Fishing Forum

Can anyone tell me about this lake in Sandy? How's the fishing, whats in there, and anything else you would like to share.
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I belive it's artificial only if that helps.
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I believe it's catch & release only
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artificials only, and catch and release only, for cutts. Kind of a hit or miss type water. Fishing is spotty
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Thanks for the replies guys! I might give it a shot this next week.
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I have been up there a few times, and never had much success.
The only spot you will find fish it seems is at the inlet. I have caught all fish on beaded nymphs, and all were very small and very skinny. I think that this lake winterkills almost 100%.
Beautiful little lake though. I have heard that the upper lake holds some big ones though it is supposed to be quite the trek.
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yeah I was wondering about that two... I think it's three hours or so, but I heard the fishing is great....
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When I was a kid I fished those bells canyon lakes quite often. The lower one does have fish and as someone said the inlet is the best spot but you can catch fish also where the water goes out into the creek. Right as you come up to the lake their is a water level marker that is on top of a concrete block that has some water control stuff think anyways if the water is really high then you cant fish off the concrete and catch a few if someone else is already fishing the inlet. I used nymphs mostly but anything will work there you just have to be able to reach the fish. Th biggest one I caught was a nice 18 inch cutty off an ugly frikin dragonfly pattern. The upper lake is not 3 hours unless all you have is a fly rod and water and you are in good shape. I have done that hike many times and with big packs and it has taken up to 8 hrs with some nice longer breaks that are well needed when your hauling up a 50 + pound pack to camp a few nights. The waterfall is a great place to stop and rest and cool off in the mist. it is about 1 1/2 hours up.

I found that fly fishing the second res is tough because the cliffs are so close to the shore. Packing up a spinning rig is a good Idea with lures or fly and bubble so you can get out their and reach the fish. I did really well with blue fox spinners just launching them out and letting them sink for about 10 to 15 seconds and slow retrieve. I remember catching 10 to 1 fish while my buddy was tangling with the fly rod and trees and such. Their is one ok spot to cast flies but it is not that deep and the fish are not as plentiful in that end of the lake. But it is an awesome lake and I would tell anybody who likes to do long hike in fishing to go up to the second res. I will be up there soon just need to get into shape. Their is one spot on the way up that I refer to as the stairway to heaven. IT IS TOUGH.
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Wow! Thanks dude, I appreciate you letting me know the hike up to the upper lake is a lot longer, my wife would kill me if I took her up there for a day trip. I will probably hike in one day then hike back the next.
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you could make a day out of it but it you would need to pack lightly. then you could probably round trip in 9 hours but of coarse you still need to make time to fish..... I didnt want to detour you from going there,.. it is worth it.
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I made the hike in one day. Left in the morning before it was light enough to see the trail. Fished for a couple of hours and got back after sunset.
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How many miles round trip would you say?
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I think that it is only 3 or 3.5 horizontal miles. But since it is almost straight up, for every step horizontal it requires at least 3 or 4 vertical. So the actual distance traveled must be around 10 or 20 miles. At least thats what it felt like.
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3.75 miles, 4100 feet elevation gain. Reservoir is at 9400 feet. (Hiking the Wasatch, by John Veranth)
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I have heard that the trail can be hard to find in the upper reaches, so it may be a good idea to look at a map or Google Earth prior to attempting the hike. I would likely explode with frustration if I hiked for 8 hours and didnt find the water. Let us know how it was if you do end up going. Of course you will probably have to wait a month or 2........
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That is a really good point, as I think back on some of my first trips I actually did hike all the way up there and could not find the lake anywhere I later figured tout that it was frozen still and we walked right passed it thinking that it was a big patch of snow that had not yet melted because of how it is tucked in the valley. When we did find it we still almost gave up at dark looking for it and we had walked passed it again but one of the people behind us stumbled across it and yelled up to us THERE IT IS. So I would say yes look into some maps or books the trail is very hard to find all you have sometimes is carrins to guide you through some of the boulder areas.
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I would not attempt to find it without a GPS. As you mentioned the trail is marked with rock cairns. The trouble is that every one that has ever found the lake marked the trail back with a new set of cairns. As a result there are cairns all over the mountain side and they don't lead you to anything. I have never seen so many little piles of rock. The trail is easy to follow for the first 3 miles. But after that you had better know where the lake is because you won't just stumble across it.
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I will have the GPS with me, but I appreciate you looking out for me. Man, I would be frustrated hiking all that way and not being able to find it.
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