It's Worth the Work

As fly fishermen, we spend the majority of our time fishing rivers. Whether it be the freestone Elk River outside of Steamboat or the Dream Stream that winds its way between Eleven Mile and Spinney Reservoir, when one thinks of flyfishing it is always of a beautiful river. This article, however, is not about fishing rivers at all, but about fishing some of Colorado's majestic high mountain lakes. Fishing high mountain lakes requires a ton of work and dedication, but the payoff is huge.

I'll start with my favorite high mountain lake, No Name (and yes that is its actual name). It is outside of Vail, but that is all I am going say. The journey begins by driving up a dirt road that was clearly not made for normal automobiles to drive on. After bouncing around for forty-five minutes, it is finally time to throw on the packs and begin the climb. The hike in is only a mile and a half, but don't let that fool you. There is also a few thousand feet of elevation that is about to change. After winding your way up mountain goat trails and three different passes, you finally see this amazing glacier lake tucked away in a bowl somewhere in the Gore Range, with many fish just waiting to be caught.

So, I know what you are thinking, with all of this work, where is the payoff? My answer to that is simple: other than being surrounded by 13,000 foot mountains, and other than being the only one there, the payoff is the fish of course! These fish spend eight months out of the year under a frozen sheet of ice, and when that ice melts, they are ready to feed. There are two ways I like to catch the mountain cutthroats. First, in the morning when the sun first hits the lake, I like to throw a caddis (sometimes a hopper or an orange stimulator is great too) out onto the crystal clear water and watch them swarm at what they think will be their breakfast. In the afternoon, I switch to a streamer pattern and some sink tip line. I throw my fly out just beyond where the shelf drops off, let it sink, then strip it in. I don't know what is more amazing, catching the fish or watching it hunt down my streamer in that clear green water. I think high-mountain lake fishing holds a special place in my heart because every time I return, it is like catching up with an old friend. I hope I have painted a picture of how amazing high-mountain lake fishing can be. It can be a great option when you just want a change of pace or want to combine a backpacking trip with some flyfishing. Be looking out for another article to come where I will discuss the locations of some of the prime high-mountain lakes in our beautiful state.

With Love From Colorado,

~Kush