Fly Fishing Adventure in the High Country
Nothing says summer like hiking to a high mountain lake with your fly rod strapped to your backpack! From day hikes to backpacking trips, there’s endless opportunity for adventuring in the rugged peaks, cool breezes, and solitude of the high country. We spend a lot of time exploring mountain lakes during the summer and they’ve long been one of our favorite places to fly fish.
While some mountain lakes are more remote than others, hiking into any of these gorgeous locations means you’ll need to be extra prepared. Here’s what we like to have with us for a fun and successful day in the mountains.
Don’t forget your basic outdoor gear:
There are a few essentials that everyone should carry with them, regardless of why they’re hiking in the backcountry. In your backpack, you’ll want to make sure you have a first aid kit, a lighter, a water filter and water, headlamp, sun protection (sun glasses, sunscreen, AND cap), a navigational aid (GPS and/or physical map), a pocket knife/Leatherman, plenty of food, and extra layers. If you’re backpacking, you’ll want some sort of bivy sack or tent to ward off the elements… And even if you’re not backpacking, having some sort of quick and easy shelter on hand is never a bad idea.
We also highly recommend bringing bear spray, especially when hiking in Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the wildlife in the area and review best practices for wildlife encounters.
Fly fishing gear to have on hand:
Waders. Yes, waders. More often than not, even though it's a hot day, the water temps in high mountain lakes will freeze you to the bone in no time at all without them. And if you’re bringing waders, wading shoes are also an essential to keep your waders hole-free. To keep things light, we like to bring sandals or an old pair of light-weight running sneakers.
Warm clothes. We already mentioned layers above, but it’s worth restating: warm clothes are a must. Unpredictable weather aside, being in the water for long periods of time (even on a perfectly sunny day) will require a good coat and even some long underwear beneath your waders.
Fly rod. You’ll want a 4-piece rod for ease of carrying in your backpack. We like the Craig Fly Rod for these trips because it's light and tough. You’ll also want a light, strong and dependable fly reel like our Lite 406 Reel. You don’t want to hike into a mountain lake just to find out your fly reel is not functioning properly, so make sure you have good gear!
Tippet and leaders. We like a 7.5 ft 5X leader with 5X or 6X tippet, depending on the size of fish you expect to be catching.
Flies. This will obviously vary based on the type of fly fishing you’re hoping to do. For dries, Parachute Adams, Madam X, and Royal Trude will generally get the job done. For nymphs, Lighting Bugs, Copper Johns, Scuds, Pheasant Tails, and Hot Head bead flies will keep you jumping. Bring some smaller streamers along as well (like Wooly Buggers).
The miscellaneous. Fly floatant, non-toxic sinkers, and a small fly box or fly puck should all be in your kit. If you're packing a float tube and fins along, you might want to bring a sinking line or a detachable sink tip. Getting a streamer down deep and paddling backward slowly is a great technique for larger fish.
Now there’s just one thing left to do: pack up your gear and hit the trails. Those high-country cutthroat and grayling are calling! (Psst… Send us pictures and stories of your adventures; we'd love to see them!)
Have a question? Been to some mountain lakes recently? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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