A fine Lahontan High

[Ed Wahl]

I had a decision to make last night. Fishing related of course.

My dilemma was weather to make a trip for Smallies and LMB, test out a theory on a new creek, or head uphill for some Golden trout.

Once I saw the weather report it was a slam dunk for the mtns.

I hit the road at 6 in order to be at the mountain at 8:30. Notice I didn't say trail head, just mountain. Here's what I had to deal with in order to fish this lake.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT001.jpg

On the upper right the cliffs go on for a bit further to the right, my lake is at the cliffs base.

I brought both of my new toys today, the new toon and the rich man's rod.
This was the pack ability test for the toon. All my other lakes are much easier than this, but I wanted to get a real hard assed perspective on packing this thing. I rolled the 'toons in to make a more compact load. My stuff bag still fit in between, bungeed to the frame.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT003.jpg

This walk in would have it all, dense timber, Alder thickets,brush fields, cliff climbing, both down and up, and, oh yeah, mosquitos. Lots and lots of skeeters.

The walk starts on level ground in a bunch of old logging slash. Ugly as hell, but look at this.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT005.jpg

Ten minutes in and I'm already breathing hard. I gotta lose some weight. Only this far along.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT007.jpg

Finally!

The Pond!
The Pond!

Nope, not there yet, but this is where I stop and take a break.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT010.jpg

Above and to the right of the pond you see a line going up to the right. My lake is up that a ways.

Airs getting thinner as well as hotter. It was as hot at 8000 feet as I've ever seen it.
Yep, stopping to gasp for air.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT011.jpg

A look back down at the pond from there.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT013.jpg

And a look up the hill from there, still not done climbing yet.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT012.jpg

Oh, the joy! That's what I call the Sentinel Rock. It stands on the entrance to the tarn that holds the lake.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT014.jpg
You'll notice it's still uphill, steep uphill.](*,)

And Viola, here's my goal.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT015.jpg

Now, I know I said I was going after Goldens. That's what I've been catching here for years. But as I stopped by the water to rig up a couple trout cruised by. And they did not look like Goldens.

So I flipped a fly out to one of them, he took, but I already knew what it was. The water here is so clear it's like looking at fish in an aquarium.

A beautiful little Lahontan Cutt. I don't know when this changed, it's been about 3 years since my last visit and there were Goldens then.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT016.jpg

I caught another before even putting waders on.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT017.jpg

Since the rising had stopped and I found no activity related to the shoreline, I ended up slowly trolling a pt and then,since these are cutts, a woolly bugger. The bugger produced most of my fish today. I caught somewhere between 6 and 12. I just don't count fish after 2 or 3.

Got some pics though.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT018.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT021.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT022.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT027.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT019.jpg

Now the results of the 'pack ability test'.

Thumbs up. Way up. I put this thing through the ringer, as well as myself. It holds tight to my back, no side to side slipping. That's real important when cliff climbing, log balancing, stream hopping, and,well, just getting through the day up at altitude without hurting yourself.
My starting point, where I parked, is at 7000ft, and the lake is at 8000.

I'm tired.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT030.jpg

Ed

[David Lee]

Fine stuff !!

The photos are so nice ..... you could almost trick a fool like me into doing that hike (I'll pack my own body-bag ...) . Wha'dja think of the rod ????

David

PS - Strange getting used to seeing you drive anything but ol' yeller !

[Phil Synhorst]

Completely awesome dude!!!!! =D>

The beauty of that place never ceases to amaze me, and now I realize it has been far too long since been up there with ya.:cry: I'm in a quandary about how to feel in regards to the fish. On one hand there are now very nice Lahontans, on the other there used to be very nice size/colored Goldens.:-k

In any event, great pics and narrative.:thumbsup: Looks like you're going to have to find a different "meat grinder" to take Scotty to for some Goldens.:lol:

[jbird]

Very entertaining report Ed! What a sweet place. I love the second to last pic.

J

[Scott V]

That is some realy sweet looking water Ed. And the fish were sure nice looking as well.

[jburge]

My gosh Ed, what a great post! I was up at altitude again this weekend (not quite as high as you), but didn't have to haul a boat with me ;-) Thanks for the pix and the report.

John

[Ed Wahl]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. I was pretty tired but not yet sleepy when I posted that.

David, that is one sweet little rod. My new go to rod, at least for whatever a 3wt can handle. Throws a nice tight loop almost all by itself.

I'm with you on that Phil, for the second time in my life I've been a little disappointed to get to a nice high lake and find it full of Cutts. I like it, but it's not what I was looking for.:crybaby:

I had to release some air from the toon when I got there, then again at the pond, then one more time up at the top. Don't want it to explode like a potato chip bag.

Here's a couple more scenery shots from the top.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT031.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT033.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/LCT/LCT034.jpg

[Dabalone]

Very nice! Hikes like that are pretty much over for me, but I always enjoy seeing the pics you young fellas bring back. Something very special about those small ice fed lakes.

[Charlie Gonzales]

Nice Ed! If I can find somethin to float in I would love to make that hike with you.

[Alastair]

Really cool post and great pics! Thanks for putting this up. We live in a beautiful place!