| The Snowy and Sierra Madre Mountains of Southern Wyoming are a fisherman's paradise offering good access to many rivers, streams and lakes amidst picturesque mountain scenery. Trout species include Rainbow, Brown, Snake River Cutthroat, Colorado River Cutthroat, Brook, Golden as well as Splake. Walleye are also available at lower elevation lakes.
The Rivers
The Upper North Platte, the Encampment, The Laramie River and the Little Snake are the four main rivers in the area. They offer fishermen or outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to float, fish or
hike their many miles of unspoiled beauty.
The Upper North Platte River is regarded by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department as the “Premier Blue Ribbon Wild Trout Stream in Wyoming”, with over 3,200 catchable fish per mile. It enters our state through the spectacular Platte River Wilderness Area and the famed Northgate Canyon. It then flows North through three distinct eco zones; mountain conifer forest, valley floor hay meadow and finally majestic desert vistas all encompassing over 130 miles of free flowing waters (no dams), with only four miles of highway frontage. On its way, it passes right through the wonderful town of Saratoga. See Snowy Range & Sierra Madre Recreation Map for public entry points & chart above for relative distances between points on the River.
The Encampment River flows into Wyoming through the majestic Encampment River Wilderness and its ruggedly beautiful canyon. A well maintained 16-mile trail provides access to this sensational area of the river. It is also given Blue Ribbon status as a highly rated wild trout fishery. The Encampment River joins the Upper North Platte River about 7 miles north of the small towns of Riverside and Encampment.
The Laramie River to the east and The Little Snake River to the west also offer wonderful scenery and high quality fishing, but with more limited access. A wide variety of insect hatches provide excellent angling on all four Rivers.
Local guides, outfitters, sporting goods stores and fly shops are available for guided fishing, float or wade trips as well as guided scenic float or whitewater float trips. Licenses, fishing regulations, boating regulations and public access information are available locally and through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at 307-745-4046 or http://gf.state.wy.us.
The Lakes and Streams
Roadside lake and stream fishing is available on the many waters that straddle beautiful Highway 130 (the Snowy Range Scenic Byway) and Highway 70 (the Battle Highway) as they wind their way through the Snowy Range and Sierra Madre Mountains. Hiking trails to more remote back country lakes and streams are also available for the more adventurous. See Snowy Range & Sierra Madre Recreation Map.
Lake Hattie, Rob Roy Reservoir, Hog Park Reservoir, Saratoga Lake and Seminoe Reservoir are the areas most prominent still water fisheries. Seminoe Reservoir, located just north of Sinclair, Wyoming, is a popular place among Walleye trout fishermen.
Ice fishing on these fine waters is a popular winter pastime, especially at the annual ice fishing tournaments. For more information about registration and cash prizes, contact the Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce (307) 326-8855 and the Laramie Chamber of Commerce at (307) 745-7339.
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