Best channel catfish lakes in Wyoming
18 Wyoming waters list channel catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 3 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir — 436 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Common CarpWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
- Bighorn Lake — 447 ft max · Walleye, Sauger, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Boysen Reservoir — 107 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
- Keyhole Reservoir — 74 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Glendo Reservoir — 127 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Crappie, Channel Catfish, White Bass & HybridsWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- Packers Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
…plus 12 more Wyoming waters holding channel catfish.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Wyoming waters with public access data
When to fish channel catfish in Wyoming
- Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
- Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
- Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
- Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.
Also in Wyoming: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes
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