Mud Lake, Wyoming: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mud Lake lies within the bounds of Sheridan County, Wyoming. The surface lies 9,301 feet up. The water measures roughly 2 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Most waters listed here for Sheridan County are larger. Sheridan lies 29 miles from the water. Billings sits 104 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, white sucker and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Mud Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 51°F and January at 13°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in early June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice clears near early June and comes back about early November in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Mud Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Lake Arden is 0.6 miles distant. Check the position at Mud Lake before loading the car.