Willow Lake near Pinedale: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Willow Lake lies in Sublette County, Wyoming. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. It measures some 2.8 sq miles, and wind has room to build across it. There is roughly 11 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. On our Sublette County list it sits near the top for size. You are 9.5 miles from Pinedale. After that come Marbleton at 33 miles and Hoback at 50 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Willow Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Sublette County include brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and lake trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Willow Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 56°F and January reads 15°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. In an average year the thaw lands around early May and the freeze near mid November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Willow Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Being dammed, it draws down in some seasons and fills in others. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Soda Lake, 3.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Willow Lake may have changed since it was mapped.