This fish came to me on a trip to a lake I talked about in a previous blog. That blog is titled “The Experience of Solo Backpacking (Foggy Fishing)“. In it, I visit a high alpine lake. The lake holds large, beautiful cutthroat Trout. This was during a solo backpacking trip.

This location holds a large population of what I believe are either Rio Grand or Colorado River Cutthroat Trout. Alongside Rainbows and hybrid Cutbows. I am a far way from being a fish biologist, however, and could be wrong about the Cutties. Maybe someone reading this can help me to identify these fish correctly

This was our second or third time to this lake, so we had it pretty dialed in. It’s nothing complicated. They eagerly take dry flies like Elk Hair Caddis and Stimulators for a good portion of the day and season. We had been catching fish all day so I made a run back to camp for supplies. This lake, like many, has a path that follows the shoreline pretty closely. The outlet on the tail end of this lake forms a shallow lagoon that fish sometimes cruise.

On my way back from camp, I walked around the lagoon. I was heading back to the “Honey Hole” when I spotted one such cruiser. This fish was on the upper average size of the fish in this lake. I could tell right away that it was out feeding. Luckily for me, the fish was headed in the same direction as myself. This put me in a perfect position to stock it from behind. I walked slowly. I pulled my fly out of the fly keeper on my rod. Then, I pulled some line through the guides. Just as it was turning with the bend of the lagoon, it started heading back to the main lake. I was able to make my cast. It wasn’t a perfect cast. However, it lead the fish nicely without spooking it. The cast was well within its feeding zone. The fish reacted quickly and slammed my Elk Hair Caddis. With a set of the rod, the FISH WAS ON!

I struggled a little bit to get it in. It was fighting with might. I was positioned on a rock that was about three feet off the water with no net. I clumsily made my way down one side of the rock. I played the fish to an area of grass. There, I could land it.

This fish stays with me mostly because it was an unexpected moment I was able to capitalize on. Whenever I get the opportunity to site fish with dry flies, time seems to slow down. It creates an experience that is hard to forget. Not only that but the colors on this particular fish are deep and beautiful.