Northwest Sportsman – August 2019

112 Northwest Sportsman AUGUST 2019 | nwsportsmanmag.com

FISHING

alternative to the frustration: Simply

head for the hills, or in this case, the

mountains.

FOR THOSE OF us lucky enough to live

in close proximity to the mountains,

there is a very good chance there are

some scenic high lakes nearby where

the trout are plentiful and hungry.

The fact that temperatures are cooler

in the heights makes for a much more

enjoyable fishing experience as well.

There are considerations to make

before planning a mountain fishing

excursion. First, many of these high

lakes are not blessed with a great

deal of feed and thus the average-

size fish will undoubtedly be smaller

than those found in lower waters.

Your chances of setting a new line-

class record is, to say the least, rather

remote. On the other hand, the trout

in these lakes are almost always

hungry and will generally take almost

anything that resembles prey. Indeed,

although they may be lacking in size,

they will often more than make up

for that, er, shortcoming in quantity.

In Idaho, a study by Jim Fredericks

of the Department of Fish and Game

determined that the lack of size

was more a factor of slower growth

rates than high angler exploitation.

Afterwards a policy was put in place to

reduce stocking densities in the highest

elevation lakes in order to maximize

growth potential. There are indications

that that has had some positive results,

especially with cutthroat.

Since little natural reproduction

occurs in most alpine lakes, stocking

is required. For this reason it is

important to know the fish release

cycle, plus the number and species

that each lake receives.

In addition, there are some lakes

that are simply not stocked for various

reasons. For example, a number

contain eastern brook trout, which

reproduce quite well because they

do not need feeder streams in order

to spawn, and may not show up in a

stocking report. It would be advisable

to check with your state’s fisheries

agency (see sidebar) to check on the

stocking status of the particular high

lake you are considering. Keep in

mind some lakes do not contain fish at

all, so to avoid feeling like the village

idiot who has spent the day fishing for

something that doesn’t exist, check

before making the trip.

Another factor to consider is the

location of the lake. Some require

only a short hike or, in some cases,

almost no walk at all to reach the

promised land (or in this case, the

promised waters), while others can

make you feel a little like Sir Edmund

Many backcountry anglers prefer to catch and release, given the small numbers of fish that occupy high lakes, but harvesting

a few for dinner is allowed. Mostly you’ll find rainbows, cutthroat and brook trout in mountain waters. (GARN KENNEDY)