I've been working to up my game so I can pack into high country lakes on a more regular basis later this summer. In addition to some other stuff, once a week for the past month or so I've been dragging my wife and the dog up to a variety of lakes in the little mountain range just south of town. No fishing involved, just half day hikes with a light pack in order to get some of the rubber out of my legs. If nothing else, it's been a nice reminder that we live in a pretty area.
I'd also been re-evaluating my gear and replacing stuff that had gotten too heavy for my old man legs.
Yesterday,I decided to do a test run up to a little lake that has held nice fish in the past. I tend to overthink stuff and was a little hesitant because my pack was still up around 35lbs because while Clarkman was enjoying his first wet wading cuz it was so warm where he's at, I was fretting over having enough layers to bob around in some cold water for a while.
The shorter route to this lake is a bit of a grind. It's only about 2 1/2 miles but the first half is rather steep and I liken it to a local version of Colorado Spring's Manitou Incline
The weather forecast wasn't great but this was my slotted day to fish so off I went...heart attack or leg cramps be damned.
Drizzle and rain all the way up but the hike was still nice and I got to see some serious work being done by the pathfinders..
Cloud cover got lower as I got to the top
and once I got to the lake, I was pretty much in the Misty Mountains for the rest of the day.
Even though it's not a big lake, it's surprisingly deep in one area (20-25') so I can only guess this is what helps grow a few nice fish....by mountain lake standards, anyway. It wasn't long before my jigged leech started getting hit but I couldn't get a hook set. I like a long flowing tail on my patterns and can only guess they were hitting the marabou, only....so I switched to a smaller pattern with less of a tail and started hooking up...
The lake wasn't on fire, but I caught and lost enough of these guys to make it fun but this next one was the prize of the day...
This wiley veteran wouldn't go for a twitched leech but fell for a water boatman. He was so dang dark, he was almost black. Is this because of tanins in the water? Or something they eat?...Or both? Regardless, I found it soooo pretty
I lasted about 4 hours before the cold won and that was with battery powered socks, a thermos full of hot tea, AND getting out of the water a couple of times. That said, for those who use a Wilderness Lite product, their Ice Out inflatable seat made a significant difference in keeping the cold at bay...consider getting one if you don't already have it.
Anyway...thought I'd share a local adventure....enjoy
Mike d
I'd also been re-evaluating my gear and replacing stuff that had gotten too heavy for my old man legs.
Yesterday,I decided to do a test run up to a little lake that has held nice fish in the past. I tend to overthink stuff and was a little hesitant because my pack was still up around 35lbs because while Clarkman was enjoying his first wet wading cuz it was so warm where he's at, I was fretting over having enough layers to bob around in some cold water for a while.
The shorter route to this lake is a bit of a grind. It's only about 2 1/2 miles but the first half is rather steep and I liken it to a local version of Colorado Spring's Manitou Incline
The weather forecast wasn't great but this was my slotted day to fish so off I went...heart attack or leg cramps be damned.
Drizzle and rain all the way up but the hike was still nice and I got to see some serious work being done by the pathfinders..
Cloud cover got lower as I got to the top
and once I got to the lake, I was pretty much in the Misty Mountains for the rest of the day.
Even though it's not a big lake, it's surprisingly deep in one area (20-25') so I can only guess this is what helps grow a few nice fish....by mountain lake standards, anyway. It wasn't long before my jigged leech started getting hit but I couldn't get a hook set. I like a long flowing tail on my patterns and can only guess they were hitting the marabou, only....so I switched to a smaller pattern with less of a tail and started hooking up...
The lake wasn't on fire, but I caught and lost enough of these guys to make it fun but this next one was the prize of the day...
This wiley veteran wouldn't go for a twitched leech but fell for a water boatman. He was so dang dark, he was almost black. Is this because of tanins in the water? Or something they eat?...Or both? Regardless, I found it soooo pretty
I lasted about 4 hours before the cold won and that was with battery powered socks, a thermos full of hot tea, AND getting out of the water a couple of times. That said, for those who use a Wilderness Lite product, their Ice Out inflatable seat made a significant difference in keeping the cold at bay...consider getting one if you don't already have it.
Anyway...thought I'd share a local adventure....enjoy
Mike d
