Besides fly fishing, one of my other outdoor pursuits is backcountry skiing. One of my favorite places to go is Lassen Volcanic National Park, which offers a perfect combination of spring corn snow, warm(ish) nights, and fun terrain when the weather sets up right. Our last few trips have been to a small lake basin, where we set up base camp and ski the surrounding bowls and peaks for a couple of days.
I've always wondered - what does this area look like in the summer? Are there any fish in the lake? This past weekend, I got my answers. We spent a long weekend camping and day hiking in the park with family friends - the first time I have been all the way up to the Lassen high country when it wasn't covered in snow in about 35 years. The group decided to day hike up to our little basin to check out the lake. Easier summertime road access makes it a relatively short, if steep, day hike.
I found the hike up to be both alien and oddly familiar. I knew the terrain, but the pure white and dark green color palette was exchanged for a riot of color offered by red, rust, and yellow volcanic soil and the light greens of new Mules Ears and other summertime plants covering open slopes. It made for a dramatic transformation considering it was only two or so months later in the season than my past visits.
When we got to the lake, its crystal clarity and teal color were gorgeous, but it seemed shallow. I reckoned there might be a brook trout or two hiding out in the deepest section at the center of the lake, but I wasn't all that hopeful. I changed my mind when I walked to the water's edge and spooked a brook trout that must have been hanging within a couple of feet of shore. And it wasn't small.
After watching a bit, I saw some rises and reckoned that there were fish hanging out beneath undercut snow banks right at the shoreline looking for terrestrials blown into the water. I tied on a Royal Coachman (which makes a passable ant imitation and has a little shot of color to boot) and shot a cast 30 or 40 feet along the shoreline and a couple of feet from the edge. I was rewarded with a hard take, a good fight, and one of the larger brookies I have caught - a thick 12"+ specimen. After catching another one in the same size class and getting a few more grabs, I ran out of time. I booked down the trail so I wouldn't hold up the rest of our weekend.
So. Question answered. Yes, there is a pretty lake hiding beneath the blankets of snow in the winter. Yes, there are fish in the lake - more and bigger than I would have guessed. Good times.
Just a couple of notes - I took along a minimalist Sierra setup - a 4wt LL Bean x Todd Snyder glass rod, an LL Bean GQS 4/5 reel, and one small box of basic attractor flies. This rod has enough pep to push a fly out into a decent breeze. I think I'd want a rod with more range for larger lakes, but it was just what I needed for this little trip. Pics follow.
The lake basin in April of a dry year.
Same place two months later - I spooked fish out of the shallows at the bottom center.
My rig pointing to the edge where the fish were hanging out.
This good sized Brook trout grabbed a Royal Coachman.
Come for the fish, stay for the view...