Lake Winnie Fishing Guide, Johnson County, Wyoming

• Overview

  Lake Winnie sits in Johnson County, out in Wyoming. Elevation runs to 9,724 feet. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Nearest town is Buffalo, 23 miles off. Further out sit Sheridan (25 miles) and Basin (45 miles). Also within reach: Kearny Lake Reservoir roughly 0.9 miles, Highland Lake 1.7 miles away, Beaver Lakes roughly 1.8 miles, Myrtle Lake 2.1 miles away and Peggy Lake roughly 2.1 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lake Winnie

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Johnson County: brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lake Winnie the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 15°F in January and 51°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early June. Climate averages put the opening at about early June and the closing near early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Lake Winnie.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Kearny Lake Reservoir is 0.9 miles off. What applies at Lake Winnie may have changed since it was mapped.