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Pathfinder Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Wyoming’s canyon reservoir: Pathfinder holds walleye, trout and cutthroat in 22,000 acres of high desert water.

1/5
Tough. Pick your battles.Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.
Water temp
~73 F est.
Air / High
83 / 85 F
Wind
SW 22 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06642000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

1/5Tough. Pick your battles.Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.

Pathfinder Reservoir offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. Today brings clear skies, wind SW around 22 mph, rising pressure near 1005 hPa and a high of 85. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassFair

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeFair

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Rainbow troutFair

Prime dry-fly and hopper season. Match the hatch morning and evening; nymph the seams midday.

Largemouth bassSlow

Prime chasing season. Work moving baits on points and pockets: spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and squarebills, with a stick worm behind for followers.

Tomorrow: Similar at 84 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from North Platte River at Alcova (below).

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp83 F
High / Low85 / 52 F
WindSW 22-27 mph
Pressure1004.5 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset06:36 / 19:36
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Clear, 85/52 F, wind 24 mph, rain 0%

Slow. Wind at 24 mph makes boat control the day's real problem; find protected banks.

Species guide

The species that matter on Pathfinder Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: spring and fall

The headline act on most American reservoirs. Relates to cover: docks, brush, grass edges and points. Prime chasing season. Work moving baits on points and pockets: spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and squarebills, with a stick worm behind for followers.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Prime dry-fly and hopper season. Match the hatch morning and evening; nymph the seams midday.

When to come: the Pathfinder Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Largemouth bass
Northern pike
Rainbow trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Pathfinder Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 23 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 82 F, wind to 23 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 30 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 30 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 24 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Smallmouth bass led the card at good. High of 80 F, wind to 24 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Wyoming requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Wyoming license. Walleye and trout limits per current Game and Fish regulations.

Access

Sagebrush, Weiss and Fremont Canyon area ramps; primitive camping around the shoreline.

About this water

A 22,000-acre Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the North Platte River, Natrona County, Wyoming, dammed in 1909.

Fishing Pathfinder Reservoir: the full guide

A century-old dam

Pathfinder Reservoir spreads 22,000 acres across the North Platte River canyons southwest of Casper, held by a stone dam completed in 1909. The surrounding country is sage and rock, the water is deep and cold, and the fishery is genuinely mixed: walleye in numbers, rainbow and brown trout, cutthroat, and yellow perch that support both open-water and ice fishing.

Walleye and trout together

Walleye hold the rocky points, shoreline breaks and flats, taking jigs in spring and crawler harnesses trolled through summer. Trout cruise higher in the water column and along the shorelines: trolled spoons and stickbaits produce, especially in spring and fall when fish move shallow. The combination means a day can produce both species on the same structure, unusual and rewarding.

Perch and the wind

Yellow perch school over the flats and provide reliable action for anglers who like fast fishing, and they anchor the winter ice fishery. Wind is the defining condition: this is high Wyoming desert and the reservoir builds serious waves quickly. Mornings are the reliable window, and afternoon plans should include an exit route to a protected shore.

Casper-area logistics

Ramps at Sagebrush, Weiss and the Fremont Canyon area serve the reservoir, with primitive camping around the shoreline. Services are minimal: bring what you need. The Fremont Canyon between Pathfinder and Alcova is spectacular and worth the boat ride. Casper, an hour away, is the nearest full-service town.

Common questions

Walleye and trout in the same lake?

Yes: Pathfinder supports both, often on the same structure, which makes for varied days on the water.

How bad is the wind?

Serious: high desert with no shelter. Fish mornings and always know where your protected water is.

Are there services?

Minimal: primitive camping and boat ramps. Bring fuel, water and supplies from Casper.

Is fishing good at Pathfinder Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Tough. Pick your battles. Post-front sun and slick water make them sulk.

Nearby waters

Grey Reef15 miSeminoe Reservoir24 miNorth Platte River (Grey Reef)25 miBoysen Reservoir89 miGlendo Reservoir94 miOcean Lake102 mi
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