Washakie Lake in Sublette County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Sublette County end of Wyoming holds Washakie Lake. The bank gives way to lake country bush. It measures about 113 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 2.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Sublette County list it sits near the top for size. 22 miles away sits Fort Washakie, the nearest town. After that come Lander at 25 miles and Ethete at 27 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Washakie Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Sublette County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake trout. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Washakie Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 14°F to 48°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid June. Averages suggest open water from about mid June through to roughly late October. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. At Washakie Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Little Washakie Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Washakie Lake may have changed since it was mapped.