Lake Elsa in Big Horn County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Big Horn County end of Wyoming holds Lake Elsa. It sits at 10,105 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 30 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Nearest place of any size is Buffalo, 26 miles away. Billings is the closest city, 113 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Elsa

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Big Horn County, recorded fish include brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Lake Elsa the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 49°F, with January the cold end at about 13°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After mid June the shallows warm and the fish move up. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid June until roughly late October. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Lake Elsa fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. The water borders Cloud Peak Wilderness, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Lake Eunice at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Lake Elsa as something to verify.