Need high-country lake trout advice

[Andy Backus]

I'll be doing some camping and hiking at 12,000 feet near Aspen, CO this late July with my wife and would like to fish a couple high-mountain lakes while we're there.

I've fly fished a few times over the years, but am not even close to knowing what I'm doing on my own, so I think I'll keep it simpler with a spinning rod.

How would you fish small high-country lakes with a light-weight spinning rod?

 

[lightflight]

Small black and gold panther martin lure. works every time for me. Had dinner provided within minutes. cast and retrieve.

Although the place i go is a good 8 miles hike in...the fish were begging to be caught.

 

[szeitner]

Small black and gold panther martin lure. works every time for me. Had dinner provided within minutes. cast and retrieve.

Although the place i go is a good 8 miles hike in...the fish were begging to be caught.

+1 on the Panther Martin, also try the yellow body with red dots. I've had decent luck with Rooster Tails as well, and I also have very good luck with a small Rapala (2") in black/silver.

Have fun!!

 

[kc0pph]

I mainly fish in the lakes near West Cliff like the Sand Creek Lakes and Commanche Lake to name a few. I have the best luck with Orange Panther Martins (the small ones) and Orange Kast Masters (The samall ones). I find that if a panther martin does not catch anything a kast master will.

If it is a place fished by a lot of lures and flys worms work great When I was younger Id fish the Taylor River with Worms never waited more than 10 seconds to catch a Monster fish.

I fish from a Krill (Purse) with an assortmant of lures (Panther Martin, Rooster Tails, Rappala, Kast Master) a bunch of hooks, worms, salmon eggs, power bait and of course the hardware to use it all, swivels, weights bobbs and such. Wearing it like a purse you are very adjile and can move to the fish...

Always laughed at the guys with the HUGE tackle boxes trying to carry them around.

Remember Small Bait Catches Big Fish, Go Small! Use the smallest lures you can find (within reason).

In my findings Brown Trout are smart and old wise ones will know how to avoid your lures. To get them i pull out the fly rod.

So you are going to Aspen Where are you From? I am in Pueblo, CO (Nm Just realiezed who you were Silly Question)

 

[dogdinger]

Small misquito like flys with a casting bubble. The bubble gets you way out into the lake with minimum effort and the fish in those lakes mainly feed on flys. right after daylight and into the evening are best times.

Dont know if that is where you are planning your archery elk hunt, but you could do lots worse. there are some great hunting spots within a long bowshot of aspen ....(a little insider info there, dont let it get out)AJ

 

[Andy Backus]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll try all your ideas on the trout.

 

[kc0pph]

Andy I am a 20 year old kid who loves fishing in the high mountain lakes more than anything around. Just remember its not about the fish you catch its about the experience you have. Nothing is more serene than being miles away from your vehicle next to a body of water...

But on that note fishing in high mountain areas is usually pretty easy, not many fisherman educating the fish on how not to fish If you are going to head a little south anytime drop me a PM and ill have to show you some of the best lakes to go fishing in the area near West Cliff Colorado.

 

[Hicks]

Andy, If you choose to take a fly rod along, this fly is a must. I always have them in various sizes, from tiny up pretty big and I never hit the water without a dozen or so of these. It's called a Griffith's Gnat. I've caught more brookies, greenbacks, and browns on this fly than any other. Make sure you take along a good stash of these. Btw, are those lakes specifically stocked with "lake trout"?

Fly of the Month Club - Griffith's Gnat

Hicks

 

[Andy Backus]

Btw, are those lakes specifically stocked with "lake trout"?

Hicks - I'm taking the whole idea very casually. I don't actually even have any specific lakes in mind yet. The main goal is to take some beautiful hikes with my wife and the fishing will be a little bonus.

Thanks for the fly advice.

 

[threejones]

I fish lake trout a ton, and have fished them from Canada to the Great Lakes (obviously MT the most, check the thread on MT Lake Trout) The above selections are all pretty good ideas. The thing to remember about lake trout, is that they tend to hang in the coldest water they can get, so getting deep is the key for summer fishing. I like a spinning rod with 10# line with a 20# leader (they won't saw through the 20# with their teeth) I like a brass/gold Kamloop spoon in orange with black spots best. Don't be afraid to toss out really big lures too, lakers are gluttons.

 

[chainsaw]

small ball of velveeta cheese on a treble hook a few feet off the bottom.

 

[grizzlyff]

I only Fly Fish now, but when I lived near Aspen many years ago, we used to use salmon eggs on a small (10,12) hook, either with a bobber or split shot......some of the other suggestions here were also good such as the bubble and fly.

Try fishing near inlets and outlets.

The real high country lakes can be finicky though, like some cases you catch them like crazy, and in others you get no action all day, because some of those lakes have so much natural food, they can be real finicky like I said.

Don't forget to fish the small creeks, as many of them have large numbers of cutthroats and/or brookies.

Dan