Fishing at Rice Reservoir, Albany County, Wyoming

• Overview

  Rice Reservoir is set in Albany County, Wyoming. Around the bank it is lake country bush. The water covers some 49 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The closest town, Laramie, is 19 miles away. After that come Laporte at 46 miles and Wellington at 48 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rice Reservoir

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Species logged across Albany County include brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Anyone new to Rice Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 63°F and December near 24°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That is the shape of the year on Rice Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Lone Tree Reservoir Number 2 is 2 miles off. For Rice Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.