My good friend from California wanted to bring a couple of clients/friends up to Washington for a good backpacking trip that would include fishing. I suggested that we go to Mildred Lakes, provided that everyone was in top physical condition. They were and that was a good thing. This trail is extremely difficult, dangerous, and should not be attempted unless you are an experienced backcountry hiker/climber; this trail goes over two mountains and gains almost 4,000 feet in elevation So the plan was for my good buddy and I to hike in on Friday with extra food, fishing supplies, and wine and they would join us on Saturday, after flying in, renting a car, and driving to the trailhead. My pack was 70 lbs. and my friends' was 85 lbs. (ex-Army, he's a freaking Sherpa) and we started in on Friday at 5:00PM. We arrived at the lake at 9:00PM, pitched a tent, lit a fire, drank Gatorade, and about died. During the night it rained a little, a mouse ran across my friends' face (I was in the tent, he was in a bivy hammock), and a cougar let out a blood-curdling shriek not 50 yards from camp. Not a good night's sleep to say the least. The next day we moved camp to a great spot and our friends arrived in one piece, battered and bruised. Now, it was time to assault the fish. Our initial assault was at first light the next morning in the one lake that I knew had the big fish (I was up here 8 years ago). We fished it hard and threw everything at them and nothing. Went back in the evening about 5:00PM and it was ON!!! Finally figured out what they were going for: black ant and flying ant patterns for flies and a yellow and black bumble bee rooster tail. This was more along the lines of trout hunting than fishing because the water was so clear and the shore had zero trees so you had to crawl behind rocks and sneak up on them or the gig was up. Anyway, we kept one fish a day, which fed all of us, and released the rest back unharmed. The rest of the weekend was amazing with great views, great friends, great fishing, and great memories. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we do. Also, I have attached a YouTube video we posted of us catching "Hog Johnson", the biggest fish of the weekend. Tight lines!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA7KiPXJH5M&feature=youtu.be

---