In the world of alpine lake fishing, knowledge and understanding of an area is everything. The information you’re working with is either first-hand experience after visiting a spot previously or second-hand information via blurry photos, Google Maps exploration, potentially outdated information from books, stories from your buddy’s buddy, etc. You can do your best to compile these pieces of second-hand information together, but in the end, you never know what you’re going to find until you put in the miles and get out there for yourself.
As the old adage goes, catch A fish, catch MANY fish, catch THE fish… Catching your first alpine trout is an amazing experience that should pique the interest of any angler. But, after a certain amount of days catching countless pint-sized brook trout and cookie-cutter cutthroat, you begin to shift your attention to “The Fish.” You start to think about what else might be out there: bigger fish, new species, new drainages, new Wilderness areas, or any number of other ways to keep things fresh and interesting.
In line with this thinking, I have been trying to mix things up as I seek out new and unique alpine fishing experiences.
This summer, my friend pointed me towards an old book that cited a particular lake with a history of mackinaw (Lake Trout – Salvelinus namaycush). Considering the age of the book and the fact that fisheries naturally change year to year, there was no telling whether these fish were still in that lake. But, our sliver of information, combined with an itch for a new experience, led us to a new trailhead.
Upon arriving at the lake, it seemed like yet another classic Colorado alpine lake filled with brook trout that were eager to snap at any fly to hit the water. While these fish were beautiful in their own right, and the thought of catching brook trout on dries was intriguing, I had a different plan in mind.
So, rather than reaching for the floating line and dry flies for a day of sight fishing, I reached for the sinking line and leeches, and prepared for the delayed gratification of blind casting to “the fish.” The fish that may or may not live in the depths.
After a few hours of witnessing the rest of the group experience lights out fishing, I stayed strong with my method. Casting into the deepest sections of the lake, changing up leech patterns, and experimenting with different stripping speeds—I kept my sights on the intangible concept of hooking into a massive laker.
On one particular retrieve, I felt my fly stop in its tracks. The initial bend of the rod was enough to make me think that this was either the lake trout that I was after or it was the biggest brook trout of my life. The first round of head shakes led the fish to the surface—revealing a silvery body and large fins. It was at that point that I knew I had an alpine lake trout on the line. After a few minutes of fighting the fish—trying to use every bit of strength from my 4wt rod—the fish made its way to the net.
After a few pictures, a length measurement, and a quick revival, this fish was ready to swim back into the depths.
Whether catching a big lake trout in the alpine is considered “the fish” is up for debate. In my book “The Fish,” is simply the mentality of continually searching for new experiences that inspire and excite me. On this day, this fish was “The Fish.”
Angler Story of the Week from Andy Braker — be sure to follow his adventures on Instagram at @andybrake.
Check out these tips to catch your own alpine fish:
Fishing Tips: Alpine Lake Fishing
6 Tips to be More Successful at Fishing High Alpine Lakes
