms out near 18°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near late May; the fishing lifts straight after. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Arrastre Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Magnolia Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Arrastre Lake in what we hold.