Fishing Powell Lakes in Big Horn County, Wyoming

• Overview

  In Wyoming, Powell Lakes belongs to Big Horn County. It lies 10,659 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 17 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Wyoming listings. Nearest town is Buffalo, 22 miles off. Sheridan lies 32 miles off, Basin another 44 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Powell Lakes

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Big Horn County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, white sucker and common carp. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Powell Lakes that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 48°F in August and bottoms out near 13°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid June. Ice usually gives way near mid June, and forms again about late October. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Expect Powell Lakes to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Florence Lake, 1.7 miles away. Check the position on Powell Lakes before loading the car.