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When are Northern Pike biting on Cottonwood Creek?
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Fishing regulations at Cottonwood Creek, WY
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Wyoming can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Northern pike as of April 23rd, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Northern pike
Seasons
Open
AREA 3 EXCEPTIONS TO STATEWIDE REGULATIONSBlack Elk Pond in Weston County.• Watercraft prohibited.Black Hills Power and Light Osage Pond in Weston County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Bull Creek in Sheridan County. • All trout shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only. Cook Lake in Crook County. • Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Gillette Fishing Lake in Campbell County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Healy Reservoir in Johnson County.• The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horsepower prohibited.Park Reservoir in Johnson and Sheridan counties.• The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horsepower prohibited.Ranchester City Reservoir in Sheridan County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Sand Creek, from the Black Hills National Forest boundary downstream through the Ranch A property (Wyoming State Trust Land) in Crook County. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only.Sibley Lake in Sheridan County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Keyhole Reservoir, all waters within the boundaries of Keyhole State Park in Crook County. • The creel limit on northern pike shall be three (3) per day or in possession. All northern pike less than thirty (30) inches in length shall be released to the water immediately.Kleenburn Ponds in Sheridan County. • Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited. Middle Fork of Powder River, from Bachaus Creek down stream to the Bar C Road (Johnson County Road 238) on the Bar C Ranch in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be three (3) per day or inpossession. No more than one (1) trout shall exceed sixteen (16) inches.Muddy Guard Reservoir No. 1 in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be one (1) per day or in possession. All trout less than twenty (20) inches shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only. Muddy Guard Reservoirs in Johnson County. • The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horse power prohibited.North Sayles Reservoir#1 (on Bud Love WHMA)in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be one (1) per day or in possession. • All trout less than twenty (20) inches shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only.Tongue River drainage lakes and streams in Area 3 in Johnson and Sheridan counties. • All walleye and sauger shall be kept whole (gills and entrailsmay be removed) until the angler is off the water or ice and done fishing for the day. Once off the water or ice and done fishing for the day, walleye and sauger can be filleted for transportation and storage. A piece of skin large enough to allow species identification (at least one (1) inch square) shall remain on all fish fillets while in transit or in the field.Tie Hack Reservoir in Johnson County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Area 3 Live BaitfishThe use or possession of live baitfish in Area 3 is prohibited except as otherwise specified in this section:Area 3 Live Baitfish Location ALive baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i) provided the baitfish are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer authorized to sell baitfish for use in these waters or the baitfish were seined or trapped from the waters listed below in subsection (ii). Live baitfish restricted to use in location A shall not be transported out of the designated wild caught live baitfish possession area defined in subsection (iii).(i) Live baitfish may be used in the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir; and, Belle Fourche River proper.(ii) A holder of a valid seining license may seine, net, trap or spear baitfish from the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir; and, Belle Fourche River drainage.(iii) The designated wild caught live baitfish possession area for location A is the Belle Fourche River drainage and the Little Powder River drainage upstream of the confluence of Cottonwood Creek in Campbell County.Area 3 Live Baitfish Location BLive baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i), provided the baitfish are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer authorized to sell commercially produced live baitfish as described in the live baitfish dealer regulations at https://wgfd.wyo. gov/Fishing-and-Boating/Forms-and-Applications.(i) Commercially produced live baitfish may be used in the following waters: Lake DeSmet; Healy Reservoir in Johnson County; and, LAK Reservoir.Area 3 Live Baitfish Location CThe use or possession of live baitfish in Area 3C is prohibited. A holder of a valid seining license may seine, net, trap or spear bait- fish in the Tongue River and Goose Creek (Sheridan and Johnson counties) drainages upstream of the Wyoming-Montana state line. Any live baitfish captured shall be killed immediately and used only as dead bait.
All waters within Area 3, with the exception of waters within Keyhole State Park: Nongame fish, unlimited harvest. Must be killed immediately.
For more information please see Wyoming fishing regulations
Esox lucius
AREA 3 EXCEPTIONS TO STATEWIDE REGULATIONSBlack Elk Pond in Weston County.• Watercraft prohibited.Black Hills Power and Light Osage Pond in Weston County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Bull Creek in Sheridan County. • All trout shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only. Cook Lake in Crook County. • Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Gillette Fishing Lake in Campbell County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Healy Reservoir in Johnson County.• The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horsepower prohibited.Park Reservoir in Johnson and Sheridan counties.• The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horsepower prohibited.Ranchester City Reservoir in Sheridan County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Sand Creek, from the Black Hills National Forest boundary downstream through the Ranch A property (Wyoming State Trust Land) in Crook County. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only.Sibley Lake in Sheridan County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Keyhole Reservoir, all waters within the boundaries of Keyhole State Park in Crook County. • The creel limit on northern pike shall be three (3) per day or in possession. All northern pike less than thirty (30) inches in length shall be released to the water immediately.Kleenburn Ponds in Sheridan County. • Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited. Middle Fork of Powder River, from Bachaus Creek down stream to the Bar C Road (Johnson County Road 238) on the Bar C Ranch in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be three (3) per day or inpossession. No more than one (1) trout shall exceed sixteen (16) inches.Muddy Guard Reservoir No. 1 in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be one (1) per day or in possession. All trout less than twenty (20) inches shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only. Muddy Guard Reservoirs in Johnson County. • The use of a motor in excess of fifteen (15) horse power prohibited.North Sayles Reservoir#1 (on Bud Love WHMA)in Johnson County. • The creel limit on trout shall be one (1) per day or in possession. • All trout less than twenty (20) inches shall be released to the water immediately. • Fishing is permitted by the use of artificial flies and lures only.Tongue River drainage lakes and streams in Area 3 in Johnson and Sheridan counties. • All walleye and sauger shall be kept whole (gills and entrailsmay be removed) until the angler is off the water or ice and done fishing for the day. Once off the water or ice and done fishing for the day, walleye and sauger can be filleted for transportation and storage. A piece of skin large enough to allow species identification (at least one (1) inch square) shall remain on all fish fillets while in transit or in the field.Tie Hack Reservoir in Johnson County.• Use of internal combustion engines in motorized watercraft is prohibited.Area 3 Live BaitfishThe use or possession of live baitfish in Area 3 is prohibited except as otherwise specified in this section:Area 3 Live Baitfish Location ALive baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i) provided the baitfish are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer authorized to sell baitfish for use in these waters or the baitfish were seined or trapped from the waters listed below in subsection (ii). Live baitfish restricted to use in location A shall not be transported out of the designated wild caught live baitfish possession area defined in subsection (iii).(i) Live baitfish may be used in the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir; and, Belle Fourche River proper.(ii) A holder of a valid seining license may seine, net, trap or spear baitfish from the following waters: Keyhole Reservoir; and, Belle Fourche River drainage.(iii) The designated wild caught live baitfish possession area for location A is the Belle Fourche River drainage and the Little Powder River drainage upstream of the confluence of Cottonwood Creek in Campbell County.Area 3 Live Baitfish Location BLive baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i), provided the baitfish are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer authorized to sell commercially produced live baitfish as described in the live baitfish dealer regulations at https://wgfd.wyo. gov/Fishing-and-Boating/Forms-and-Applications.(i) Commercially produced live baitfish may be used in the following waters: Lake DeSmet; Healy Reservoir in Johnson County; and, LAK Reservoir.Area 3 Live Baitfish Location CThe use or possession of live baitfish in Area 3C is prohibited. A holder of a valid seining license may seine, net, trap or spear bait- fish in the Tongue River and Goose Creek (Sheridan and Johnson counties) drainages upstream of the Wyoming-Montana state line. Any live baitfish captured shall be killed immediately and used only as dead bait.
Regulations for
44°22′2.3″N 104°45′59.2″W
FAQ about Cottonwood Creek fishing
the Cottonwood Creek is a stream located in Crook County, Wyoming, United States. Its coordinates are:
44°22′2.3″N 104°45′59.2″W
.Find the best fishing spots on the Cottonwood Creek by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
The most common species in the Cottonwood Creek are:
- Northern pike - 11 members reported to have caught this fish
- Walleye - 8 members reported to have caught this fish
- Smallmouth bass - 4 members reported to have caught this fish
The latest Cottonwood Creek fishing reports are:
- @benson.dalpias reported a nice Northern pike.
- @michaelbuitron reported a nice Bluegill.
- @rogantatum reported a nice Walleye.
- @dannywells3575 reported a nice Smallmouth bass.
- @Yeahdudeallday reported a nice Black crappie.
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