Fishing Big Cheif Reservoir in Natrona County, Wyoming

• Overview

  You will find Big Cheif Reservoir in Natrona County, Wyoming. It stands 6,335 feet above sea level. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. Our Natrona County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Bar Nunn, 46 miles away. Billings is the closest city, 183 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Big Cheif Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Natrona County names rainbow trout, brown trout, white sucker, walleye and brook trout. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Big Cheif Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Big Cheif Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Little Chief Reservoir, 0.6 miles away. For Big Cheif Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.