Hay Reservoir in Sweetwater County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hay Reservoir sits within Sweetwater County in Wyoming. It lies 6,644 feet above sea level. About 530 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. It is one of the larger waters we list anywhere in Wyoming. Nearest place of any size is Rock Springs, 54 miles away. Fort Collins is the closest city, 195 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Hay Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Sweetwater County list brown trout, rainbow trout and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. At Hay Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 66°F; the cold one sits at 16°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. At Hay Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Records show it does not hold water year-round. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. None of that is settled for Hay Reservoir in what we hold.