CASPER - Walleye fishing picks up on all the major reservoirs in the Casper Region as water temperatures cool down. Glendo Reservoir offers excellent fall walleye fishing with the added bonus of relatively light fishing pressure. In addition, anglers often catch crappie and catfish as predators are all together feeding on gizzard shad.
Walleye fishing at Pathfinder and Seminoe reservoirs also heats up with cooling water temperatures. Fishing pressure on these lakes is lower than Glendo. The average size of walleye is smaller at Pathfinder and Seminoe — around 13 inches — than Glendo.
However, these reservoirs grow larger individual walleye than Glendo. Anglers wishing to target walleye 25-35 inches should fish large baits around rocky structures, especially around boat ramps. People usually find fast-action trolling worm harnesses or crankbaits over sandy bottoms in 8-15 feet of water.
Trout fishing on area reservoirs also picks up in the fall. Shore fishing around Alcova Reservoir can be productive for rainbows and cutthroat. Kokanee salmon start cruising the shorelines in September looking for areas to spawn. Boat angling for trout at Alcova is especially good in the fall. Anglers fishing dodgers or cowbells with small spinners or hoochies should focus on trolling 10-20 feet below the surface. Another great technique is to throw jigs into steep, rocky shorelines. This technique produces trout and walleye.
All reaches of the North Platte River fish great in the fall. Insect hatches ramp up as the water cools, giving anglers excellent dry fly fishing opportunities. Fishing streamers also become more productive. Similar to other regional fisheries, fishing pressure tapers off significantly in the fall, with the exception of the Miracle Mile where the run of brown trout into the river from Pathfinder Reservoir is popular among anglers.