Of course I'm talking about the high country...around here it usually means small creeks, alpine lakes, and eager fish (brookies cutts, and the occasional cuttbow, bow, and brown.) The beauty of the fish rivals that of the scenery, and if you picked a good spot, there won't be another fisherman in site, and it might appear that you are the first person to ever be in that area. I've ran into all sorts of creatures on these outings...from close encounters with a moose and her calf that almost made me $#!& my pants, to more calm scenes of elk and deer grazing in a meadow.
My preferred method is to use a short 2-3 weight flyrod and a bigger, bushy dry fly. The fish attack it with a vengeance! Although the fight is often short, the surroundings more than make up for it.
I remember one time in Rocky Mountain National Park (yes, it is a tourist hotspot, and I try to avoid it when I can! It is a really nice place though) when two of my buddies and I were literally pulling in fish on every cast! It was a day I will never forget!
Another time I decided to take a solo hike somewhere in the Pike National Forest, and I found some awesome beaver ponds filled with cutts and cuttbows. I caught dozens of fish on my secret beaver pond weapon, a size 16 renegade. There wasn't another person in site, and the scenery was spectacular!
If anyone else enjoys fishing the high country and wants to share their experiences, tips, pics, etc, please feel free! We are a few weeks out at least before the higher lakes start opening up and the creeks start recovering from runoff, and I'm really jonesin' for some wild brookies cooked in the campfire...
My preferred method is to use a short 2-3 weight flyrod and a bigger, bushy dry fly. The fish attack it with a vengeance! Although the fight is often short, the surroundings more than make up for it.
I remember one time in Rocky Mountain National Park (yes, it is a tourist hotspot, and I try to avoid it when I can! It is a really nice place though) when two of my buddies and I were literally pulling in fish on every cast! It was a day I will never forget!
Another time I decided to take a solo hike somewhere in the Pike National Forest, and I found some awesome beaver ponds filled with cutts and cuttbows. I caught dozens of fish on my secret beaver pond weapon, a size 16 renegade. There wasn't another person in site, and the scenery was spectacular!
If anyone else enjoys fishing the high country and wants to share their experiences, tips, pics, etc, please feel free! We are a few weeks out at least before the higher lakes start opening up and the creeks start recovering from runoff, and I'm really jonesin' for some wild brookies cooked in the campfire...
