Old Crow Lake Fishing near Buffalo, Wyoming

• Overview

  The Big Horn County entry here is Old Crow Lake, in Wyoming. The bank gives way to rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Big Horn County list. Nearest place of any size is Buffalo, 18 miles away. Billings is the closest city, 127 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Old Crow Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Big Horn County cover brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Old Crow Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 53°F and January about 16°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late May and starts locking again about early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Old Crow Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Her Lake, 0.6 miles out. Check the position on Old Crow Lake before loading the car.