One of the best things about fishing small headwaters streams and alpine lakes is fishing to willing and unpressured fish. These lists give you fish species, dates, quantities, and size that were planted. However, it is never a bad idea to explore a lake with zero information on it, who knows you might just find a secret high alpine lake loaded with fish. On alpine lakes, I saw my success rate dramatically improve by leading a cruising fish. (2) Fish CAN see very well! Experimentation is the key. Don't walk up to the lake and start casting away; find coverage, a tree, bush, shady area and watch what the fish … Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. When i was young i loved to fish alpine lakes. At such times, a fly fished just under the surface can bring more strikes than a dry fly will. Smaller size 18-14 Hares Ears, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, and Prince Nymphs take fish quite regularly. Spanish Creek Trail and Lakes offer up a great multi-night adventure. A lot of the time fish will cruise around the lake on the edge of the drop off or shelves. Nearby lakes also hold Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout. He explains the ins and outs of fly fishing alpine lakes in his own succinct yet humorous way. Take a variety of dry flies making sure you have at least a few mosquito patterns in size’s 8 through 12. It also makes for some easy and exciting fishing for kids and beginners! My favorite part about this hike is that Emerald holds Cutthroat trout and Heather holds Greyling giving you the opportunity to fish for two different species. Required fields are marked *. While national parks had fish stocking programs in the past, North Cascades was created at a time when people's perception … Often, high-sticking or dapping the fly is the best way to get a short, clean drift. If what you’re doing doesn’t work, try something else. Food Sources for High Colorado Lakes My Nephew and I hit a bunch of alpine lakes in Utah. Its also never a bad idea to ask someone at the local fly shop in the area what lakes have been fishing well and go from there. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. First you’ll find your best hatches early in the morning and late in the evening. This is my style of Alpine Fly Fishing. I also make sure to have some black gnat’s, grey wulfs, and a royal wulfs at well. These will make your fly seem alive and wake the attention of the fish. Photo by Chase Gunnell. Frequently, high-country trout will … Get away from me!" They do this for two reasons. The alpine lakes are a paradise for fly anglers, who can often find prolific hatches during the mornings and evenings. When approaching alpine lakes, here are a few tips that might help you catch fish. Summer is a fantastic time to fish rivers and creeks but it also is the perfect time to strap on a backpack and explore some high mountain lakes. Your email address will not be published. Fish Stocking in Alpine Lakes. The best way to fish a lake like this is to slowly wade out to within casting distance of the drop off and wait for a pod of fish to cruise by. Cast your fly out in front of them and wait for a fish to strike! For updated information on products and other Troutfitter news, © 2020 Montana Troutfitters Get on the water early for the best dry fly fishing. There’s something really special about making long accurate casts to rising trout on the move. Site by: Prime Inc. A great overnight fishing trip is up to Heather and Emerald Lakes. Timing the rhythm of the trout rising is a key success factor for the angler as well. I was lucky enough to have a few days off last week so fellow guide … Fishing these remote lakes often happens on overnight or multi-day backpacking trips and the compact design and lack of reel make tenkara rods … But it never hurts to pay close attention to what the fish are doing and what they’re focusing on. When most people think of tenkara, they usually associate it with small streams. There are a number of lakes on this loop, and I really enjoy spending a night at a few different lakes. ... Well here is a video going over how they stock these alpine lakes. When I was young I loved to fish alpine lakes. For the best alpine fishing, head to high mountain lakes and streams that are filled with brown, brook, rainbow and cutthroat. So out of the three basic principles that govern fish (protection, food source, and current), one has been removed. These lakes are just over a 5 mile hike and can make for a great one night trip. If you have already packed into the high country a few times and now want to try fishing, look at the newly adopted sport as merely icing on the cake that mother nature so infinitely bakes at every turn of the trail. We ran into a bunch of snow and were unable to access some lakes but found great fishing at others. Get on the water early for the best dry fly fishing. More times than not the oarsman has to stealthily row along with the cruising fish, pacing himself with the trout and their heading, so the angler can make a pin point cast just ahead of the trout. It’s very much a team effort between the fly angler and the oarsman. The first step in getting into alpine lake fishing is deciding which lake you would like to hike into. Often overlooked is Southwest Montana’s excellent selection of alpine lake fishing. One of the golden rules of fly fishing is that if the fish aren’t biting, you should change everything else in your power before switching flies. Alpine Lakes Offer an Alternative to Crowded Fishing. Tenkara is an ideal style for surgically fishing the diverse structures of small streams. Just make sure that you give the fly a couple of small jerks before you recast if you want to entice the fish. It’s usually your presentation, location, or depth that’s killing you. This lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness roughly 2.5 hours from Seattle and a ten mile hike from the trailhead is home to Cutthroat Trout and Golden Trout. Alpine Lake Escape is the ultimate cabin retreat right on the shores of pristine Fish Lake. Mayflies, caddis, scuds, chironomids, leeches and damselflies are the primary food sources, with a healthy dose of terrestrials (ants, beetles and grasshoppers) added. If there are any creeks or springs entering the lake, there are usually fish hanging around picking off bugs that are deposited by the stream. The latest how-to video from Ben Sittig, a.k.a Huge Fly Fisherman, is all about getting away from the crowds by hiking into the mountains to fish high, alpine lakes.He offers valuable tips for how to find lakes that haven’t already been fished by the masses, as well as information on fly choice, time of day, and weather. I learned early that a lake’s remoteness equated into great fishing; consequently, an arduous hike led to an angling treasure. When fishing alpine lakes you only need to bring a few patterns with you. They are unweighted, but fish fine on a floating line in still water. Fishing these wilderness waters is often very simple. Your email address will not be published. Nymphs can also be fished in high alpine ponds with great success. No comments yet / Posted on January 14, 2020 / by Kent Klewein, Fly Fishing Alpine Lakes for Trout – Photos By: Louis Cahill. 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