Upland Natural Lake · Mixed · Wyoming, US

Lewis Lake

Lewis lake

Lewis Lake sits in the quiet southern end of the Park and holds brown trout and lake trout in deep, cold, timber-fringed water — one of the few places in Yellowstone where the lake trout are a legitimate, legal target rather than an invader to be killed.

Fair · Trout
Balanced Leech · 8-12
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
49% confidence
limited data

Lewis Lake is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindS 5 km/hCalm
Today's fly
Balanced Leech
Balanced Leech8-12
Proven pattern for this period
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Calm
S 5 km/h
N
S
from the south
WaveRipple
Water temp8.2°C
Air temp-1°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1037 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
Autumn for staging browns near the channel; summer for the deeper water
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
2
1
Gray DrakeHatch
1
1
CallibaetisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
CH
Chironomid
12-16 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Yellowstone NP licence and special regulations — check current NPS rules.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
79%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A good match for Lewis Lake — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Fishing better nearby · 5
Gibbon River
46 km
85
Brown trout · Rainbow trout · Brook trout
Firehole River
27 km
83
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Lewis River
1.0 km
70
Brown trout · Brook trout
Shoshone Lake
9.0 km
Brown trout
Yellowstone Lake
29 km
Cutthroat trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Lewis lake
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Lewis Lake sits in the quiet southern end of the Park and holds brown trout and lake trout in deep, cold, timber-fringed water — one of the few places in Yellowstone where the lake trout are a legitimate, legal target rather than an invader to be killed. You can launch a boat or tube here, and in fall the browns stage near the channel mouth before running up toward Shoshone Lake to spawn. It's a peaceful, big-water place. Strip a leech or a streamer along the drop-offs and enjoy the lack of a crowd.

  • Lake
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout Saturday of Memorial Day weekend → First Sunday in November
Related guides
Thermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts