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Hello, I am a Minnesota transplant by way of the navy that live on whidbey. I like trout fishing just not the taste. Anyways I just found out a few days ago about the high lakes here and they remind me of fishing the boundary waters back home. I’m trying to find a good lake to hike to and camp out for 2 or 3 days. I’m working on getting gear bit I have a few months to do that. Does anyone have any input on where I should go and what lures to use. I’m used to bluegill, crappies, perch, walleyes, ect. Also what do I have to worry about in terms of animals, bears? Cougars? I carry a 45 will that be fine for protection. Thanks and I’ve learned by reading other posts. Thanks.
A. R.
“It’s called fishing, not catching” -
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Welcome to Washington. A canoe trip in the Boundary Waters has been high on my todo list for a couple decades, but so far it is just wishful thinking.
You’ve got a ton of options out of Whidbey. Determining a good location will depend a bit on when you go and how quickly things melt out. Just starting out I’d recommend some short day hikes so you can start to learn what to expect before jumping right in with a 3-day trip.
As far as fishing for trout vs warm water fish goes there are a few things to consider. Most of the time high lake water is gin clear and the fish are often spooky. So you need to go with light line. With a spinning reel I use 4-lb test and I wouldn’t go any higher then 6-lb. I almost exclusively use lures between 3/16 and 1/4 ounce. At that weight they cast well on a light line without overloading your rod and they are the appropriate size for the fish you’ll be catching.
Diet makes a huge difference in the taste of trout. So if you’ve never tried a trout from a high lake then you’ve never really tried a trout. 😀
Animals aren’t a big concern. There are cougar and bear but if you keep a clean camp they won’t bother you.
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caddy8581,
Here’s is a web page that the Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife puts out. It does a good job of telling you what to expect and what you’ll need. At the bottom it has links to suggested lakes (these are “starter” lakes with easy to catch fish; the lakes with the best fish are usually off trail and require mountain navigation skills).
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/high_lakes
P.S. I agree with Allison. A .45 is unnecessary here. If you have concerns, you (and the rest of us) will be better off if you use pepper spray.
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