Nelson Pond Fishing near Laramie, Wyoming

• Overview

  This water sits in Albany County, Wyoming. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. About 22 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. 14 miles away sits Laramie, the nearest town. Fort Collins is the closest city, 59 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water. The water is easy to walk round in a long session.

• Where to Fish on Nelson Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Albany County cover brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and longnose sucker. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Nelson Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 24°F and July at about 63°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about late November in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Nelson Pond rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Osterman Lake, 0.4 miles away. Treat Nelson Pond as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.