Have a Reel Good Time Fly Fishing in Casper

Find out why this stunning Wyoming city is a popular place to cast your cares away.

By Cary Estes on February 9, 2024

Visit Casper

The biggest traffic jams in the Casper region take place in the water. That is where as many as 8,000 fish per mile congregate year-round, which lures anglers from throughout the world to participate in the sport of fly fishing in Casper.

Why Go Fly Fishing in Casper?

Casper is an ideal fly-fishing location for several reasons. First, the North Platte River flows directly through downtown, providing easy access to the water. Then a series of dams and reservoirs along the river helps produce consistent water flows and temperatures. All of which creates the conditions for fish – in this case, numerous species of trout – to thrive, with clear sections of water that make them easier to catch.

“The water temperature gives an abundant food supply for those trout, and the reservoirs give them a place to hang out and grow and get big,” says Riley McDowell, who offers guided fly and ice fishing trips through Fat Bear Fishing. “And because the river is split up by these reservoirs, the water rarely gets dark and murky after a heavy rainfall.”

More than 100 river miles are fishable around Casper, McDowell says, so even if one section of water isn’t clear, there is generally always somewhere to go to have a good day of fishing. 

“It all boils down to the fact we just have a lot of big fish around here, and a lot of different places to try to catch them,” he says.

Visit Casper

Get Gear and Find Fish

Casper is truly a fly-fishing favorite, having been named as the top “Big Fish Destination” in the Lower 48 states by American Angler magazine. As a result, several shops in the area can help anglers gear up, as well as commission charters that will take you to where the fish are biting.

Both the Platte River Fly Shop and Ugly Bug Fly Shop have been in business since the 1980s, offering all manner of rods, reels, lines, wading gear and, of course, fishing flies. 

Then when it comes time to hit the water, Wyoming Fly Fishing Guide Service, Crazy Rainbow Fly Fishing and Wyoming Anglers are among the outfits that provide guided fishing trips as well as lodging.

The options for where to go fishing are plentiful. The North Platte River is the spine of fly fishing in the Casper region, with several connecting sections where the trout traffic is tremendous.

Prime fishing spots in the Casper region include the “Miracle Mile” (a stretch between Kortes Dam and Pathfinder Reservoir), Fremont Canyon (a popular spot for wade fishing a few miles from Pathfinder Dam), the Alcova Reservoir (which covers nearly 2,500 surface acres approximately 30 miles southwest of Casper) and the nearby Grey Reef reservoir (where 10-pound fish are not uncommon).

“We have so many different options, you can always be exploring new water,” McDowell says. “You can go out every day for two or three weeks and fish a different chunk of water each day. And the great thing is, you don’t have to be an expert by any means to enjoy fly fishing. It’s relatively easy and quick to pick up for just about anybody.”

Bruce Chandler

Socialization and Camaraderie

While fly fishing can be a peaceful solo sport, its relaxing nature also is a good way to create community. That is one of the goals of the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing organization, a program designed to provide therapeutic outdoor recreation for wounded military service members, using fly fishing as a rehabilitation tool.

“It’s a very rewarding program,” says Bruce Chandler, a Vietnam veteran who leads the Casper chapter of PHWFF. “We do fishing outings, both day and overnight, which promotes friendships among the service members. And a lot of those friendships then extend out to the Casper community and the wonderful support we get from the town.”

PHWFF was formed in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center outside Washington, D.C., for returning combat vets in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It has since expanded to nearly 300 programs across the country, though Chandler says Casper is the perfect place for such a fly-fishing organization.

“We have a wealth of waters to fish fairly close to the city,” Chandler says. “We’re just very fortunate to have access to all these great waterways around Casper for fly fishing.”