Mistake Lake near Pinedale: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Sublette County, Wyoming, is where Mistake Lake sits. Land around it is mixed forest. Roughly 30 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Compared with other Wyoming water on our list, it sits high. For a base, Pinedale sits 21 miles out. Beyond it, Fort Washakie at 39 miles and Ethete at 44 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Mistake Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Sublette County records list brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Mistake Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 44°F for July and 13°F for January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late June. Break-up sits around late June on average, with the water closing again about mid October. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Mistake Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Titcomb Lakes at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Mistake Lake.