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“Great topic!^^^^For me, it would have to be as follows:^^^^1. Cutthroat ( prefferably westslope)^^2. Rainbow^^3. Brook^^4. kokanee^^^^Sadly, those are the only 4 species I have caught in high lakes or streams. I would love to catch a golden trout or atlantic salmon, (I’ve caught the anadramous version on the Green) but I can’t imagine that these fish are very common?”
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“I’ve never caught an Atlantic salmon, though I have been at a lake when someone else in the party caught one. Here’s a list of fish I’ve caught in high lakes in a sort of ranked order:^^^^1. Rainbow^^2. Golden^^3. Cutthroat (I’ve caught westslope, coastal, and Yellowstone cutts in high lakes)^^4, Brown^^6. Mackinaw^^7. Grayling^^8. Bull trout^^9. Brook^^And last, and by far least…^^10. Sucker. I really did catch one in a wilderness high lake in Wyoming. It was 17.^^”””
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“Well after getting skunked a few time last year My favorite is one I can catch.^^^^I got my first Golden last year, (you can read about it when we get our annuals form last year) and I thought it a beauitful fish, and can’t wait to try for another this year.^^^^My favorite to date after hiking all day the preious day and taking the morning to travel to a neighboring lake I wasn’t sure about only to find some large fish trolling the shore. I froze when I saw them so not to spook (I was above them and it was sunny) slowly took off my pack and got the gear out. I watched for about a 1/2 hour and moved into poision behind a small tree. With a bow an arrow cast and a size 18 pheasent tail nymph I made my move and waited 10+ minutes for the return of this fish. I was just about to give up and go looking for him again when he came around the corner. I ‘jumped’ the nymph off the bottom, as soon as he changed direction and came at the fly I knew I had him. He took I counted to three and set the hook, played him, took pictures and released. He was only 18 inches, but the patence payed off. Later that night out in the raft I landed the biggest fish I ever caught in the mountains. He was to big to get into the raft, and I let in about 3 gallons of water just trying. I layed my rod next to him to get a length and let him go.^^^^I’ve had some nice fish in the last few years as I’ve gained a better knowledge of how far and hard I must hike to get to better lakes, but that ‘little 18 incher’ was one of my favorite because it took ever onuce of will power I had to wait for the right (only) moment, to even have a chance at him.^^^^I see that brookies are low on most lists and I understand why, I’ve caught hundereds maybe thousands of them, but they are spectacular in their spawning colors. I have wonderful memories of of cautching little brookies in my youth.”
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“Did you get a picture of the lunker you couldn’t get in the raft? You could post it on the HL’er site. How big was he? I have yet to catch a golden, but played one for awhile a few years back, and wondered about the wierd yellow coloration I saw untill I talked to someone about it at a HL’er meeting. Rainbows are the top for me, because they often take dry flies and usually make a jump or two, like they did at an Olympics lake I fished last week. And of course brookies are at the bottom, only because I don’t know where to find ones larger than about 10. Cutthroat are the staple for me, and make most hikes worthwhile.”””
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“As far as fishing here in washington (the list would change if I were in Alaska or elsewhere).^^^^1) Goldens – caught record sized ones in the wind rivers when I was a ranger there. The big ones seem to lose the gold color so I am fond of both the big and small ones that are almost florescent yellow (south fork of the little wind river). the big ones were extremely red meated… even the natural oil when cooking was red. Too oily actually. I only ate 2 or 3 and have always turned them loss since.^^^^2) West Slope Cutthroat. So damn pretty. I would almost say they are tied with the golden in color and asthetic appeal for me. And they make a nice meal. Some of the slabs I have caught are almost purple with red bellies… fantastic color.^^^^3) Brookies. In the Fitz of Wyoming we used to get big ones but I like the small brookies too. Very beautiful. The only trout or char with blue, red, orange, yellow, bright white, black, olive, etc. They are like living jewels. and one of the best eating fish around in my opinion. I will fish all day for 8 brookies as long as they are not too skinney.^^^^4) Yellowstone Cutthroat… again, in Wyoming 14-22″” that came out of the water to take flies off the surface. Fantastic fun!^^^^5) Grayling. Best time fishing for these was in a small drainage in Wyoming outside of lander. The were some lakes but it was sitting on a boulder in the sun watching them play in the pool of a meandering meadow stream that was just so magical. Very beautiful fish. I would rate them higher but I don’t care for their flavor much. Browns would go here too. They are always white meat and I don’t care for their flavor much. There are different subspecies here I think. In Wyoming, they are bright yellow with brilliant red spots. Very pretty fish. The few I have caught in washington seem to have rather dull colors and few if any red spots (or very, very dull red).^^^^5) rainbows – been catching them all my life though a really brightly chromed slab is still pretty appealing. I catch alot of these in the desert lakes so I guess I get desensitized to the species before heading into the high country. Silvers would go here too.^^^^6) Dollies (C&R where one can), lake trout, and other indigenous trout (including kams).^^^^7) Other none native. I am not particular fond of atlantic salmon. with all the commercial value with them and the environmental issues of the farms… I would just as soon see them disappear from this side of the country. “””
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