The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming

Open waters

No ice? No problem, say Keyhole Reservoir's fishing enthusiasts

With the advent of winter on the reservoir, Keyhole State Park superintendent Wade Henderson talks about what to expect on the water this season.

Temperatures in the Keyhole Reservoir have been reading in the high 30s as the fishing season enters December, however, diehard fishermen are not stymied by the lack of ice.

"We still have people out and about who are fishing as the weather permits, catching walleye, crappy and pike, but everything else, right now, is kind of slow," notes Henderson.

Though ice fishing is a popular sport on Keyhole, even if the ice does not come this year, Henderson assures guests to the park, "We won't see the numbers of boat fishermen and shore fishermen as we would see if we had ice, but people will still be able to fish and boat as long as they want to take their boat out."

The reservoir is going into the cold season with maximum depths of over 50 feet, Henderson advises visitors, but boat-masters are cautioned to be wary of the hazards in the shallower areas throughout the lake.

"We still have plenty of water, but hazards have been showing up where it has dropped a little bit," he says.

"Hopefully," says Henderson, "it'll start freezing up here pretty soon so we can get some ice fishing going on."