This brown trout was caught with a woolly bugger on the Laramie River.
This is a standby on the Gray Reef section of the North Platte River or the Laramie River. Drop the little red worm pattern below something bigger, like a pine squirrel leech and reel ‘em in. Don't forget a strike indicator. Try sizes 10 or 12.
Meant to imitate a freshwater shrimp, this little fly catches trout statewide. Try dropping one below a leech on the North Platte River and below a woolly bugger on the Laramie or Lower Shoshone rivers. Try sizes 14 through 20.
Use this colorful fly on small rivers and streams in the Buffalo and Sheridan regions. It's still too cold up there to use anything bigger, so try dropping a Copper John behind it. On the streams use a weighted beadhead. Try size 16.
Use this bright nymph under a pheasant tail in the Big Horns or under a bigger streamer on the Laramie or the Lower Shoshone rivers. Size 14 to 18.
Popular with many North Platte River guides, use this leech imitation with something smaller like a scud or San Juan worm at the end. Try sizes 10 or 12.
It's called an articulated leech, which means the hook is split allowing the fly to move more naturally in the water. Use this streamer in the Laramie River to reel in the browns. Try size 6 or 8 in a natural color or white.
This nymph is doing well on the Wind River near Dubois as well as the Lower Shoshone River. Use a slow drift with it and watch for the even the slightest nibble. Try sizes 14 or 16.
By CHRISTINE PETERSON
Star-Tribune staff writer
This is an awkward time of year. Snow still covers the
mountains and storms roll in and out down below. It’s Wyoming in
the spring.
Instead of moping, brave the wind and grab your fly rod. Fish
are biting, even in the North Platte where flows are hitting 4,500
cubic feet per second. These higher flows make wade fishing a
little tougher, but not impossible.
Many freestone rivers aren’t washing out with spring runoff yet,
which is keeping them clear.
Be patient with your flies. Fish are cold and not as aggressive
as they will be in May and June, but they’re still around.
Here are 8 of Wyoming’s top spring flies to get you going,
recommended by Jake Sabus with the Ugly Bug Fly Shop in Casper, The
Humble Fly fishing report in Cody, Leon Sanderson in Dubois, Luke
Todd with the Sports Lure in Buffalo and Jeff Goldsby with Four
Seasons Anglers in Laramie.
Reach Open Spaces reporter Christine Peterson at (307) 460-9598
or christine.peterson@trib.com.
Wyoming lakes fishing report
For those of you angling for something out of a lake or
reservoir, here's how some of Wyoming's larger bodies of water are
fishing.
Southeast
Anglers willing to brave the weather are catching some nice
walleye on Glendo Reservoir. Fishermen should
remember the walleye haven't spawned, so think about taking a
picture and putting back those 8- to 10-pound walleye.
The catfish bite has been slow because of the changing weather,
but some anglers have done well.
-- Bob Shelver, Curley's Leisure Sports in Douglas
Northwest
Fishing on Boysen Reservoir has been slow. Most
of the ice is gone, but the water is still cold.
-- Mike Atman, Rocky Mountain Discount Sports in
Riverton
Northeast
Most of Keyhole Reservoir is covered with ice.
Some anglers are fishing for walleye from the bank near the Pine
Haven boat ramp with minnows but it's slow.
The lake should open in about 10 days and the fishing will
improve.
-- Mike Smith, Empire Guest House & RV in Pine
Haven
Central
Most of the ice is gone from Pathfinder
Reservoir and it is fishing well for both trout and
walleye. For walleye try using jigs with minnows. For trout, use
jigs with minnows, night crawlers or marshmallows.
The ice is gone from Alcova Reservoir but it is
fishing isn't great, yet.
-- Chase Strand, Sloane's General Store in Alcova
