Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby - Jan 18/19 2020

[wyoutdoors]

January 18-19, 2020

The annual Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby has been held at Saratoga Lake the third weekend of January every year since 1983. In 2017, it was voted “Best Annual Event” in Carbon County, WY!

Prove your skills at Saratoga Lake in Saratoga, Wyoming while competing for over $6,000 in guaranteed cash prizes and up to $35,000 in additional prizes.

Hourly cash awards of $100 will be awarded for the largest fish measured that hour. The big prize money is $2000 cash for 1st Place, $1000 cash for 2nd place and $500 cash for 3rd Place.

This year, we again added three Trophy Trout worth up to $35,000! Only three fish will be tagged with special markers. If caught during the two-day tournament hours, the fish could be worth $20,000 or $10,000 or $5,000! Keep your eyes open for the Bounty Fish, a fish with a pink tag behind the dorsal fin—the first Bounty Fish to be caught and brought to the Official Derby Tent during the derby is worth $500 cash!

[Djfan]

We will be there!

[WyoMinFisher]

I will be back again!!

[Tp4yall]

This will be the first year I plan to fish it. Would anyone be willing to suggest any pointers?

[Djfan]

Do the exact opposite of what I do.

[waterlike]

This will be the first year I plan to fish it. Would anyone be willing to suggest any pointers?

buy a jaw jacker.  Use tiny bait and tiny hooks and or jigs. Don't let any worm hang off the end of the jig.  Make sure the jig hangs horizontal, or if using just a hook the worm is threaded all the way on the line like your bass fishing. Use a light trigger. Doesn't really matter where you fish, fish shallow. there always be people nearby but try to set your jaw jackers up 10 to 20 yards away from other people in shallow water. Catch as many trout as you can because it doesn't matter if theyre big, one of them might be tagged for 20 K. So in that case bring two Jaw jackers

[wyo10]

You guys catch trout out of that lake? Hahaha I’ve only caught suckers and a couple buzz’s 

[POk3s]

This will also be the weekend of the Boysen derby, which is how it usually works. The only trash fish you’ll catch in Boysen are trout 

[wyo10]

I’ve never fished boysen, I hope so one day if I would actually just make the trip and would love to fish in your neck of the woods pokes.

[POk3s]

I’ve never fished boysen, I hope so one day if I would actually just make the trip and would love to fish in your neck of the woods pokes.

Boysen is a great reservoir but it had humbled me plenty! Have had some great trips where fish are seemingly everywhere and willingly fire up at the bait, and I’ve had a few where I can’t even find any fish, especially early on!

The gorge is usually always good for something!

[Blndie]

I'm in! Especially if I can hit a hot spring after!

[waterlike]

Anybody know how the turn out was today? I 80 has been closed since Friday around 2 in both directions I guess I could have come up through Colorado but didn't feel like going that way so stayed home. I wonder if the closure affected attendance

[Wyowalleye]

My friend and I drove over from Laramie Saturday. We had to take 230 around to Riverside. We had never been to the derby so I have nothing to compare it to, but it was a great day. There were huts spread out all over the lake but it was easy to find a place to fish.  Easy to park too.  We caught some trout but our biggest was 15".  Talked with lots of nice people.  I would also like to know how it compared to other years. 

[Djfan]

We couldn't get there Saturday morning, so we just stayed home.  Sunday, church went long, so we got there after the fact, fished for two hours with no results, and went home.  REALLY wanted to be there, too.