Outdoor conditions report for April 27, 2022

Fishing Conditions

Fishing reports are skimpy thanks to the cold and gale force winds last weekend. The runoff is just beginning, but is slow to start due to the colder temperatures. That means tossing a line in open rivers is a good option yet before waters rise. The ice is off lakes and ponds, not counting the higher elevations where the ice remains for a while yet. That means those lower elevation lakes are good choices, too. Both the Laramie and North Platte rivers have decent angling, although the cold water temperatures make the catching on the slow side.

Ranking Categories

H (One fish) – to ensure fish dinner, go to the local grocery store

HHHHH (Five fish) – toss a line and get a fish; the fish aren’t picky

Granite, Crystal and North Crow reservoirs

HHH

The buzz: The angling is fair to good at Granite and Crystal reservoirs. One angler suggests moving around the lakes to find the fish. Once he was able to find them, the fishing was good. Most of the fish are in the 10- to 12-inch range, but can be larger in Granite Reservoir. North Crow is slower, but the fish are bigger with quite a few rainbow trout reported in the 16 to 24-inch range. The biking and hiking trails are clearing, with the best conditions on the east side, especially the Middle Kingdom and Canyons trails. The west side trails need a little more time and warm weather to clear.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Nightcrawlers

Salmon eggs

Powerbait

Various spinners (gold, silver colors)

Bead head hare’s ear

Muskrat nymph

Hornberg

Woolly buggers (with a crystal flash tail)

Pole Mountain

H½

The buzz: The snow comes and goes across Pole Mountain. There’s still a good bit of slogging on the hiking trails. Mountain biking on these trails is a ways off, but pedaling along some of the gravel roads that are currently closed to motorized travel is a nice option as temperatures warm. The beaver ponds should be opening up with some lively brook trout for those anglers willing to hike to them. Roads will open up gradually as conditions allow.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Worms

Bead head pheasant tails

Nilla buggers

Egg patterns

Laramie Plains lakes

HH

The buzz: The fishing remains on the slow side across the Laramie Basin. Warmer weather is needed to pick up the action. Anglers have to be patient at Lake Hattie, but the lake is known to give up some real lunkers this time of year. For those willing to take a longer drive, Diamond Lake is fishing well.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Nightcrawlers

Rapalas

Panther martins

Chironomids

Woolly buggers

Bead head prince nymphs

Laramie River

HH

The buzz: The fishing is on the slow side but anglers are having some luck from Woods Landing into Laramie. One angler reported catching a really nice brown trout close to Laramie.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Red copper Johns

Red San Juan worms

Gold spitfires

Hare’s ears

Bead head prince nymphs

Orange blossom specials

Beldar buggers

North Platte River and Encampment River – Saratoga Valley

HH

The buzz: The runoff is picking up, but has not yet gained real steam. The river is flowing at 733 cubic feet per second at North Gate, near the Colorado-Wyoming state line. That higher flow means the water could be cloudy, while the water remains quite cold. That means the fish are down deep and less inclined to move around that much. The Encampment River is at 217 cfs at the mouth near the town of Encampment.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Panther martins

Rapalas

Baetis duns

Copper Johns

Stonefly nymphs

Wooly buggers

Thin mints

North Platte River – Grey Reef

HHH

The buzz: The fishing is good when the wind is at bay, but the water could be off-colored with the snowfall last weekend. With the flow around 510 cubic feet per second there is decent fishing both from a drift boat and from the bank.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Pine squirrel leeches

Sparkle worms

Flossy worms

UV leeches

Amber scuds

Olive scuds

Purple Q-tips

North Platte River – Miracle Mile

HH½

The buzz: The Mile is fishing fair to good. Anglers report they aren’t catching huge numbers of fish, but are compensated by hooking some big ones. The flow is at 1,508 cubic feet per second.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Red rock worms

Red San Juan worms

Leech patterns

Vanilla buggers

Rubber legs

Flossy worm

Amber scud

Goldies

Wheatland Reservoir No. 3

HH

The buzz: The fishing action is gradually picking up with the ice off this large reservoir. While the action is slow, the size of fish in this reservoir makes the wait worth it. There’s the added treat that the reservoir has many different fish species, making the catching more interesting.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Bead head prince nymphs

Black or olive woolly buggers

Squirrel leeches

San Juan worms

Glendo

HH½

The buzz: The walleye action is good, especially for this time of year when the water remains quite nippy. Anglers also report some fair to good catfish action. For those looking for some trail running or mountain bike riding, the 40-plus miles of trail in this state park are in great shape and, due to the lower elevation, allow access earlier than many other trail systems.

Suggested bait, lures and flies:

Leeches

Nightcrawlers on worm harnesses (gold and silver blades)

Rapala spinners (perch, minnow and rainbow patterns)

Jigs with minnows

Sucker meat (catfish)

Grayrocks Reservoir

HH½

The buzz: The fishing is slow for both bass and walleye, but anglers report catching a few both from boats and off the bank. It should improve as the water warms up.

Suggest bait, lures and flies:

Leeches

Nightcrawlers with worm harnesses (gold blades)

Rapala spinners (perch and minnow patterns)

Snow Report

For those with a continuing urge to enjoy the waning snow season, there are still a few options for downhill skiing and snowboarding. Winter Park/Mary Jane saw 13 inches of new snow this past week, but should have mostly blue skies until the weekend when they’ll end the season with an inch or two of new snow. The season continues on the Mary Jane side with their closing day yet to be decided, depending on snow conditions.

Grooming of the Nordic ski trails at the Happy Jack Recreation Area ended last week. Snow comes and goes with skiing certainly possible for the short term when snows falls, but expect typical spring conditions and expanding bare patches.

Snow fell last weekend in the Medicine Bow Mountains, but the gale force winds made conditions less than delightful. According to the Open Snow website, the Snowy Range is at 92% of average for this time of year, a 2% decrease from last week.

At Keystone, near Rob Roy Reservoir, as of Tuesday there was a total of 222 inches of snow so far this season according to Don Day Jr. at www.dayweather.com. This is a 14-inch increase from last week, but still lagging behind the 257 inches reported by this time last year.

A few flurries are in the forecast Friday “up top” in the Snowy Range. Those could bring up to 12 inches of snow at the highest elevations by the end of the weekend. Additional snow will be around 6 inches at the lower elevations, turning to possible rain Sunday as temperatures warm up.

Reports on conditions for the various trails off of Highway 130 are limited. Expect excellent crust skiing up high. The best conditions for that type of skiing is when the previous day warms up, but temperatures drop below freezing overnight. Such circumstances provide excellent ski opportunities from Green Rock on up into the Libby Flats area early in the day.

The lower elevation trails at Barber Lake and Corner Mountain could be marginal for skiing, but not bad for snowshoeing.

Similar conditions are likely on the Chimney Park trails, located nine miles west of Woods Landing off of Highway 230. With the warmer temperatures in the forecast, get out early before conditions turn sticky and slushy.

Personnel at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center report the avalanche danger for the southern Wyoming and northern Colorado mountains is rated “moderate” at all elevations. Look out for areas where new snow measures eight or more inches. Avalanches can easily be triggered in such areas on steep terrain. As the day warms and conditions turn soft, chances of causing a loose wet avalanche increase.

As of Tuesday morning, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring station reports 60 inches at Brooklyn Lake, a 3-inch decrease from last week. The report showed 47 inches of snow at Cinnabar Park, a 1-inch decrease from last week. The report at Sand Lake on the north end of the Medicine Bow Mountains is 80 inches, a 2-inch decrease from last week. The measuring station at Medicine Bow Peak, at an elevation of 10,500 feet, reports 96 inches, a 2-inch increase from last week. At North French Creek, on the western side of the Medicine Bow Mountains, the reported snow depth is 70 inches, a 2-inch decrease from last week. The Crow Creek station on Pole Mountain shows 1 inch of snow, an 8-inch decrease from last week.

Quick numbers

All Wyoming ski areas are closed for the season.

Selected Colorado downhill areas still open:

Arapahoe Basin: 72-inch base; 9 lifts, 117 trails and 81% of terrain open.

Breckenridge: 72-inch base; 7 lifts, 51 trails and 48% of terrain open.

Loveland: 60-inch base; 7 lifts, 85 trails and 90% of terrain open.

Vail: 62-inch base; 8 lifts, 73 trails and 27% of terrain open.

Winter Park: 78-inch base; 4 lifts, 58 trails and 35% of terrain open.