The Quest for the Elusive Golden Trout.

**45hill** · 08-25-2012, 11:09 AM

Let me start by saying I have caught Golden Trout before but never anything of size. They were all dinks about 8 inches and, although beautiful, I wanted to get into some big fish. Catching big fish in the Sierra backcountry isn't really unheard of but they are usually few and far between. My buddy and I put our heads together and decide to hit up some remote lakes high on a bench at 11k feet.

We hit the trail and started making our way into the mountains.

The clouds were rolling in quick but we were expecting only a 20% chance of showers.

Four miles in and we were chased in the tent by the 20%. It rained for about two hours but we made it in nice and dry.

The next morning we got up early and hit the trail to get to our destination. It was already dark and spitting rain by 9am when we hit the top of the pass

A few more miles down the trail the sun came out so we stopped for lunch by Desolation Lake.

Only a few more miles up and over a steep col and we would get to the promised land.

I aimed for the wrong high point and ended up at the top of the wrong basin. Pretty none the less.

We corrected our course and were at the top of the right col a few minutes later.

We set up camp and tried to get the late afternoon bite.

We had a few bites but kept blowing it by failing to set the hook. The fish come to the surface and seem to sniff the fly. They didn't hit like usual backcountry fish. You had to be patient and let the fish get the fly in it's mouth then rip it's lip. After missing about a half dozen or so fish my buddy finally hooks.

and pulls out a beauty.

That was all we got the first night but it was on the next day. The winds picked up and the so did the fishing. We were crushing trout ten feet off the shore using hoppers and a yellow stimulator.

The fishing was really good but we decided to hit another lake after lunch and see what the higher lakes had to offer.

Not bad but pretty typical of Sierra high country lakes.

Back to the goods.

The next morning we got up early and hit the lake again. It was perfectly still but we couldn't coax any big fish out of their holes.

We decided to bail to get to our next destination. The Royce Basin.

We fished the lakes for a little while before dinner and caught a few little Goldens.

The sun goes down quick back there and we in the shadows by 6pm. The sunset was nice and we were hoping for good weather the next day for some peak bagging

That night we got pounded by a a few thunderstorms. The lightning was so close the hair on my arms was standing up. It was gnarly. The next morning we woke to see the mountains dusted white.

The clouds were rolling up the valley but we had some clear skies and decided to go for the peaks.

**Meadow Skipper** · 08-25-2012, 11:24 AM

Great pictures. I've made that hike and fished those lakes - good times.

**45hill** · 08-25-2012, 11:27 AM

The saddle between Royce and Merriam was our way to the peaks.

Once you gain the summit ridge the views begin to open up.

On the summit of Merriam Peak, 13,103

Looking across at Royce Peak 13,252

Once we back to the saddle my buddy decided to go fishing so I was on my own. The clouds were coming in but I thought I had enough time to get to the summit. On my way up the rock pile.

I hauled ass and made it to the summit in a half an hour. Once I was on the summit ridge it started to hail a little and I could see the storm coming in. I took a few quick pictures and ran back to camp.

When I got back down to the saddle the storm was in full effect. I didn't see lighting but you could hear the roar of thunder coming our way.

Another half an hour and I was soaked and back at camp. It really started coming down and settled right on top of us. The thunder was deafening and the lightning was really close.

We had enough and decide to bail when the weather broke for lower elevation.

Two hours later we made it down to Honeymoon Lake at 10,500'. Just as we set up camp it began raining.....again.

We woke up in the morning and decided to cut our ten day trip down to six days and bail. I know you folks in the Rockies get weather like this all the time but it is rare to get rained on in the Sierra. Either way we caught a bunch of nice fish, bagged a few peaks, and were able to walk out happy. The trail out was 6 miles, all down hill.

Finally on the valley floor and back to some greenery.

Done.

**schwerty** · 08-25-2012, 11:55 AM

Nice work. Incredible country.

**Flipadelphia** · 08-25-2012, 12:25 PM

Beautiful fish, even more beautiful surroundings. Combine that with some flyers gear and this is a perfect TR.....well done sir

**snapt** · 08-25-2012, 12:39 PM

Sick TR, thanks!

**TheDon** · 08-25-2012, 02:26 PM

Ya this thread rules! Love the Golden pics

**45hill** · 08-25-2012, 04:21 PM

A few more from my friend's camera.

**angler99** · 08-27-2012, 11:00 AM

Amazing photos. I need to get out to the high country in Colorado and hit up some lakes. Great TR!

**thin cover** · 08-27-2012, 01:49 PM

What a great TR, thanks for posting.

**gretch6364** · 08-27-2012, 03:03 PM

Great TR..thanks for sharing...even though your hat is gay ;-)

**GiBo** · 08-27-2012, 04:07 PM

Golden Trout = On my bucket list

Nice TR. Thanks!

**DeathVan** · 08-27-2012, 04:54 PM

Beautiful country and fish!

Thanks for sharing

**NMmatt** · 08-28-2012, 03:39 PM

Well done! Great pictures. Somewhere in one of those a huge fish is hiding...

**tone capone** · 09-11-2012, 10:41 AM

Golden Trout and peak baggin, doesn't get any better than that. I could do without the thunderstorms and the near death lightning encounters, but I'm glad you guys stuck it out and brought back these awesome images to share!

**MrSmith** · 09-14-2012, 07:46 PM

Good stuff. I had a little peak-bagging/golden-slaying trip of my own down on Langley in July. My first golden, what a beautiful fish.

**dtown** · 09-14-2012, 09:01 PM

Great TR

Bonus points for scenery, type of fish and a Flyers hat.
Points deducted for the Phillies hat

**gringorasta** · 09-23-2012, 01:49 PM

Great looking fish! Just did some fishing on the lakes plateau in the beartooths this weekend. Supposed to be some goldens in one of the rainbow lakes, but we couldn't find him!