| There are two types of high mountain lakes: | | | | habits over the long winter months and appear to |
| those above the tree line and those below it. | | | | be a bit less spooky just after the thaw. On this |
| Some lakes are at such an elevation that they | | | | particular trip (as with many others), I had to use |
| are above the level where trees can grow. These | | | | snowshoes to reach the lake only to discover |
| lakes usually sit at the bottom of a talus slope | | | | that it was still iced over. I was probably two |
| and offer very little cover for fish. Since these | | | | weeks early. Not wanting to give up, I took out |
| lakes are nutrient-poor compared to their lower | | | | my map to see if there were any other lakes in |
| neighbors, food is scarce and they tend to have | | | | the area. Luckily, I spotted a small, unnamed lake |
| fewer trout. This doesn't necessarily mean the | | | | on the map that rested just above the tree line. |
| fishing isn't good, though. As long as you don't | | | | Although it was a little higher in elevation, it sat on |
| spook the fish (which can be quite easy), you can | | | | a south-facing slope. I decided to give it a try |
| take advantage of the scarce food situation. | | | | since it received a bit more sun.I reached the lake |
| Hungry fish are eager fish. Because of the fierce | | | | an hour later and I was in luck: the lake was just |
| competition for food, some of these high alpine | | | | about ice free. I was sure I was the first |
| trout will aggressively attack anything that even | | | | fisherman to cast a line in that lake all year, but |
| resembles a meal.Because lakes below the tree | | | | before I did, I hiked up a small hill overlooking the |
| line offer more food, they typically house more | | | | lake to scout the situation. I couldn't believe what |
| fish. There is usually more cover for these fish to | | | | I saw. It seemed every trout in the lake was |
| hide. The two drawbacks to these lakes are the | | | | cruising the shallows for food and probably |
| abundant food (fish won't bite if they're not | | | | enjoying the warmer water as well. They weren't |
| hungry) and the fact that they can be in heavily | | | | schooled up (brook trout rarely are); instead it |
| forested areas, which makes casting difficult. This | | | | was as if each fish was out only for its own |
| can also shelter a lake from the sun.I remember a | | | | survival. To make the story short I got strikes on |
| hike I went on a few summers ago in Colorado. I | | | | about every cast. This just shows that timing is |
| tried to time my trip just as I thought the lake | | | | as important as the many other ingredients of |
| was thawing out in mid-June, since this time | | | | successful fly fishing.Keep in mind the pros and |
| offers some of the best fishing of the year. | | | | cons of each type of high mountain lake and don't |
| During this time the fish are usually hungry and | | | | be afraid to hike a while to get to that elusive |
| eager to bite anything that looks like food. I also | | | | water hole that every fisherman claims to have |
| think fish seem to forget some of their nervous | | | | found, though few probably actually have. |