Tucked along the banks of the North Platte River west of Casper, the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery plays a crucial role in Wyoming’s outdoor life — even if most visitors never realize it.
In this episode of Casper Stories, we followed Lars Alsager, hatchery superintendent and lifelong outdoorsman, to show how millions of fish help sustain one of the country’s best fisheries.
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we captured Lars’s story, and why it turned into one of the most technically challenging — and personally rewarding — shoots of the series.
🐟 The Story – Meet Lars Alsager and the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery
Lars Alsager grew up with the outdoors in his blood. Raised on a hatchery himself, Lars learned from a young age how important these operations are — not just for fishing, but for conservation, tourism, and preserving Wyoming’s natural beauty.
At the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery, he oversees the production of millions of pounds of fish each year, stocking rivers, lakes, and ponds across Wyoming. Without that work, places like the North Platte River — a world-class fly fishing destination — wouldn’t have the thriving populations that draw anglers from across the country.
Lars’s personal connection to the land, to the river, and to the legacy of conservation made him the perfect character to showcase how deep Wyoming’s outdoor traditions run.
🎥 Filming at the Hatchery and on the River
We filmed Lars’s episode across two full days:
Day 1: Sunrise river fishing footage, volunteer river scenes, hatchery operations, and Lars’s sit-down interview inside the hatchery
Day 2: Loading fish onto the truck, transporting and stocking fish at Alcova Reservoir
🎬 Gear Used
Sony FX6 Cinema Camera
Sony A7SIII Camera (inside underwater housing for accent shots)
Sony G-Master 16–35mm lens for underwater work
Leica R vintage prime lenses for main footage
DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone
Waders, underwater housing, and full professional interview setup — including Aputure lights arranged in a three-point lighting setup and properly mic’d sound
The first day started before sunrise, wading into the river with Lars and a handful of local volunteers. Armed with waterproof gear — and a healthy amount of anxiety about slipping into freezing water with $15,000 worth of camera gear — we captured gorgeous footage of morning light dancing off the river.
Using a specially rigged underwater housing, we added unique perspectives both above and below the river’s surface. Later at the hatchery, we documented the careful rearing of thousands of fish, capturing the full cycle of their journey — from tanks to trucks to open water.
🧠 Pre-Production and Visual Goals
Pre-production for this shoot involved a lot of careful planning:
Location scouting along the Platte River for safe wading and sunrise angles
Mapping sun paths using Sun Seeker for the river and hatchery locations
Preparing underwater housing for specific accent shots
Planning for variable weather, river flows, and fish stocking schedules
Our visual goals for this episode were clear:
Use natural light and strong compositions to capture outdoor B-roll
Highlight aquatic textures (ripples, bubbles, underwater fish movement)
Emphasize earth tones and reflections from the river and hatchery environments
Create a grounded, documentary-style feel that matched Lars’s genuine connection to the outdoors
I also built a simple moodboard around themes of "flow," "legacy," and "life cycles" to help guide framing and shot pacing.
🖥️ Post-Production Workflow
Editing Lars’s story was about finding a rhythm that mirrored the hatchery’s work: steady, patient, and connected to natural cycles.
We incorporated underwater footage as a visual accent — adding layers of texture without dominating the story. Sound design leaned heavily on natural sounds: river flows, bird calls, and the soft movement of fish in the tanks.
Deliverables Created
2–3 minute master episode
Two 30-second cutdowns
One 15-second cutdown
Both widescreen and vertical versions
A curated B-roll library for Visit Casper
Behind-the-scenes stills from the river, hatchery, and Alcova release
One of the most emotional edits came from weaving Lars’s current-day story with vintage family photos — showing him learning the hatchery life from his father, and now passing those lessons to his own children.
🎙️ Personal Reflections on Filming Lars’s Story
This shoot was one of the most physically challenging — but also one of the most rewarding.
Standing waist-deep in a cold Wyoming river with camera gear, chasing sunrise light, trying to capture the feeling of flow and life — it was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. And moments like catching a lone fish swimming against the flow of hundreds of others during the Alcova stocking — and framing it just right — reminded me why I love doing this work.
One of my favorite shots from the entire Casper Stories series came from this episode: the underwater view of thousands of fish bursting into Alcova’s crystal-clear waters, framed by sunlight and bubbles. It’s pure life, pure Wyoming.
🐠 See More About the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery
Want to learn more about how the Dan Speas Fish Hatchery keeps Casper’s rivers and lakes thriving?
➝ Check out Visit Casper’s feature on the hatchery here.
🎯 Tell Your Story with Stengel Media
At Stengel Media, we believe the best stories come from real connections — to the land, to tradition, and to the people who keep those traditions alive.
Whether you're showcasing a conservation project, a local hero, or a new tourism experience, we’re here to bring it to life with cinematic care.
➝ Reach out today if you're ready to tell your story.
