Long days behind the wheel, sleeping in the cold in the back of the truck, early AM wakeup calls before the sun. It might not sound like fun to most folks, but these are the hallmarks of my favorite time of year.

In early summer, as the high mountain lakes begin to crack open and expose their hidden jewels within, I find myself almost magnetically drawn to the backcountry. It’s these places that give me the solitude, scenery and constant challenge that feed my ‘healthy’ addiction to hiking, fishing andexploring Colorado’s backcountry.

Preparation:

Fishing the backcountry can be intimidating but it doesn’t have to be a monumental undertaking. A good pair of hiking boots, a sturdy day pack, and a decent map can get you to some pretty incredible places, without having to spend 1000s on fancy, ultralight gear, or travel to some far away locale. The keys to success, I have found, lie in planning, persistence, and the willingness to challenge yourself. Most of my summer trips begin in the cold, winter months by scouring the internet, blogs, books, and a bevy of other resources for any available information on high country fisheries.

I tend to start with a general area I’m interested in exploring and then narrow my focus from there. After identifying a target lake, I’ll turn my attention to studying trail maps, weather conditions, and satellite imagery to get the best idea of when and how to make my approach. I try to keep single day trips under 10-12 miles, if only to save more time for fishing. Backpacking trips offer the opportunity to spend extended time in these remote locations and are a great option for those looking to add to the adventure, albeit with added effort.

On the Vise:

As winter fades to spring I’ll be busy on the vise tying up high country favorites to fill my fly boxes. The fish in these remote systems tend to not see as many artificial flies as their lower elevation cousins but they can still be extremely picky.

Some of my go-to 's are olive and black leeches, flashy chironomid patters tied from anti-static bag, bushy dries like Amy’s Ant and Hippy Stompers, various foam beetles, and even some classic river patterns like the Rainbow Warrior or Copper John. Don’t forget the scuds too.

Tying provides a nice way to distract my mind from wandering to thoughts of cutthroat, goldens and brook trout over the long, cold Colorado winters. With spring in full swing I start to get moving. A summer full of backcountry exploration requires a certain level of physical fitness and I can’t stress enough how beneficial some conditioning is prior to the start of the season. With fishing heating up at lower elevations, it is sometimes difficult to take time off the water to hit the gym or hike some training miles, but the payoff come summer is definitely worth it. There is nothing worse than reaching your destination and feeling so gassed from

Go Time:

As summer begins to show itself in the mountains, the time has come. Usually by this point I’m beyond itching to hit the trails, see the terrain for myself, and start checking spots off the list. Satellite images and trail reports can reveal a lot, but nothing compares to putting boots on the ground and first-hand knowledge. On day trips I keep it simple; a 9 ½ to 10’ 6WT rod, large arbor reel spooled with floating line, a decent sized net and a few fly boxes is my general load out.

A second rod and reel spooled with sinking line has its place as well, but lots of water can be covered effectively with floating line and various lengths of leader. I can fit all this along with 2 jackets, extra socks, some snacks and plenty of water in a 35-liter pack, keeping the weight around 25lbs.

Moving through the mountains in the summer provides some of the most peaceful and reflective moments for me. It is also easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of the adventure or distracted by the vast beauty of the alpine landscape. I try to remain focused on the approach and hyper aware of my surroundings. The backcountry is an unforgiving place and a mistake here (ie. slip and fall, fast changing weather, close contact with wildlife, etc.) can turn a good day bad very quickly. That focus only sharpens when reaching the lake.

I immediately seek out structure like inlets, outlets, rock points, channels and drop offs. Starting in these locations while observing other zones of the water helps me locate fish without blind casting the entire bank line. Unless there is clear surface activity I typically start with a weighted leech and some combination of chironomid or scud patterns. I like to start these rigs 7-9' below an indicator, adjusting depth often to find the strike zone. They can also be stripped with great results.

Keep them Wild:

Landing a sizeable fish from the rocky bank of an alpine lake presents its own challenges. I like a net with good length for scooping and a rubber bag to protect the fish while taking a quick photo and releasing. Minimal handling and keeping the fish wet during this process is always my top priority. These fish and the places they live are treasures and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. I always advocate for leave-no-trace and catch and release principles but especially in backcountry. Many of these fisheries are very fragile systems so taking extra care here helps preserve them and keep them wild.

As the years go by, this process of finding, fooling, and photographing these fish has become ingrained in me; each part as crucial as the next. While we trudge on through winter, it won’t be long until it's time to hit the trails again. I can feel the excitement like a kid in a candy store already. I hope you all have a safe, exciting and fish filled summer. We’ll see you on the trails!

Cheers,

-Mark

@thedirewulff