Top Lake in Park County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Top Lake in Park County, Wyoming. The water sits 9,488 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Park County. For a base, Red Lodge sits 22 miles out. Beyond it, Cody at 34 miles and Powell at 37 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Top Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Park County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. The shape of Top Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 53°F for July and 17°F for January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between mid May and mid November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That is the shape of the year on Top Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Dollar Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Top Lake is worth confirming on the day.