Given its location at the end of a series of impoundments on the North Platte River, Glendo typically has plenty of water to support its robust walleye population. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski)
April 11, 2025
By Mike Gnatkowski
Mention the state of Wyoming to any outdoorsman, and several things likely leap to mind. For me, the first is antelope. I’ve enjoyed numerous successful pronghorn hunts in the Cowboy State, and there probably isn’t a better place in the country to pursue them. Other topics might include national parks, elk, stunning mountains and world-class trout streams. Walleyes probably wouldn’t make anyone’s list … but they should.
There’s not a lot of water in Wyoming, but several reservoirs across the state are teeming with walleyes, and perhaps the best of the bunch is the sprawling Glendo Reservoir, roughly 75 miles east of Casper on I-25.
Wyoming’s sixth largest reservoir (approximately 12,000 acres at full pool) is managed by Platte and Converse counties and is an impoundment of the North Platte River. It is used mainly for flood control and irrigation, but a byproduct of its location near the end of the reservoir chain along the North Platte River is its tremendous walleye fishing.
“Glendo is farther down in the system, and because of that, it’s nutrient-rich and warmer, which makes it more productive,” says Matt Hahn, a Wyoming Game and Fish fisheries biologist based in Casper.
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“We’ve had some exceptional years of reproduction on Glendo recently, and the walleye population there is the highest [it’s ever been]. There’s an abundance of 16- to 23-inch walleyes in the system. The walleyes grow fast but are not long-lived, so you don’t see many fish making it to 10 years old.”
A 6-pound walleye is an exceptional fish in Glendo.
Thanks to years of outstanding natural reproduction, Glendo Reservoir’s walleye population is as high as it’s ever been. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski) NUMBERS BOOM Hahn says that because Glendo Reservoir is used for irrigation and is drawn down in the summer months, this sets the stage for the prolific natural reproduction the reservoir sees most years. But because the population is subject to Mother Nature’s whims, populations fluctuate.
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“Normally, the fishery is totally dependent on natural reproduction, but in 2016, we discovered the walleye population was low. We planted 9 million fry we got from North Dakota, but the results were abysmal,” says Hahn. “We planted more fry in 2018 and discovered we had one of the highest natural year classes that year that we’ve ever seen.”
Since then, Glendo Reservoir has been the benefactor of several prolific walleye hatches that have sustained the fishery. Hahn says natural reproduction depends on water levels, water temperatures, wind and habitat.
“We seem to have outstanding reproduction following summers when the water levels get extremely low,” says Hahn. “When the shoreline is exposed, vegetation grows, and when the reservoir refills over the winter, it floods the vegetation and creates a walleye factory.”
The walleyes spawn in both the reservoir and in the river. With all those mouths to feed, however, forage numbers have been more of a concern lately. “Gizzard shad are the main forage species in Glendo,” says Hahn. “The adult shad tend to die over the winter, but they are prolific spawners, and it only takes a few to maintain the forage base. In recent years, Game and Fish has supplemented the population with plants.”
In early summer when it reaches full pool, Glendo often jumps its banks, creating a unique fishing opportunity among the shoreline trees. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski) WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE Water has been a buzzword in the West in recent years. Being at the end of a reservoir chain ensures Glendo usually has plenty of it.
“The water levels on Glendo typically peak in June,” says Hahn. “The reservoir rises all winter in preparation for irrigation demands in the summer months. When the reservoir reaches full pool, it’s not uncommon for trees and timber along the shoreline to flood.”
When it does, a unique fishery develops in the flooded timber as walleyes infiltrate and forage amongst the trees.
One of the great thing about Glendo Reservoir is the fishing follows a reasonably predictable pattern most years.
“A lot of guys start by pitching jigs,” says Brian Woodward, manager at Rocky Mountain Discount Sporting Goods in Casper and the owner/director of the Wyoming Walleye Stampede , a series of four tournaments held across Wyoming annually. Two of the tournaments are held on Glendo and typically host upwards of 100 boats. The tournaments are catch-and-release, which ultimately has little effect on the walleye population in the reservoirs other than anglers learning and sharing strategies to catch more fish.
Anglers can only have five fish in their live well at any given time and must go to a tournament boat on the water to have their fish quickly measured and released. The process doesn’t produce the fanfare that a live weigh-in does, but it’s a far better proposition for the fishery. In a typical tournament on Glendo, where upwards of a thousand walleye are measured, fewer than half a dozen fish die.
Come summer, trolling crankbaits like Berkley Flicker Shads is a popular tactic for Glendo walleyes. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski) TALKING TACTICS Woodward says the fishing typically starts ramping up on Glendo sometime in April, though in spring it can be as finicky as the Wyoming weather. One hotspot can be the canyon area, where you can likely catch both post-spawn fish and active spawners between snowstorms. A good tactic then, according to Woodward, is to pitch Northland RZ jigs with plastics.
“I like to use 1/4- or 3/8-ounce jigs with a Zoom Fluke Junior because I like to fish a little more aggressively,” he says. “Standup jigs work well then, too.”
A stand-up jig with a Northland Smelt Minnow or fathead is deadly. “I’m not sure what it is, but after the spawn, things can get tough for a while. I think the fish are recuperating and just off the feed, and it is difficult to find them,” says Woodward.
By late May, things return to normal, and as weeds appear and the water temperature rises, walleyes get more aggressive. Paddletails and twister-style plastics excel then. Pitching to rocky points and sloping gravel shelves is money.
In June, July and August, anglers can catch Glendo walleyes just about any way they want. Trolling becomes popular with crankbaits, like Berkley Flicker Minnows and Flicker Shads , or crawler harnesses behind a 2-ounce bottom-bouncer in 10 to 25 feet of water.
Glendo is the site of two tournaments that compose half of the annual Wyoming Walleye Stampede. The catch-and-release tourneys typically host around 100 boats. (Photo by Mike Gnatkowski) TRIP PLANNER Where to stay and play around Glendo Reservoir. Glendo State Park, which surrounds the reservoir, is an excellent base of operations. It features more than 500 campsites spread across 19 campgrounds. When not fishing, take advantage of the park’s 45 miles of non-motorized, multi-use trails, playgrounds, swimming beaches, a 3D archery range, geocaching and bird watching.
Water levels vary significantly throughout the year at Glendo Reservoir, so check the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation website for current levels. There are six boat launches surrounding the reservoir, providing an abundance of access. For more information on Glendo State Park, visit wyoparks.wyo.gov or call 307-735-4433.
If you’re not the camping type, try the Lakeview Motel and Trailer Park (307-735-4461) or Cobblestone Inn and Suites (307-836-2325) in nearby Guernsey.
Other reservoirs in the North Platter River system are great fisheries, too. These include Seminoe, Kortes, Pathfinder, Alcova, Gray Reef and Guernsey. Seminoe, Pathfinder and Alcova reservoirs are deeper and clearer than Glendo Reservoir and support outstanding trout populations in addition to producing trophy walleyes. The walleyes in those waters tend to grow big since they gorge on the planted trout. If you try your luck on Gray Reef Reservoir for walleyes, you’ll likely have difficulty keeping smallmouth bass off your hook.
