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@@mgardner63 I appreciate the kind words! And I highly, highly recommend the Eagle! I’m no expert on it but it feels like a really good, all-natural freestone. And obviously the fish have a good food supply haha. Yup I’ll definitely be getting out Dec-March for tailwater fish. But I’m counting down until May when the Gunnison gorge/canyon start up and then the alpine lakes in quick succession after that!

Vail Pass had 2’ of snow on the shoulder but the road was clear!

Good intel that the spawn is still on up there in July. Sorry the fishing wasn't more "on" when you went, but glad it wasn't a skunk! Makes me think August to mid Sept for when I inevitably return haha.

Thank you!! It’s a cool spot. I was kind of hoping they would go for some bigger nymphs like stoneflies or bigger mayfly nymphs, but they wanted the teeny tiny stuff. Oh well!

I can see the crowds part. There were a decent number of people there even though it required a multi-mile walk in.

Honestly I didn’t even know they were present in that river until my friend caught one. But I do love whitefish - they’re usually big, fight well, and will eat my big attractor fly when the trout are eating size 20s 😂

I am so jealous! I haven’t been on the water since this Ark day on Oct 7 and I’m getting withdrawals 😂.

@@Hi-CountryCutts-wc3jz October 7????? You need to get out at least a day per week if possible, but I know it's difficult with family obligations. I was lucky to get out 3 days per week all of October. We'll catch up at the next HPD meeting.

That would be a good fly! I’m going to give that a shot.

Thank you!!

Get up there! Plenty of fishable water! You can get brooks, browns, rainbows, cutts, grayling and whitefish all within like 10 miles.

Haha it was a good break not to keep my house on my back 😂 it was a good variety too. Some spots I could go explore in way more depth/detail in my next trips up there (we go 2x per year).

Thank you!!

It really is!

Two jets going over in a canyon like that would be unbelievable…

I would recommend it for sure! Nobody else fishing, it was crazy. Place could have (maybe should have) been packed.

Thank you Christopher! Appreciate the kind words. If you did all that in your first year in Colorado, 1) congratulations, 2) you're way, way ahead of the game and 3) you just opened up millions of acres in CO, WY, MT, ID and NM you can explore!! Amen to more tight lines!!

Get out there!! Some of those lakes have some reallllly cool species and some bigger fish. That area around BV and Salida is so cool!

Thank you!!

Thank you! Re: the Snowys, so jealous. I was scheduled to go to up there for the first time in August but my window of days was 45 mph wind there and I was taking a guy who had never fly fished before, so we did an audible to Missouri Lakes by Red Cliffe (CO). I am heading up to Lander WY this week though and I can get some nice elbow room up there on lakes and rivers.

That’s awesome! What great memories. Well rest assured that the bowl/lake were in great shape. Some beetle kill down there but overall seems to be in excellent health. I camped next to a few elk hunters who made it seem like the big game was doing well on the area as well. I think it’s worth another repeat visit! I threw a black hi-vis parachute Adam’s that probably strongly resembled a black ant and got the first fish of the video on it. But I accidentally cut the fly off thereafter and didn’t have another one in my box!

Thank you! I do plan to in the future! Only issue is this year I’ve had a LOT of days on the water and need to spend the remaining weekends on the home front with the wife and daughter 😂

@@wylde-lyfe Thanks!! Hey, I like the orange to make sure I stay alive on these trips in Sept/Oct!

Thank you! This is a Tarptent Motrail. I got it off of Craigslist back in 2018 when I was first interested in backpacking, and ashamed to admit I didn't use it until 2023. (Kid kind of pushed back the hobbies a bit!). Tarptent actually discontinued this tent a few years ago. And to be honest, while I like it and got 14 nights out of it, it's not the world's best lightweight tension tent. So I splurged and bought a Zpacks Duplex, which arrived at my house about 2 hours after I drove to the trailhead for this video. So will be busting out the Duplex in next year's backcountry adventures!

Enjoyed every video, thanks. Hope you put something else out till next season, maybe gear you use ,tips, etc. God bless

@@davidschroeder6799 thanks David! Yes, thinking of doing a video on my fly fishing backpacking setup and then how I prepare my dehydrated cold-soak meals!

@Hi-CountryCutts-wc3jz Sounds great. I'm a subscriber so I won't miss it. Thanks

Thanks Kevin!! You guys will have to join on a camping trip out here.

Thank you for the suggestion! I have heard and read really good things about that area. I’m going to do some research this winter and see if I can get something feasible going out there.

@@Hi-CountryCutts-wc3jz lots of easy to access water so look for something to hike into if you want to avoid crowds. Plenty of options either way to look. Good luck out there

Thank you!! I’ll be back up there in my life for the shear beauty (and the big fish) that’s for sure.

I honestly think his cutt was a hair over 20”. Which is huge! You killed it with your camping / backpacking setup up there! I actually switched to a cinnamon any myself after you left and caught like 4 fish on it haha.

That’s awesome! Sounds gorgeous. Yeah I love that Collegiate Peaks / Holy Cross contiguous area. Not enough summers in a lifetime to probably explore them thoroughly. Ron Belak’s book 800 high lakes in CO is my inspiration though.

@@Hi-CountryCutts-wc3jz Thanks for the recommendation - I will have to check it out. I share the same love for that area!

@@rexbonez2 If you drop me an email at the address in my profile, I can give you some specific spots in the region. You might already know them, but if not, they are solid!

You daytripped all that!? My goodness, damn, that is awesome! I am so, so jealous that you got them to bite at the two high ones. In hindsight, I should have put an elk hair caddis or cinnamon ant on, but I thought my chironomid dropper would cover the base for “small/picky”. I fished a super high lake yesterday and 1) the bite was only in the afternoon and 2) the fish wanted small dry flies only. I had to fish these two high lakes at dusk and in the morning, and yeah I never worked in the small dries. Knowledge for next time!

@@Hi-CountryCutts-wc3jz Yeah I've been doing day trips this year, my work schedule hasn't allowed any overnighters. It can be exhausting but it's always worth it to put in the big days. You will probably do well with the ant flies, they have worked for me in a variety of water types and elevations this summer. The other flies that I've been using all summer are small foam hoppers, size 16 and usually yellow or orange. It has definitely been a bit of a gamble at the high lakes, I think you have to get lucky to have clear weather in the mid-afternoon because I think that's when the fish start rising. If you don't get chased down by storms then you have a good chance to get into the fish. It's always a learning process, sounds like you have a good understanding of that.

I try to be lightning safe! I also watch out for beetle kill when picking campsite. The tent I am currently using is a Tarptent Motrail. It’s a 2 person, I got it used back in 2018 and it’s been discontinued for a while. My new Zpacks Duplex arrives on Thursday. May not get out with it this season but it’s only 17 ounces!

He was there at dinner time and then back at breakfast time in the morning!

Yessir! I love the wilderness areas where you can find remote spots to camp and fish. Such a special thing.

Yes I highly recommend it. Tons of out-of-the-way campsites around the lakes. Could have spent a week up there!

Personally, I would park it at the 4WD trail-start and then hike it. The hike is not too intense.

Thank you! I was on my 7’ 4” glass rod for that fish and so happy I got to fight it on glass. Life is good!

Yes say hello if you see me! I will give that area a look - thank you for the heads up!

Google lens...

I love making stat pages for each video end haha.

Yes, it was awesome up there! Would liked to have gotten to the other side of the pass but an excuse for another trip!

Legitimately one of my favorite trips. Also a different feeling going solo.

Thank you!

Haha yes. Danny Devito!

Yes -- send me an email at the email address in my profile and I can certainly help you with a couple spots. They will even be fishable for the next 5 weeks if you want to hit them this year.