HAWG Ice Fishing Derby at the Pathfinder Reservoir

Pathfinder Reservoir, a 23,000-acre body of water in the Platte River watershed of central Wyoming, is the setting for the HAWG Ice Fishing Derby, a single-day winter fishing competition held in January 2026 at Pathfinder Marina. Pathfinder was created by the Bureau of Reclamation’s Pathfinder Dam in 1909, one of the earliest and largest reclamation projects in the American West, and the reservoir’s remote canyon setting above the North Platte River gives it a character distinctly different from Wyoming’s more populated lake venues. The derby at Pathfinder targets walleye, perch, and the cold-water species that inhabit the reservoir’s deep basin, with cash prizes awarded for the heaviest fish by category and community engagement at the marina throughout the competition day.

The Pathfinder Setting

Pathfinder sits in the high desert southeast of Casper, Wyoming, in a landscape of sagebrush, granite domes, and wide sky that has changed little since the early 20th century. The drive in from Highway 220 follows Pathfinder Road through the national wildlife refuge that surrounds the reservoir, where pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and in winter months, bald eagles congregate in numbers that reward an unhurried approach. The reservoir’s proximity to the Alcova Reservoir, a few kilometres to the northeast, means anglers can extend the trip to include both bodies of water across a multi-day winter itinerary covering two of Wyoming’s most underappreciated ice fishing destinations.

Good to Know: Pathfinder Marina provides on-site event infrastructure, food, and community programming throughout the derby day. Wyoming fishing licenses are required for all participants aged 14 and older and can be purchased in advance through Wyoming Game and Fish. The access road to Pathfinder Marina can be icy in January; four-wheel drive and winter tires are strongly recommended.

Who the Derby Suits

The HAWG Derby’s single-day format makes it straightforward for anglers driving from Casper, which is approximately 60 kilometres to the northeast, and accessible for visiting anglers using Casper as an overnight base. Families with older children and teenagers who fish will find the competition format engaging and the remote setting genuinely memorable. The open-ice venue at Pathfinder offers panoramic views of the reservoir’s granite rim in every direction, with no tree cover obscuring the winter skyline, which makes this one of the most visually distinctive ice fishing venues in Wyoming. For lodging near the water, Lake.com lists vacation rental options across Wyoming’s central region for those who want to extend the trip beyond a single derby day.