Lake Hattie Ice Fishing Derby is o-FISH-ally Here This Weekend

Get ready to un-reel your excitement, fishing fans! The 31st Annual Lake Hattie Ice Fishing Derby arrives this weekend!

Kick Off 2024 at the 31st Annual Lake Hattie Ice Fishing Derby.

Start your New Year with two days of ice fishing surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Laramie Plains. Here's what you need to know about the event:

When: The annual ice fishing derby begins January 6, 2024, and runs until January 7, 2024. Derby hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Where: Lake Hattie Reservoir is the largest of the Laramie Plains Lakes and resides just past Twin Buttes Lake. Find a map to Lake Hattie here, courtesy of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.

Cost/Registration: Registration fees vary by age group. The price for adults ages fourteen and up is $40. Youth registration (ages thirteen and under) is $5. Folks can register at West Laramie Fly Store (1657 Snowy Range Rd. Laramie, WY 82070) until 10 a.m. on January 7, 2024.

For more information on the fishing derby, click here.

Fish Species in Lake Hattie:

You'll find several species of fish swimming in Lake Hattie, including rainbow and brown trout, kokanee salmon, and yellow perch.

Ice Fishing Tips from the Wyoming Game & Fish Department:

Never go on the ice alone. Always have a partner with you, and stay aware of your surroundings.
Don't drive a vehicle onto the ice.
Wear warm clothes and bring extras!
Make sure the ice is 4 inches thick "and clear and solid (8 inches if the ice is cloudy)" before walking on the ice.
"It is a good idea to wear an ice pick around your neck and bring a throwable flotation device in case someone falls in."

What is "Attendance" During Ice Fishing?

Ice fishers have to stay in attendance of their rods while ice fishing. The WGFD defines attendance as "within 300 yards" and "to be present and dealing with" the rods. Here are attendance tips, including info from Game and Fish:

Make sure you are in attendance for your rods/tip-ups while ice fishing (within 300 yards).
Sleeping in the camper/truck does not count as attendance, regardless of whether the vehicle is parked within 300 yards of the rods.
Checking a fish in during a derby doesn't count as attendance for any remaining lines.
"When fishing with tip-ups or when fishing more than 2 lines (only on bodies of water under the special winter fishing provisions-check regulations), make sure lines or tip-ups are labeled with the name of the person fishing."
You are responsible for your own lines.

For more info on ice fishing, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish website here.