Fishing at Downs Lake, Fremont County, Wyoming

• Overview

  Look for Downs Lake in Fremont County, Wyoming. It stands 10,610 feet above sea level. It measures about 152 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Bank access stretches around 2.6 miles in total. Size puts it in the front rank of our Fremont County list. Pinedale is the closest place, 31 miles off. It is 181 miles to Billings, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Downs Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Fremont County include brown trout, rainbow trout, white sucker, brook trout and common carp. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Downs Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 46°F, the coldest about 15°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late June. The open-water window runs from around late June to about late October in an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Downs Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Florence Lake at 2.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Downs Lake in particular, ask before you travel.