Neat little alpine lake just south of Bellingham. Over 1000 feet of elevation gained in 3 miles. Lugged my float tube and all the gear up along with my 3wt Cabela's Stowaway 6 rod and WLX reel. The 3 mile uphill was killer with the backpack and float tube gear! It was all worth it though. Enduring frigid alpine water (could barely feel my feet afterward) and the brutal uphill hike was worth catching 23 alpine cutthroats in 5 hours over 2 days.

First cutthroat was caught on a size 18 Parachute Adams dry fly. I worked the Adams for several minutes after without any hits or hookups, but just as I was about to reel it in when a cuttie pounced on it as it approached the surface film. BAM! A 10 incher with good fight. Soon the sun was out and I decided to abandon the dry fly tactics since fish tend to get spookier the sunnier it is. I tied on a size 16 Copper John since I read on the Orvis box that it came it that it was a good fly when nothing was hatching. There were some caddis flies/midges/PMD's emerging but I thought, what the heck? Why not a Copper John? Two more hookups and then a lull in the action. After about 10 minutes with no action on the C.John, I thought I'd switch to streamers. Had two of these no-name streamers that I had previously never caught fish on. I tried a green bead-head leach with no success, but the no-name streamer was the HOT ticket! The next 11 on day one were caught on the no-name streamer. On day two I caught 3 more cutties on the no-name streamer before it was shredded beyond repair.

I made the mistake of switching flies when the hot ticket was still catching. I tied on a green bead-head leech pattern and then a bead-head prince nymph. Both flies were lost on strikes due to knot failures. BOO! I tied on my remaining no-name streamer and proceeded to catch 6 more before on what would have been the 10th fish of the day, the knot connecting my tippet to my leader failed, losing both fly and tippet. I had forgotten how important it is to retie knots often after catching fish, especially when using 4lb test floro and with cutties that fight like these guys! I can hear my Uncle John lecturing me now.

These fish are healthy, strong specimens. All fish were a standard 8-12" in size with the exception of the last cuttie that measured in at 13". We are very fortunate here in Washington to have resources like this lake that offer such fine fishing so close to home. All fish were C&R'd with single barbless hooks to help ensure these fish live to fight another fisherman another day. Even as I left, the water was full of cutthroats sipping bugs off or near the surface.


I concur with past reports on lakes in this area that say that fishing from a float tube is the way to go. There's just too much overhanging trees and brush to effectively fish from shore. Most of my hookups came outside of shore casting distance (100+feet). Other than a few pieces of garbage left behind by some careless hikers, this place was a beautiful place to spend a spring morning/afternoon. Any day fishing beats any day at work. Any day alpine lake fly fishing beats almost any day fishing elsewhere. :)

Tight Lines and Happy Spring!

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