Lake Fontanalis near Sheridan: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lake Fontanalis is one of the Sheridan County listings for Wyoming. The country here is lake country bush. At roughly 2 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sheridan County. Head to Sheridan, 21 miles away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Billings, 100 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lake Fontanalis

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Lake Fontanalis in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 18°F to 54°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late May. The water is typically free of ice between late May and mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. At Lake Fontanalis the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Lake Dunchi is 0.2 miles off. Check the position at Lake Fontanalis before loading the car.