Between Canyon Walls and Open Sky: Wyoming's Boysen Derby Fishes Three Days on a 19,000-Acre Reservoir

The Boysen Ice Fishing Derby runs January 17 to 19, 2026, at Boysen Marina in Wyoming’s Boysen State Park, with a three-day cash prize competition targeting walleye, rainbow trout, sauger, catfish, and perch on one of the state’s largest reservoirs, set in the geological drama of Wind River Canyon country.

Event details

Boysen Reservoir, set in the Wind River Canyon country of central Wyoming at approximately 4,750 feet elevation, hosts the Boysen Ice Fishing Derby each January over a three-day competition window. The 2026 event runs January 17 through 19 out of Boysen Marina, which provides the launch infrastructure, weigh station, and event hub for a derby that draws competitors across the central Wyoming fishing community. Boysen is one of Wyoming’s largest reservoirs, a 19,000-acre body of water managed by Wyoming State Parks that contains walleye, rainbow trout, sauger, channel catfish, and yellow perch. In winter, the reservoir freezes into an ice surface that stretches between sandstone canyon walls and high desert benchlands, making the setting unlike any other derby venue in the region.

Competition Format and Prizes

Cash prizes are awarded for the heaviest fish per category, with the prize structure weighted to incentivize significant catches rather than volume. The three-day format gives anglers the flexibility to fish one, two, or all three days, making the derby approachable for competitors who cannot commit a full weekend. First-time ice fishers and families with children fish alongside veterans in an atmosphere that organizers describe as community-spirited rather than rigidly competitive, and the access to Boysen Marina’s facilities throughout the event provides a warm base for breaks and meal stops during the competition days.

If You’re Going With Kids: Boysen State Park’s campground operates through winter for self-contained units, making a family overnight possible for participants fishing multiple days. The marina facilities provide warm indoor space for children who need breaks from the ice during competition hours. Wyoming fishing licenses are required for all anglers aged 14 and older, and can be purchased online through the Wyoming Game and Fish Department before arrival.

Wind River Canyon and What Makes This Drive Worth It

The road to Boysen from the south passes through Wind River Canyon, one of the most dramatic highway corridors in the American West. Highway 20 runs through the canyon bottom between sheer walls of Precambrian granite that predate most life on Earth, with the Wind River cutting alongside the road in a gorge that compresses two weeks of canyon scenery into a 35-kilometre drive. Families making the trip for the derby who have not driven Wind River Canyon before should time their approach for morning light, when the canyon walls are at their most vivid. The nearest nearby lake listed in the masterlist for the region is Alcova Reservoir, roughly 90 kilometres northeast near Casper, which provides an additional Wyoming fishing and recreation destination for travelers looking to build a broader regional itinerary around the derby weekend. For travelers looking to stay near the water, Lake.com lists Wyoming vacation rental options across the state.