Ringbone Lake in Big Horn County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Wyoming, Ringbone Lake falls inside Big Horn County. The bank is 8,967 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. Buffalo at 17 miles is the nearest place to stop. Sheridan is 36 miles away, with Worland at 49 miles. What else is close: Long Lake at 0.2 miles, Rainy Lake the better part of 0.6 miles, Romeo Lake at 0.6 miles, Otter Lake the better part of 0.8 miles and Martin Lake at 0.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Ringbone Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, white sucker and common carp. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Ringbone Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 53°F and January near 16°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Break-up comes around late May, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at late May and the freeze at early November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Ringbone Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Long Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Ringbone Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.