Fishing Cliff Lake in Big Horn County, Wyoming

• Overview

  In Wyoming, Cliff Lake belongs to Big Horn County. The country here is pine and birch. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Head to Buffalo, 27 miles away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Billings, 113 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Cliff Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Big Horn County include brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Cliff Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 12°F in January to roughly 48°F in August. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid June. Break-up sits around mid June on average, with the water closing again about late October. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Cliff Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The water borders Cloud Peak Wilderness, so reserve rules are likely to apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Sheepherder Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Cliff Lake are worth checking on the day.