Ask anyone who fishes the North Platte seriously and they’ll probably mention Wyoming Fly Fishing & Guide Service at some point — not because it’s the flashiest shop in town, but because Dan Spaulding has been doing this long enough that people trust him. That kind of reputation takes time in a place like Casper, where anglers are particular and the river humbles even the experienced ones.
The shop sits on the east side of town, modest from the outside, the kind of storefront you could easily pass if you didn’t know what you were looking for. Inside, it’s organized the way a working guide’s shop should be: rods along one wall, bins of flies sorted by hatch and season, waders folded and stacked, tippet spools on a rack. Nothing is there for show. The selection reflects what actually works on the tailwater stretches below Gray Reef and Alcova, not what sells in a catalog.
Dan started guiding the North Platte decades ago, back when float trips down that stretch were a quieter affair. He’s watched the fishery change — water temperatures, runoff patterns, the growing pressure from anglers driving up from Colorado and over from the Front Range. He talks about it plainly, without nostalgia or complaint. The fish are still there. The Midge hatches still come in winter. You just have to read the water and put in the time.
What sets the guide service apart from a weekend float with someone who learned the river last year is accumulated knowledge. Dan and the guides he works with know specific seams, specific bends, how the fish hold after a cold front. A full-day float typically runs in the $450–$550 range per person depending on group size and season, which is in line with other serious operations on the river. Gear rental is available for those who don’t want to travel heavy. The shop can also set you up for wading trips if you’d rather go on your own — they’ll tell you what’s producing and where, without the runaround.
Walk-in customers get real information. That’s worth saying plainly because it isn’t always the case. Ask about the Baetis situation in October and you’ll get a real answer, not a hedge. The staff fishes the water they’re recommending. A box of locally tied dries or nymphs runs you $2.50–$3.50 per fly, reasonable for patterns that are actually matched to what the trout in this specific drainage are looking at.
The shop also sells Wyoming fishing licenses, which matters if you’re coming in from out of state and want to get on the water without a separate errand. Licenses for nonresidents run around $14 for a day permit or $102 for the season — standard state rates.
If you go in the fall, the Midge and BWO fishing can be some of the best of the year. Spring brings higher flows and trickier wading, but the fish are active. Summers on the tailwater stay productive even when the air temperature climbs, because the water out of Alcova stays cold. Winter float trips happen, and they’re worth it for the right kind of angler — the kind who doesn’t need a crowd or perfect weather to enjoy the river.
Dan Spaulding isn’t trying to be the biggest operation on the North Platte. He’s trying to be the most honest one. In Casper, that’s the kind of thing that sticks.
