Big Brook Trout in the Uinta Mountains

Brookies generally don’t get all that big in the Uinta Mountains or in most mountain waterways.  Now and again you stumble into an area that where you start off by catching a few small brook trout and then… Whammo! You rip into the lips of a trophy brookie that takes you for a ride! This lake is definitely one of those areas where, on the right day, you can catch a lot of good cutthroats and brookies and now and again hook into one that goes into the 4-5 pound range.  Brookies have always been one of my favorites to fish for.  Generally, they are much more aggressive than other trout, will hit almost anything you throw at them, and put up a strong fight.  Pound for pound they are among the strongest of the trout and char varieties and among the tastiest as well. 

Island Lake is nestled just beneath the rocky peaks of the western Uinta Mountains. It’s not a very popular destination and it requires a good amount of hiking on less than well-traveled rocky trails.  The hike isn’t terribly aggressive in terms of vertical ascent but it is a solid six or seven mile jaunt.  The trail is poorly marked and dead fall occasionally blocks it all together. A few areas will test your scouting skills and may present difficulties in choosing the right path to follow.  I’ve hiked in and out of this lake in a single day with a few hours of fishing in between. If you plan on the same trip you better be prepared for a full day and have flashlights with you just in case you fish longer than planned and end up hiking a few miles in the dark.

The trail usually is muddy and even into late June and July you can run into a few deep snow drifts. Good water proof hiking boots are a must. Horses will certainly do well on this trail but be aware of the bogs and swampy areas where elevated platforms have been built up for hikers.

Flies work well on this lake and so do gold and black panther martins, red and white Daredevils, the frog patterned Daredevils, and gold, hammered brass Krocodiles. Don’t be afraid to let your spoons sink to the bottom and jig them back slowly. Often the large brookies will follow your gear in right to shore and strike just a few feet away. In doing so you will occasionally snag into sunken logs and hook up on rocks but the risk is worth the reward...

Fishers of Men: The Fisherman and the Banker

 Sometimes in life we get so focused on where we want to go that we don't sit back and enjoy where we are now.  We may also get into the habit of wanting to over-complicate life and not realize the joy that comes with a simplified lifestyle. If only more people could see and enjoy life like the fisherman in this story:

An investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The banker complimented the man on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.
The man replied, “Not very long”.
The banker then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish. The man said he had enough to support his family’s needs.
The banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish when I want to, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my friends, I have a full and busy life.”
The banker scoffed, “I earning a MBA from  Harvard and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small village and move
to the city, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”
To which the banker replied, “15-20 years.”
“But what then?”
The banker laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”
“Millions... Then what?”
The banker said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your friends.”