Fishing Poison Lake in Sublette County, Wyoming

• Overview

  In Wyoming, Poison Lake belongs to Sublette County. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. With some 26 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. For supplies, Lander is 21 miles out. After that come Fort Washakie at 25 miles and Ethete at 29 miles. Also on the doorstep: Mountain Sheep Lake at 0.9 miles, Squirrel Lake some 1.9 miles off, Coon Lake at 1.9 miles, Tayo Lake some 1.9 miles off and Boot Lake at 2.9 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Poison Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Sublette County list brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Poison Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 51°F, with January the cold end at about 17°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early June. Break-up sits around early June on average, with the water closing again about early November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Poison Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Mountain Sheep Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Poison Lake before loading the car.