Myrtle Lake in Johnson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Wyoming holds Myrtle Lake, in Johnson County. The water sits 9,823 feet up. At roughly 13 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Nearest place of any size is Buffalo, 24 miles away. The big place round here is Billings, 112 miles distant. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Myrtle Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Johnson County list brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. Myrtle Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 49°F and January near 13°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid June. The lid tends to go about mid June and return around late October. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Expect Myrtle Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Highland Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Myrtle Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.