Francis Lake in Sublette County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Francis Lake is listed under Sublette County, Wyoming. Country round the bank runs to lake country bush. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The nearest place of any size is Fort Washakie, 28 miles away. Pinedale follows at 29 miles, then Lander at 30 miles. Near neighbours include: Legion Lake 0.4 miles, 0.9 miles away is Little Dads Lake 1.2 miles, 1.2 miles away is Mirror Lake and Poston Lake 1.5 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Francis Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Sublette County, recorded fish include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake trout. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Francis Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 15°F to 53°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late May. Averages suggest open water from about late May through to roughly early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Francis Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. 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. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Legion Lake, 0.4 miles out. What applies at Francis Lake may have changed since it was mapped.