CASPER, Wyo.-The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is calling on anglers to help protect Wyoming's trout populations by shifting their fishing to the early morning hours during the summer heat.

Unseasonably warm temperatures and low water flows across the Casper region are causing stream and river temperatures to regularly exceed 70 degrees in the afternoon and evening, posing a serious threat to caught-and-released trout.  

Quick Guide: How to Fish Responsibly This Summer

To protect trout while preserving angling opportunity, Game and Fish has instituted a voluntary warm-water catch-and-release closure from noon to sunrise (meaning, fish early and be done by noon) on the following waters:

• The North Platte River from the Lusby boat ramp, downstream to the dam at Dave Johnston Power Plant.
• Deer Creek at Deer Creek Canyon Public Access Area south of Glenrock.

Due to the recent heat coupled with drought conditions, most streams and lakes in the Casper region are suffering from elevated water temperatures.  The closures highlighted represent stream reaches with elevated temperatures where catch and release fishing pressure is also high.  It is important for all anglers to carry a thermometer and monitor water temperatures regardless of where you are fishing. Do not attempt to catch and release trout when water temperature reaches 70 degrees.  It is also advisable to check water temperature before starting to fish in the morning, as warm nighttime temperatures can result in water temperatures not recovering overnight, especially in the more downstream reaches of the North Platte River and in all lakes and reservoirs.

What Anglers Need to Know:

• Catch-and-Release Anglers — Rise and Reel: Focus your fishing between sunrise and noon. Water temperatures are coolest in the morning, giving released trout the best chance of survival. Please pause catch-and-release fishing after 12:00 PM.
• Harvest-Focused Anglers: Anglers looking to keep fish for harvest within standard daily limits may continue to fish, as this practice does not involve releasing stressed fish back into warm water.

Why Timing Matters

Warm water carries significantly less dissolved oxygen, making it difficult for trout to recover after a fight.

• At 65°F: Anglers are encouraged to harvest legal limits rather than practice catch-and-release.
• At 70°F+: Catch-and-release fishing should be stopped entirely for the day.
• Above 75°F: Water temperatures become hazardous, and brief exposure above 80°F is often fatal to trout.

"We know Wyoming anglers care deeply about the health of these rivers," said Casper Fisheries Management Supervisor Matt Hahn. "By hitting the water early and wrapping up catch-and-release fishing by noon, anglers can enjoy fishing while ensuring our trout populations remain resilient. As water flows continue to drop, temperatures will only increase, so trout need your help."

Tips for Protecting Trout in Warm Weather:

• Check the Temp: Carry a pocket stream thermometer and check water temps periodically.
• Land Them Fast: Minimize fight time to prevent fish exhaustion.
• Keep 'Em Wet: Keep fish submerged in the water while removing hooks, ideally using barbless hooks.
• Harvest When Appropriate: If a fish is exhausted or deeply hooked, and regulations allow, consider harvesting it rather than releasing it.

Signs detailing the voluntary afternoon closure are posted at major public access points. Game and Fish thanks the angling community for practicing proactive conservation this summer.

Other Waters Affected

Game and Fish is aware of recent trout die-offs in some smaller, shallow waters around Casper like Yesness Pond.  “People do not need to panic; this is why we are asking anglers to monitor temperatures and to voluntarily wrap up catch-and-release fishing by noon or when water temperatures reach 70 degrees. Trout are dying in shallow ponds like Yesness strictly due to high water temperatures rather than disease or contamination,” adds Hahn.

Due to elevated water temperatures in parts of the state, the department has issued voluntary closures on some waters, asking anglers to either stop catch-and-release fishing after noon or cease fishing altogether. Visit wgfd.wyo.gov/fishing-boating/fishing-heat for a listing of the state's impacted waters.