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Had a great time today fishing Lake Josephine via the Pacific Crest Trail, behind Stevens Pass. This is the #1 alpine lake where I really learned to fish with my dad and brothers as kids, circa: 1972-77. Back in the day it was on fire for fish.
If you ever decide to go here, take note that you do not need to hike in on Crest trail via the actual ski resort at Stevens Pass, but you can cut 6 miles round trip off the hike, if you drive in part way via FS road #6960, and take that to where it crosses the Crest trail. I marked it on my Garmin GPS prior to leaving home.
The hike from there is about 2 miles, we did it in about 60-70 min. half way there you go by Lake Susan Jane. A much smaller lake, but certainly worth a stop.

A couple months ago I had found out that Josephine had been planted with Golden trout every other year since 2011. This sounded like a great opportunity to maybe see my first Golden.
Upon arriving at the lake, I decided to bushwhack it to a large rock slide below the incoming trail. The main lake entry point is a little shallow. My friends had packed in small inflatable fishing rafts, and they entered at the mouth of the creek. (This is the mouth of the actual Icicle creek) I through Rooster Tail spinners, various colors. I caught a small 7" fish on my 2nd cast, yellow rooster tail.
The fish came off actually in my hands as was very bouncy, and back into the lake before I could get a clear look at any of its coloring. It did not appear though to be a Golden, and it had what I think is called the 'Par' marks that you see on juvenile trout.
I had 4-5 more bumps with various rooster tails. As well as multiple follows from fish.

I then through on a small Gold Kastmaster. With 4 lb test and a brand new vintage Fenwick pack rod, I was able to chuck this thing a LONG ways.. I let it go to the bottom for the first time. On the retrieve I hooked into a better quality fish, which took some drag and was fun.
I got the fish into shore, and it was definitely different from the usual rainbows as well as the cutthroat that I usually catch. I've caught brooke trout as well, and it wasn't quite like that. I'll attach some pics. Some friends have suggested it is a Western slope Cutthroat, not that I completely disagree, but the spotting is completely different from the Cutts I catch in Lake WA. And YES, I totally get it that cutthroat are often very different looking depending on the water they come from, diet, etc. Example being that many people think they must have the red slits on the throat.. not true of course.

Anyway, I'm open to hearing what you all think. If the pic comes over well, just notice that spotting on the cutts I'm familiar with usually goes all the way along the body of the fish, as well as the spots are not usually as large as on this fish. This fish also had a yellowish-golden sort of belly, without spots along the lateral area above the belly.

The Goldens that I have looked at online, are 'sometimes' very colorful, and have sort of blue 'par' marks along the side, but then others have spotting just like this, and have that colorful belly without out spots.

So, I'm assuming prob a Cutthroat of a little different variety than I'm used to, but if anyone here has ever actually really had a 1st hand experience with catching Golden trout, I'd love to hear about it.

Sorry about the fish with moss and stuff on it, but he happily made his way right back to the depths below. (-:
Tried to fish the fly rod a bit, but backcast from shore is always a bugger.

jonb

8/12/2018 11:30:55 PM

The spotting is irrelevant. West slope cutthroat do generally have a similar spot pattern to this fish, they look VERY similar however the mouth doesn't extend past the eye, indicating that it isn't a cutty. Im betting it is indeed a golden or at least a rainbow/golden hybrid.

The Quadfather

8/13/2018 6:51:02 AM

@JonB, yes, I too was noticing the short jaw line. The fish had a shorter/stubby looking head than I usually see, but then again I am always targeting Cutts, and almost never bows.

jonb

8/13/2018 7:04:32 AM

Jaw not extending past the eye is a full stop identifier. 100% not a cutty.

jonb

8/13/2018 7:07:18 AM

Search odelle lake, i posted a report about west slope cutties on here a few years back, you can see how long their jaws are and also the similarities in the spotting and coloration.

jonb

8/13/2018 12:40:20 PM

That was doelle lake not odelle lol whoops

Iliketofish49

8/13/2018 7:09:58 AM

Thanks for the report! That looks like a great trip. How was the forest service road driving in there? Would a car make it to the trail or is it more of a 4X type of road?
Beautiful fish whatever it is!

The Quadfather

8/13/2018 5:40:27 PM

@Ilikerodish49, to answer your question about Forest Service road 6960, you could take a standard 2WD, a good portion of the way in there, but you will come to point where you clearly would have to find a place to pull off.
You could from there of course continue on foot and still pick up the the Pacific Crest Trail up at the power lines.
This would still be a time saver over coming in from the front side of the ski resort.
Also, the guy who commented below on here regarding a trail marked by a cairin, this is something to look into because we spoke to two hikers at the top of the lookout over Josephine. Then we exited on the only trail (Pacific Crest)— ahead of them.
When we were then driving out... here stands the same couple, seemingly having beaten us back to FS rd. 6960.

Iliketofish49

8/15/2018 1:59:30 PM

Awesome! Thanks for the tips.

Finsider

8/13/2018 4:44:04 PM

I fished Josephine back in 1997 and was amazed at how beautiful it's cutthroat were. I remember taking a road behind the ski area to a shortcut trail marked only by a rock pile (tip from a friend) that went up to the PCT (we did not go by Susan Jane). I also recall a tough, hot, uphill hike coming out of the lake after a long day of fishing! Those fish had gorgeous blue/green backs, red bellies (some), and brilliant red throat slashes. They definitely didn't look like your photo there QF, so I'm thinking you indeed encountered your 1st goldie. The only goldies I've actually seen were in a hatchery somewhere - I remember thinking they looked like swimming bananas!

The Quadfather

8/13/2018 5:44:43 PM

@Finsider, thanks for your history on fishing Josephine. Yeah, it is a cook place. Now that I have shortened the trail considerably, I believe I can get my float tube in there. Without the access to being on the water, it is quite limited to the shallow end by Icicle Creek, and more shallow areas a bit near the camp spots.
I can’t wait to burn that whole lake up in a float tube.

afk

8/13/2018 6:39:08 PM

How is the Huckle berry crop this year?

The Quadfather

8/13/2018 6:56:40 PM

There was a ton of blueberries in the area just into the trail from the power lines. I did see another berry, possibly huckleberries, that was in clusters, but still very green.

afk

8/13/2018 7:29:09 PM

Thanks Quad. I have enjoyed multiple types of blue and huckle berries up there. I have done a short route that came off 6960. That was back in the mid 70's and early 80's. I didn't realize the road was still accessible once they built the Nordic center. Now my wife wants me to get off my fat backside and head up there with her. LOL If I do it I'll use the same Wright and McGill Packit rod from back in the day. The gears stripped out on the 308 mitchell I had on it though. But, I'm sure I've got another to take its place.

Eglseder

8/13/2018 7:22:57 PM

All the goldens that I've caught had a pretty distinct redband (spawn mode) on the side and/or parr marks (sometimes faint even on adults)...mine were from the wind river range (california stock) though. They also had white tip fins on the ventral side. I see what looks to be a white tip on that anal fin, don't know if the westslopes get that but the goldens sure have it. I also feel like the spotting is less dense than a west slope on the peduncle and maybe slightly bigger?.
I am also saying you've got a golden there!

I was actually just researching this lake a couple days ago!! I'm feeling the need to catch some more...easily the most beautiful trout I've ever caught/seen. The juveniles are even prettier with their parr marks! If you're ever looking to do a multi-day backpacking trip, I highly recommend the wind rivers. Still my favorite mountain range.

The Quadfather

8/13/2018 7:33:09 PM

@Egaledwr, yeah, was looking at the white tip anal fin as well.
Interesting about the golden juveniles and part marks... the 1st fish I caught was 6-7” juvenile. It was like a hot potato in my hands, and bounced right back into the water before I could even get a straight look at it, but what I did notice was strong parr marks.

iflyuasea

8/15/2018 7:54:29 PM

Those markings look exactly like the Tiger Trout I’ve been catching In Bonaparte Lake. That is a Tiger, I’m certain!

The Quadfather

8/15/2018 8:01:24 PM

@Iflyuasea, haha.. yeah, I'm aware of the Tigers, as they started putting them into some of the lakes that I used to fish about 7-8 years ago, over near you and Bonaparte. I have never caught one though, as I have not returned to those lakes since they first started putting them in. (I'm talking about some lakes that are up near Loomis, on the back road into Conconully. 'Reflection Pond' was one. Check that area out sometime.

I expect to go back to Josephine and hike a float tube into here, on Aug. 23rd. Then I can really get into this lake.

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