I'd like to take my wife out for her first backpacking trip. My ideal backpacking trip is hike in for about 3 or 4 hours and then fish for 3 or 4 days, then hike back. I would also appreciate any sugguestions on what tackle to bring (I don't plan to bring the whole tackle box). Thanks guys.
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The DWR has several booklets with maps, listing the High Untias drainages. In each one there will be a list of lakes in the area type of fish size of lake and much more. I got mine several years ago so call and see if they still have them. You will be able to pick a trail and several lakes in the general area. It tells you how far and how easy the trails are. You will have a great trip using these maps. Good luck and remember that the High Untias will have snow until June so check before you go.
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The High Unita's are the place for backpacking. If I were you I would go to REI or someother store that has a really good selection of maps and find a lake that suites you hiking distance. If you are going to be out for 3 to 4 days you might want to hit a bunch of lakes with a little more hiking involved. Despite that, a renegade behind a clear bubble by about 4 to 5 feet, reeled in really nice and slow works miracles in the mountains. All Jack's Spin-a-lures, gold with red dots are like fish candy.
My favorite trail in the Uintas starts in Christmas meadows, which will take you to Ryder, or Amaranth lake. YOu might also look at the Naturalist Basin which is on the other side of the mountain for Ryder lake. It is a shorter hike and has many lakes. It is close to Mirror lake.
Hopes this helps.
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Loren, it is early yet for the high country. Most high lakes are still frozen over, however in about late June would be a good time to take your wife to White Pine Lake. Where you are in the Cache Valley area, it will take you about an hour to get to Tony Grove Lake and then about 1.5 to 2 hours to get to White Pine.
The fishing can be lots of fun for the Brookies in the lake. Take a spinning rod and use a fly and a bubble. Try a renegade fly or whatever you like for a fly pattern.
There is a camp ground there but it is primitive and not many facilities.
Have a great time wherever you go.
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That s a great idea but a little early for the higer elevations, This year I'm in search of Greyling, tried to get a start last year but by the time I was ready, it was too cold. So I'll try again this year.
Good luck and have fun
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There are a couple of books on hiking and fishing the uintas. Just do a search at barnes and noble's website. They're pretty cheap too. I've got both of them and they're really enjoyable and informative. I have not, however, had a chance to put them to practical use. That's a dream of mine though. I usually just park the motorhome in the campground and walk down to the lake to fish. Color me lazy.
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hi david if you really want to go for graylings get a hold of tincanfsh i hiked up to fish lake and round lake on the N. slope with him and caught over 20 grayling but be aware its a rough hike to over 10,000 feet
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I'm touched that eveyone is concerned that it's still too early in the season but I won't be going for quite a while yet. I need to ask for time off work, but before I do that - I need to find a job. Mostly, I don't want to hike a few miles just to get skunked.
I've talked to others who NAILED 'em with a fly behind a bubble, but when my brother and I tried it, we couldn't buy a bite. Do we need that liquid stuff that keeps the fly on the surface? (can you tell I'm not a fly-fisherman)
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Besides the DWR booklets there are several privately published guide books that give good information about where to go and how good the trails and fishing are etc.
If I were you I'd pick a "drainage" with a bunch of lakes and try several different ones over the four days. The best thing about packing in is you can fish one lake in the morning hike to another during the middle of the day when the fishing isn't as good and be there in time for the evening bite. If they are close enough you can try several in a day. Most mountain lakes are too small to spend all your time at just one but if the fishing is good enough then have at it! Moving around also helps reduce the impact on the fish and the campsites.
You're getting me excited for the high country but it will be 2 months before it will be clear up there.
FM
FM
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Here is a suggestion that I don't think anyone here has mentioned..... Hike into a lake or group of lakes. If the lake isn't working out, just fish the streams going into or coming out of the lake. If all that fails, camp at Mirror Lake when you get ready and do day hikes to the lakes around there.... you should be able to camp comfortably and hike on fairly level trails to the surrounding areas. It may be a good spot for her first hiking trips and if she gets tired, she can always just sit with a pole and a good book and wait for a bow or albino to bite at Mirror. Hope that helps....just make sure its more about fun than getting out and catching fish so that she has a great time and wants to do it over and over. You will be rewarded with lots of fishing trips I'm sure. [
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Skunked? In the Uintas? It can happen but I took a scout that had not even cast a rod in his life and his first cast he threw out a bubble with a Royal Trude on the leader and his cast went srtaight up in the air, landed 5 feet from shore and Wham! A little Brookie slammed his fly! In fact he caught a fish on both of his first two casts ever! So yes it does work most of the time. Just like any fishing it depends on the time of day and how many fish there are and what those fish are doing.
FM
FM
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I'm wondering if you want to go that far in for that long a period of time on the first trip. You can do some real damage in the Uintahs to hike in for a couple miles, set up camp near one lake in a group, try those and/or use it as a base to explore others. An easy drive and OK hike would be from Crystal Lake Trailhead near Trial Lake off Utah-150. There are several loop hikes you can do and get away from folks. Try to avoid weekends, if possible. You mentioned what
your ideal trip is; I am just curious if hers would be the same. Get it?[
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one word can some it up for you, HELLHOLE. thats the name of the lake, dont know why it is named that, whether because the fish can give you hell, or it was just a good name, but i do know it is on mirrorlake highway, the hike took the scouts about 2.5 hours, nice area, away from everything. i fished it with normal hatch for that month(look at a hatch chart) i fished a cheap ligth fly rod and caught fisgh until it was dark. not real big but hey there brookies, and the was even the occasional brown in there, dont know how or why, but there was.
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i like lake blanch you park at the s turns in big cottowood and hike up to her there are three lakes up there with brookies. a fun hike and only around 45 to hike up worth the hike
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Mr L. I don't think I could get out for that long. Probably only 2 nights if I'm lucky.
As far as a big impact on one location: I used to be a hiker before I became a fisher. I like to think I could stay in one spot and relax. But soon the mountain peaks would call my name louder than the fish.
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Everyone has mentioned the uintas,and there great for both scenery and fishing(though the fish are generaly smaller)If you like stream fishing and more solitude a great place is to hike through from gooseberry (top of fairview canyon)to scofield.several streams come together and form upper fish creek which feeds scofeild.You can either hike in from the top,or park a seperate car at upper fish creek campground near scofield and hike straight through.The fishing is great but the streams don't open until july (closed for cutroat spawn)Good Luck Lonnie
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lakes lakes everywhere are lakes take your pick and go but wait till at least mid june for higher stuff....
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Hoover lake off mirror lake highway is a nice hike. Theres about a half dozen lakes and Hoover is susposed to have grayling. Matt
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Ill put in for my fav Uintah Lake. it is called Big Elk Lake. We were there last summer. Only 3-4 hours for the hike.
You will catch a fish every 2nd or third cast using Fly and bubble or Jake Lures.
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I like to go into Fox & Crescent lakes which takes about the time you want to invest. Take the West Fork of the Whiterocks River trail which is a little faster and less steep than the Highline trail out of Chepeta Lake. What I like is you start hiking at about 10,000' so the up & down elevation isn't so much of a killer. There are several nice lakes in this area and the stream out of Fox Lake a half mile or so down streem can be dynamite. You are also only five miles or so from the Kidney lakes, Island Lake, Davis, Samuals, Queant, Rainbow, Divide, etc. You have a lot of options there without running into 10,000 Boy Scouts and others. (Scouts are cool, but not when you are trying to fish)
Now if you want a real fishing adventure and are willing to hike in 20 miles or so, I have a couple of spots where you have a chance to catch 5# brookies at one lake and another where you can catch a boat load of 2-2.5 lb. brookies two at a time using a dry fly with a dropper. This lake is just a mile off the main trail, but a long way back in from the trailhead.
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