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3,400-acre reservoir near Sheridan Region. The lake tops out around 120 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Desmet Lake runs 3,323 acres with 16.1 miles of edge. Index 2 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 33% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 5.6 mi end to end and 1.9 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Johnson County. For a second option, Seven Bros Lake 1 lies 19 mi southwest.
Spring brown trout on Desmet Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 54 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (54 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (30 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring walleye on Desmet Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 14 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (14 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring cutthroat trout on Desmet Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 14 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (14 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: kokanee in 10 to 30 ft. As the season builds they drop to 30 to 70 ft, wintering in 20 to 80 ft. Top water on the chart: Sharp break, a drop-off in the 14 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Break off the point (54 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (14 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (102 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
Desmet Lake also holds lake trout (50 to 120 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 14 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 102 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wyoming waters are set by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department — and special regulations can apply to Desmet Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Wyoming fishing regulations →
Desmet Lake is about 120 ft (37 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brown trout, rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch, cutthroat trout, kokanee, lake trout, rock bass on Desmet Lake.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Desmet Lake is regulated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Check the official Wyoming regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Seven Bros Lake 1 19 mi · Seven Bros Lake 2 19 mi · South Piney Creek Lake 1 19 mi · Seven Bros Lake 7 19 mi · Mead Lake 19 mi · Seven Bros Lake 3 19 mi · Seven Bros Lake 6 19 mi · South Piney Creek Lake 2 19 mi · Seven Bros Lake 4 19 mi · S Fork Pond, Lower 20 mi · Seven Bros Lake 5 20 mi · Ringbone Lake 20 mi
See how Desmet Lake stacks up: best walleye lakes in Wyoming · best rainbow trout lakes in Wyoming · best yellow perch lakes in Wyoming · best lake trout lakes in Wyoming
More water nearby: Johnson County fishing maps (39 charts). Browse all Wyoming fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.