Fishing at Deer Lake, Big Horn County, Wyoming

• Overview

  Within Big Horn County, Wyoming, you have Deer Lake. Height above sea level is 9,354 feet. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Most waters listed here for Big Horn County are larger. The town to know is Buffalo, 20 miles out. Then Sheridan, 32 miles, and Basin, 47 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Big Horn County, recorded fish include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Deer Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 48°F and January near 13°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid June. The season between ice runs from about mid June to late October. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Time your trip to Deer Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Lower Frozen Lake, 2.2 miles away. For Deer Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.