CHEYENNE  — Unsafe and inconsistent ice conditions across southwest Wyoming have impacted several winter fishing events this season. 

 The Burbot Bash at Flaming Gorge has been cancelled due to safety concerns related to poor ice and projected winds. Participants who registered for this year's event will be contacted and given a choice for a refund or to have payment carried over for the 2027 tournament, which is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 22-24.

Additionally the Sulphur Creek Fishing Derby at Sulphur Creek Reservoir and Kemmerer Lions Club Fishing Derby at Viva Naughton Reservoir will not be held this year.

Ice fishing derbies are subject to conditions statewide. If there are events in your area, Game and Fish encourages checking ahead to confirm that events are still scheduled as planned, as cancellations can occur and are determined by the planning organization.

“This has been an unusually warm winter, and ice conditions across southwest Wyoming have been inconsistent and unsafe,” said John Walrath, Wyoming Game and Fish Department fisheries supervisor in the Green River Region. “While we know these events are important to anglers and managers, public safety comes first. Canceling these derbies was the responsible decision for derby sponsors given current conditions and extended forecasts.”

Ice fishing tournaments are subject to change, and have been cancelled in the past when ice conditions were not safe enough to proceed. While these tournaments have been cancelled, the mild winter in terms of ice has allowed some anglers to continue fishing from boats. For example, conditions in Flaming Gorge give anglers the opportunity to participate in the new Angler Harvest Program, sponsored by the Flaming Gorge Chamber of Commerce.

—WGFD—