Lower Sylvan Lake, Wyoming: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Sublette County end of Wyoming holds Lower Sylvan Lake. It lies 9,833 feet above sea level. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sublette County. Pinedale lies 23 miles from the water. For a city, Salt Lake City is 191 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lower Sylvan Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Sublette County records list brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Lower Sylvan Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 53°F for July and 15°F for January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in late May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, late May opens the water and early November closes it again. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Lower Sylvan Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Upper Sylvan Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. For Lower Sylvan Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.