Soapstone Lake in Fremont County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Fremont County, Wyoming, sits Soapstone Lake. Around the bank it is mixed forest. It covers about 9 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Fremont County standards. The town to know is Pinedale, 40 miles out. Fort Washakie is 51 miles away, with Jackson at 53 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Soapstone Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Fremont County include brown trout, rainbow trout, white sucker and brook trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Soapstone Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 49°F in July and bottoms out near 17°F in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late May. Climate averages put the opening at about late May and the closing near 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 Soapstone Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. 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. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Alice Lake at 1.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Soapstone Lake as something to verify.