Caldwell Lake, Wyoming: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Look for Caldwell Lake in Albany County, Wyoming. Height above sea level is 7,221 feet. At about 129 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 1.7 miles of margin, front to back. On our Albany County list it sits near the top for size. Some 15 miles away sits Laramie, the nearest settlement. Fort Collins is the closest city, 54 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Caldwell Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Public occurrence data for Albany County names brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and longnose sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Caldwell Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 63°F in July and bottom out at 24°F in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Expect Caldwell Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Harman Reservoir, 3.5 miles away. For Caldwell Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.