Glass-like water, rising steam amplified by the morning summer sun, and the jitters of anticipation quiver with increasing intensity from the camp coffee as it warms the hands through the enamel mug. New scenery paired with familiar feelings. The sounds of alpine beetles, ants, and others filter through the trees and the smells of pine and wildflowers illuminate each deep breath. The muscles rest as the mind races; the first rise appears sending ripples outward, breaking the worry of a long hike to lifeless waters. One…two…three…four…the mind counts as the first clinch knot is formed with quiet hurriedness to meet the now consistent rises with the first dry-dropper offering. A simple combination to start, an elk hair caddis, tan, size 16 with a small black and silver zebra midge trailing two feet below. A setup meant for searching for cruising stillwater brook and cutthroat trout who make their living preying on emerging midges and astray caddis adults dapping across the surface in their classic, erratic fashion.
As a young boy I would rush into the water blinded with excitement and opportunity, pushing through water like a bull through cape. While the fast and furious method certainly allows for fish to hand, it almost certainly ruins the chance at coming across an alpine monster. It is a true challenge to find the fish who have survived predators and harsh winters for over a decade, representing the most intelligent fish in any given water system, let alone those in solitary, wary of each and every broken twig. Over time I have learned to observe; to enjoy the peace of the alpine as much as catching the fish. The only timer in the high country is the sun and the weather it bellows across the peaks. Time kept by distant birds sounding in metronome-esque rhythm as the pulse of the alpine ticks onward as it has for centuries. Most alpine lake hikes demand physical dedication and challenge the mental fortitude to keep pushing in search of deepwater ghosts. 20 plus pounds of gear compounds gravity with each step upward as oxygen levels drop. The alpine presents endless opportunities to learn, as each lake or stream comes with challenges unique from those found in lower, larger waters frequented by fly and spin fishermen alike. Below I’ll breakdown some tips for success in the alpine in the various stages of the hunt for alpine monsters: (i) identifying a lake system (ii) gear (iii) setups (iv) reading the lake.
While the below outlines my current methodology for navigating the alpine, I am just like many others, with much to learn and a knowledge base that is constantly evolving. If you have learned anything to the contrary of what I recommend, it is likely also great advice, every alpine fisherman has their own style, and learning and compiling tips from an array of sources is the best route to trial, error, and ultimately success.
I. Identifying a lake system
Arguably one of the most important yet daunting steps in hitting the alpine is identifying a lake. A few factors can heavily impact a lake’s viability: (a) hike length/difficulty, (b) likelihood of robust fish population, and (c) drivability. I’ll describe each of these factors and give some of my favorite resources for determining a lake’s viability.
To find potential lakes, by far and away the best resource is Google/Apple Maps. Open it up, set it to explore mode, and start looking for those blue lines and dots! Once you find some lakes you want to explore further, the satellite imaging can sometimes give a clear enough picture to tell if a lake has decent depths and drop offs. One good starting point in this process is to start at major river or lake systems in your area where there are known robust fish populations. From here, expand outward from their various tributaries to smaller creeks and the lakes which feed them. I have found many amazing creeks and lakes using this method. The process of finding alpine lakes and rivers influenced my design for the River Pulse shirt and mug - I even matched the blue color on the river heart pulse to the blue found in map applications as an ode to where it all begins!
Once you have a list of lakes to research, I recommend doing a quick google search to see if there is any information out there on parking, hiking, and fishing. As the lakes you find become more remote, the likelihood of there being detailed information dwindles. This is where assessing a lake’s viability becomes crucial! Let’s get into how to go about determining a lake’s worthiness of exploration - not that any truly aren’t, but I have hiked 15 miles round trip to lifeless waters and that is absolutely no fun.
a. Hike length & difficulty
A couple questions should be answered when considering hike length and difficulty. Will you be ‘daytripping’ (out and back in one day) or hiking and camping along the way or at the lake? Does the hike length and difficulty strain fishing time? I operate under the assumption that a summer storm will roll across the peaks around 2-3pm on any given day, as that proves to be true more often than not. Alpine storms are often accompanied by dangerous lightning conditions, meaning fishing is over for the day. Weather forecasts often are not accurate when predicting weather at altitudes where these alpine lakes are found. Back to hike length and difficulty. If you are planning to daytrip, ideally you should hit the trail no later than 7am for doable hikes, those which are 0-5 miles each way. I have done up to 7.5 miles each way in a daytrip which was a true challenge and probably not something I will do again. Using the list of lakes, I like to use AllTrails (app or website) to research the hike. This site does a pretty good job of giving a hike’s length and difficulty and also has commentary from other hikers where you may be able to discern further if the hike is something you are willing to try. Sometimes, there will even be comments on the fishing if you are lucky! I find that moderate to hard hikes in the 2-4 mile each way range are the sweet spot for daytrips; hard enough to allow for a degree of certainty in solitude but easy enough to complete in a day and get at least 4 good hours of fishing in.
b. Fish population
It goes without saying that the goal of alpine fishing is to find lakes with a robust fish population. However, this can come with a certain degree of tradeoff. Lakes with a large volume of fish may not always have large-sized fish. One characteristic of alpine lakes is that they have a finite food source and short feeding season (from ice off in May/June to October for most). This means that more fish in a lake requires a more dispersed food allowance for each fish, limiting their overall growth. I learned this while talking to a forest ranger one day in the summer of 2021. He encouraged taking brook trout out of the lake my dad and I had fished for the day after saying we had caught and released the fish. As the population gets larger, the overall size of fish suffers. However, there is always the fact that more fish means a higher likelihood that one out competes the rest and attains an unusual size for the lake.
The greatest resource to gain information on fish populations is your state’s Parks and Wildlife division. Here in Colorado, our CPW publishes fantastic water system fish surveys, wherein you can find detail on a number of Wilderness Areas and their respective alpine lakes. These surveys give great detail on how many, how large, and what type of species each lake contains. As I’ve covered, the more remote the lake, the more unlikely it becomes that detailed information is available. For lakes with no information on fish population, the best way to start is by satellite imaging to see if noticeable depth is present to allow for fish to survive the harsh winters the alpine endures. Next, I’d recommend calling a local fly shop or dropping by (and supporting!) and asking if there are fish in your target lake. Another strong resource would be that area’s ranger district, as they most likely have personally been to your target lake. Most shops would be happy to confirm this kind of question, especially if you’ve already done some research and need some help picking out a few of their flies for your journey. As I said before, even apps like AllTrails may give hints if there are fish present. In my experience, where there is one there are many!
c. Drivability
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it can make or break your trip. Many alpine lakes which may seem drivable are actually located off of Jeep trails, meaning a rugged 4wd vehicle is required to drive on the road. Otherwise, you may be stuck hiking the extra two plus miles of road you did not factor into the actual hike. It is important to research this fact and know the parking situation before arriving. Many trailhead lots are small, and since fishermen share the trail with hikers, climbers, bikers, etc. these lots can fill up quite fast. This is a classic know-before-you-go, so make sure your vehicle can traverse the terrain and also arrive on time to ensure you have a spot. If you are hiking in a national forest or park area, make sure you check if a reservation is required, as parks like Rocky Mountain National Park now require a timed entry permit just to enter the park. On top of this fact, always arrive much earlier than you think you need to, nothing will kill your trip faster than not getting a parking spot and these reservations do not guarantee you a parking spot at a specific lot much of the time.
Now that identifying lakes is a bit more manageable, let’s get into some gear must-haves.
II. Gear
When it comes to exploring the alpine, I think of gear in two categories - hiking and fishing.
For hiking a list of my top gear items would be the following:
- Large capacity hiking backpack with lumbar support waist buckle
- Sunscreen (30spf lotion)
- Chapstick with spf
- Sun hoody - I never take my FreeFly sun shirts off during the summer, they are cooler than short sleeve since they keep the intense alpine sun off your skin while allowing the breeze through.
- Hat and sunglasses - polarized, amber-tinted lenses for the win!
- Hiking boots - make sure they have a thick sole and are built for mileage, invest in these! I have worn Adidas trail shoes for years and they have been great.
- Extra socks and shirt
- 60 oz water, 2-3 clif bars, apples, candy (sour patch kids) - carbs and sugars will keep you going.
- Bear bell - large jingle bell to make noise if you are hiking in remote areas, these announce your presence in advance so you do not startle wild animals causing an altercation.
- Bear Spray - you never need it until you need it. Encounters can happen to anyone, carry it in a holster where it is readily accessible.
- Salt - you sweat a ton when hiking the alpine, often without realizing how much. Restoring your sodium levels will often be the missing key to keeping you energized. I usually take a tablespoon before leaving the house and you would not believe how much this helps!
- Emergency gear - knife, matches (with dryer lint for kindling), cord, compass, map. Plan for the best, prepare for the worst.
- 99% deet - backwoods off does not cut it in the mountains, the only tried and true method to keep bugs off that I have found is anything 98% or higher in deet. Try to keep it off your skin but a little bit goes a long way on your clothes and gear!
Once you arrive at your lake, a good list of fishing gear usually looks like the following:
- 9’ 4wt or 5wt
- Extra spool or rod with intermediate III sinking line
- Waders and boots
- Alpine fly box - it’s easiest to have one box ready for just hiking with all the flies you’ll need. Check out our Alpine Specialty Box to pick up 36 flies shipped to you in a lanyard box, perfect for exploring lakes with all of our proven flies.
- 4x-6x tippet and leaders - you never know when you will want to throw a streamer, nymph rig, or dry flies. Be prepared with all the tippets you’ll need.
- Small to medium indicators
- Swivels - makes extending your leader easy when switching from dries to nymphs; micro swivels can also be used for bigger dry flies to reduce line spinning
- Gink - the life blood of a good day of dry fly fishing
- Scissor pliers - great for consolidating gear, leave the nippers behind!
- Net
III. Setup
When it comes to setting up for alpine fishing there are pretty minimal options, which can take the headache out of fly selection and setup. I’ll summarize the 5 main options I use, and then describe the scenarios in which I employ each in the next section when reading the lake.
1. Simple Dry Dropper - Medium to small dry fly with small midge, mayfly, or caddis dropper 18 inches below.
Dry Flies
1. Elk Hair Caddis #14-18, Tan, olive, or black
2. Alpine Assassin #14-16, black
3. Parachute Adams #14-20, Adams gray, purple, black
Droppers
1. Zebra Midge #18-20, black, olive
2. Snowcone Chironomid #16-20, wine, black, gunmetal
3. Mercury Midge #18-20, black
4. Chocolate thunder #18
5. Jigged Hare’s Ear #18, natural or olive
2. Mini Rig Dry Dropper - Medium to large foam dry fly with two droppers, the first dropper 24-30” off the dry fly and second another 6-8” below that.
Dry Flies
1. Amy’s Ant #8-12, black, brown, red, yellow, purple, olive
2. Aviator Hopper #10-12, brown, olive
3. Alpine Assassin #14-16, black
Droppers
1. Mayer’s Mini Leech Jig #14-18, black or olive
2. Signal Flare Chironomid #16-18
3. Alpine Toothpick #16-18
4. Sweetmeat Caddis #16, olive
5. Pheasant tail #14-18, all colors
6. All other droppers listed in simple dry droppers list
3. Nymph Rig - Static indicator rig, start with first fly about 4-7’ below the indicator and flies spaced 12-18 inches. Adjust depth as needed. Exceptionally effective in windy conditions when rougher water creates a jigging effect on the indicator and flies. Check out our alpine flies for some great nymph options!
4. Streamers - small to large streamers can work very well in alpine lakes as leeches, chubs, and small trout are targets for large and mobile fish. A classic wooly bugger works well in the alpine, but my favorite is the mohair leech in size 10-12. Also consider game changers or other fishlike streamers in lighter colors like tan, white, and olive in larger sizes like 6-10.
5. Sink-line nymphs & streamers - an intermediate sink III line will get flies deep into an alpine lake. Try slow stripping leeches, fishlike streamers, and chironomids while waiting various intervals of time for both the flies to sink initially and also between strips. Alpine fish may be accustomed to their food moving at a certain velocity, which is usually very slow.
III. Reading the Lake
Now that we have a handle on finding the lake, preparing and conquering the hike, and getting your setup in order, it’s time for the most important piece - finding where the fish will be in the lake. Alpine lakes range in sizes from a half-acre to 10 acres and even much larger. It goes without saying, but the larger the lake, the harder it is to locate the fish. I find it best to illuminate this fact with a quick story.
My cousin and I had reached a very high alpine lake after a 4-mile hike and had fished to some periodic rises without much luck on what we will call the left side of the lake for illustrative purposes. After retreating to the bank to take a break from the glacier supplied water and to reassess my rig, I heard “having any luck?” I looked up to find another guy in waders but no fishing gear anywhere in sight. I replied that no such luck so far that morning, to which he asked if I had tried fishing the right side of this ice blue, almost eerily deep glacial-carved hole in the top of the mountain. As it turned out, this man was a biologist studying the lake. The questions began flying, and it turns out this lake was subject to strong prevailing winds which swirled around the peaks in almost the same fashion each day no matter the wind’s true direction. As such, the lake’s sediment is almost entirely pushed to the right side of the lake, and being a very high-altitude lake, this was the only source of nutrients and bug life. At that moment we knew we had been fishing the side of this 6-acre lake which almost no fish bother to search for food. He saw the eagerness in my cousin’s and my eyes, and we graciously thanked him and took off to the right side of the lake. Caverns of submerged boulders housed vibrant brook trout. 7.. 8.. 9 fish hit the net. Strikes motivated by fish which see sparse opportunity for larger meals, brilliantly white tipped fins emerging from the darkness for a size 18 black parachute adams. We had tied on this fly by recommendation of the biologist, who informed us that in a lake with such depth, a darker fly may give a more distinct outline on the surface from below when the sun shines from above. Needless to say, it pays to be friendly to any and all people near the water, and to always pass it forward. What we learned that day will remain a staple in my alpine repertoire for years to come.
However, every lake is different, and there is much more than just prevailing winds and sediment that come into play for determining where fish will likely be sitting. It may even depend on time of day as temperatures change and air pressures rise or fall. Early in the morning and throughout the day fish cruise the shoreline looking for terrestrials and other insects landed or blown onto the surface. These fish will be eager to take the simple dry dropper setup. Start with 5x to the dry and 5x to the dropper and go smaller in both fly and line size if refusals are persistent while periodically changing patterns. Another great place to locate fish while using the mini rig dry dropper setup is casting just to the edge of visible, underwater drop offs. This habitat offers a great place for fish to retreat to the safety of the depths while also reaping the benefits of shoreline-borne meals. Even if fish aren’t seen, this is a great place to start with your mini rig to entice fish looking up from the depths to take your deeper droppers or come all the way up for promises of a larger surface meal. The drop off is also a great place to switch to a full nymph rig, streamer, or sinking line setup to get flies down deep. Many drop-offs can take the lake from depths of a few feet to 10-20 feet very quickly.
Apart from prevailing winds and drop-offs, another source of nutrients are stream inlets into the lake. This is a great place to try all types of setups, but I usually start with dry dropper rigs and work to bigger flies. If satellite imaging gave any hints to where deep water may be found, it is worth trying all sorts of setups there. If a high vantage point to observe the lake can be reached, it’s worth some extra effort to try to discern some of these areas of the lake. When moving to a new section of the lake, approach with caution and take time to observe the shoreline and water before beginning to make casts.
No matter the fishing results of any one day in the alpine, there is always success in the exploration of new water, of gained experience, and the gratification of completing new trails. Patience and observation of the alpine are of life’s greatest pleasures.