I?m looking to get a list together of all wilderness fly-fishing destinations. Ok, maybe not all, but as many as possible. I?m basically trying to plan some type of tandem fishing and backpacking/climbing/biking/?floating? trip each year. There are a ton of places that I would like to fish?.for now I?m only interested in wilderness areas. Ideally I want to put myself out in the middle of no-where, and then hike/fish/camp my way back to civilization.
Here is what I consider a Wilderness Destination:
You have to be able to camp on or near the water for an extended period of time. This would extend over some type of distance as well. Ideally I plan on moving about 5 miles a day for at least 7 days.
You should be able to be access the general area by car/van ? I?m trying to keep these trips financially reasonable. Ideally the cost would be plane ticket to get near, transportation to/from the trailhead, food, and fishing license/whatever other permits I need.
The water does not need to be near the access. I have no problem walking, riding, or climbing to get to good water.
Good/Unique fishing opportunities.
General Isolation. I?m not looking for amenities, just rugged landscapes and phenomenal fishing.
Please let me know if you have a place in mind that would fit this description. I would also be interested in hearing about good places like this to float through. Any suggestions welcome.
This sound like an absolutely AWESOME idea. My first thought is: The Wind Rivers in WY (although I’ve never been there so don’t know details) and my second thought is UTAH! I kind of have a biased opinion here, but I think that UT is the most geologically diverse state in the nation. There are numerous opportunities for this. The entire Uinta Mountain Range is covered by small lakes that almost all of require backpacking to. If you want isolation it is here. You’re looking at a couple of hours drive from SLC airport. here is a link to some info: http://www.go-utah.com/Uinta-Mountains
There are many opportunities closer to the airport, as in 30 minutes up Big or Little Cottonwood. Here is a link to some pictures of an easy overnighter that could definateley turn into a serious climb to the top of The Pfeifferhorn or Little Matterhorn (11,326 feet) or to Lone Peak (at 11,253 Feet). This lake is called Lake Blanche and it is one of many in the Wasatch Mt. Range: [url=http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/560072078HDOASq:528d9][/url:528d9] just click on the picture. For more info PM me, I’d be happy to help. Good luck and be sure to post TR’s with pics once you get this going! 8)
I just noticed that this album doesn’t include fishing pics. I’ll have to add them tonight so check back.
Wild One hit it! The Winds offer many diverse trailsof varying difficulty. Easy ones get to Big Sandy lake and the surrounding basin. Real easy, for small kids, mine were five on the first overnighter, Little Sandy Lake, Upper Sillas and Tomahawk Lakes are very good. There are several good books on hiking and fishing the Winds, I just can’t think of the names at the moment.
Finis Mitchel(sp) authored the first really good book on all the trails for the Winds. Wind River Trails is still available at amazon.com for $7.50 or so. Am a little prejudiced about this book as I got to meet the author on the trail to Big Sandy Lake. He was in his 70’s at the time. Also check with the Pindale Chamber for some other resources. The Game & Fish is another good resource as is the forest service, Bridger-Teton Forest.
When I remember some of the other book names, I’ll let you know.
P.S. Titcomb Basin is BEAUTIFUL and sports Golden trout.
P.S. #2 The Uintas accessed from the Wyo. side offer some great spots also. Go on line and
I’ll bet you find more info than you can digest in a month!
Check out the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways. Smallmouth and trout. Good roads, plenty of camping options, much is relatively under-utilized by “east of the Rockies” standards, temperate weather, and excellent fishing. There are many great resources like Chuck Tryon’s 200 Missouri Smallmouth Adventures and several websites you can find links to from my blog page: http://ozarksflyanglers.blogspot.com
Another favorite area of mine is the area between Creede and Gunnison, CO. This is harder to access, has more severe weather issues to deal with, it’s bear country, etc. But it is fabulous, remote, and has tons of excellent trout fishing. Just Google Dan’s Fly Shop or Lake City Colorado to get started.
Don’t forget about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area - over 1,000,000 acres in NE Minnesota primarily managed as a wilderness area.
SMB and Pike are the usual fly fishing targets. You will also find Walleye, Lake Trout and large Crappie. You can pick a route that will put you on lakes, rivers or both. While there are a few lakes that allow motorized access, most of the BWCA is non-motorized and what you take in goes in on your back.
To really take advantage of the area, you will want to canoe or kayak more than hike.
A little closer to home would be the Adirondack Mountains, in upstate New York. You could start at the eastern end of the park and make it to the Tug Hill area just in time for the kings on the Salmon River.
You may want to consider the BWCA (Northern Minnesota/Ontario). You can fly or be taken into the ‘bush’ and paddle your way back. Alot of the smaller lakes have trout if that’s what you are after. The bigger lakes have between 5-8 species of fish, depending upon the lake. I’ve been there 12 times; couldn’t go this year … but setting my sights on next year.
The Beartooths in MT and WY have tons of possibilities from easy to get to lakes to difficult to get to lakes. I agree with the comments about the Wind Rivers. Too bad I dont have enough time off in the summer to get down there for a few days
Byron: I also met Finis Mitchell back in '79 I think it was and got two personally autographed books and some original photographs taken by him as well out of the deal. Titcomb Basin is flat out awesome…it is currently my only place I would hike into and NOT take a fishing rod (despite good fishing), the scenery is that spectacular.
PS: If you havent already checked it out, read my story I wrote for Readers Cast here a couple of weeks ago. shameless plug by I couldnt help it.
A backpacking loop trip in the Weminuche wilderness, going up and over by Emerald Lake one way and then down another canyon to get back to the truck. The most rugged, untouched wilderness area in Colorado IMO, and with lots of wild trout to boot. A creative and rugged person in good physical condition could pack a small, lightweight float tube to emerald lake, lock it to a tree or hide it, and hike back for it at the end of the trip—or just backpack the Los Pinos to Lake Creek canyon and not do the loop. If there really are Grizz left in colorado, the Weminuche and La Garita wilderness areas is where they’d be I think.
But thanks to fly flinger already suggesting the Weminuche (LOL), I’ll suggest another 2 in Colorado–
Holy Cross wilderness loop trip. Look at the lime creek / brush creek / cross creek / missouri lakes area for a loop. Lots of cutts and brook trout, smallish but numerous and hungry. There are also some very surprising lakes way up high (11,000 ft plus, above timberline) that were stocked by air in the 1950s, and have huge trout that only eat scuds and zooplankton (it seems). These you’ll have to find on your own.
Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness loop trip. Forget combat fishing for hawgs below the resevoir – loop up the Fryingpan wilderness by fryingpan lakes (new fishing regs there since i last backpacked it) and loop down on one of the other canyons back to the truck. Smaller trout, but very few people.
I hope I didn’t reveal anything top secret to anyone, but I figger folks that are willing to backpack many miles to flyfish are not going to muck things up much. And if you hit the right high lake at the right time with the right fly…my most memorable flyfishing experience ever was a giant 27" trout in a remote Holy Cross area lake near where I’d been catching only one-footers for 4 years. Sure stretched the 5x leader to the max…wish they’d had good float tubes back in the days I was in that area all summer every summer… I packed pineapples and steaks and watermelons up that damned hill back in the day, a float tube would’ve been cake.
I agree with the Boundary Waters (BWCA or Quetico) between Minn. and Canada. There are a ton of outfitters in Ely, Mn. If you use Ely and it’s still there, go to the Sportsman Cafe for your last breakfast. The lakes, portages, and campsites are excellent, as is the fishing. The other suggestion would be Algoquin Provincial Park in Ont.
I go through Backpacker magazine and pick up some trips through there. Occassionaly they’ll mention some places that don’t get fished. I also try and find wilderness areas where I can hike in and basecamp and fish a different place everyday or different types of water…ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers all within in a short distance.
Ask me in a month about the Bristol Bay area in Alaska. Am heading there to learn which end of a fly rod to hold (not really, but FF is new to me) and fish for silvers. My expectations are pretty high, am told there are thousands of silvers off the banks of the river by the lodge.
You asked for wilderness, but this lodge is far enough off he path they only hit town a few times each summer. We’ll be taking a float plane in and out.
I just got back from several days in and around Yellowstone National Park and that would be a suggestion from me. Tons of water to fish and with your plans to hike and camp you’ll have lots of water to yourself or nearly so. The scenery and wildlife alone make it a must do trip and then there ara all the fish and locations.
[/url:528d9] just click on the picture. For more info PM me, I’d be happy to help. Good luck and be sure to post TR’s with pics once you get this going! 8)
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