The High Country Season Is Here!

Eric, Floyd, and I headed into the high country for the inaugural trip of the short season in the mountains. It would prove to be cold and windy even with the warming rays of the sun present all day. Winter coats and hats were required and gloves didn't hurt at certain times either. There is still plenty of snowpack on the trails and everything is constantly wet from the melting snow. We started on a classic cutthroat lake and spotted a few staging up for the spawn in the inlet. Hoping this was a good omen we took to the main lake and fished away to no avail. The cutts just were not interested in what we were throwing. Wind whipped whitecaps didn't help much either and it took all you had to get a decent cast and drift in the wind. We decided to head into the backcountry a bit further and pursue some brook trout. The wind was even worse here upon our arrival. Fishing to the brookies we all managed a fish or two. I was last to finally score and find my first brook trout of the year. I can't believe it is July already and I am just now into a brookie. Eric headed out early as he wasn't feeling well, so Floyd and I stopped one last time at the cutthroat lake on the way out but only saw one rise while there and no other action. A slow day overall for fishing but a real treat to have the high country finally open and accessible. Things should only improve from here on out. I can't wait to get back up here.
Eric and Floyd searching for cutthroats

Lots of snow and ice are still around

My first brook trout of 2010

A glacial stream we worked for a couple of strikes from brookies

Floyd and Dakota before we started the long hike out