Best backcountry trout lakes?

[Bill W]

A shout out and thanks to the Trail Blazers for the stocking of the lakes because with out their efforts you wouldn't be catching squat!!

A very good post.  I've known a number of the Trailblazers who humped waterfilled jugs of fish to backcountry lakes.  A lot of which had no established trail to them.

[sirmissalot]

Its pretty remote and a pretty good hike to get to but Turquoise lake in the alpine lakes wilderness is plum full of cutthroat trout, just about every cast you'll get one and its in a pretty amazing basin to glass as well.

[Bill W]

I was on a trip to Turquoise in the mid-90's and almost got there.  Ended up at Cuitan instead.  Turquoise was one ridge over.  There was no defined trail to Turquoise, only deer paths and prior to handheld GPS's.  It was hotter than all get out and the weekend that the fires started in SW of leavenworth.

[sirmissalot]

Turquoise has a trail now, although its not maintained. I couldn't find a trail to Cuitan other than the old abandoned cuitan creek trail. It was very hot when we were there last too

[Bill W]

20 years ago that unmaintained trail was a threadlike bunch of aimless deer trails.  Icicle Creek fires was what started that weekend.  My hiking buddy was a Trailblazer and one of the ones that backpacked trout fry into western WA high country lakes.

The hike up the hill is not one to take on a hot morning.  It's 1500 feet of sweat.

[fishngamereaper]

Been awhile since Ive been up there but Lk Michael used to be loaded with fish.  And the basin was full of bears.  Long ways in though.

[sirmissalot]

Been awhile since Ive been up there but Lk Michael used to be loaded with fish.  And the basin was full of bears.  Long ways in though.

Was there a trail into Michael? I've been told no more off trail hikes... 

[crazywednesday]

Tag

[steen]

Cornwall Lake at the foot of Remmel Mnt in the Pasayten Wilderness.  You catch a cutthroat at almost every cast!

[dmv9]

Cornwell Lake

[rbi999]

Kind of looks like Four Point lake too. Which is on the other side of the peak. This is one I caught in a lake in the Sawtooth wilderness this summer. Hard to tell without reference, but about 18 inch. One of many that day! Also a pic of the lake.

[Skyvalhunter]

Let me tell you a little something about high lake fish in Wa. If the lakes have fish in them and are not naturally reproducing lakes, they are stocked by the TrailBlazers or a couple other groups. I know this because I am a member. If you want to know if a lake is stocked all that info is on the WDFW website. Typically a fish has a life span of around 8 years(unless it its a lake was stocked with Atlantic salmon or something different than, Cutts, RB or Goldens). Size of the fish is dependent on age, food and few other variables. So if you catch big fish in a lake 3 years ago its not a given you go back in and will catch big fish again. It depends on the stocking cycle or if its a natural reproducer.

[rbi999]

Very true Sky! Last report on this lake was that there were no fish. And I have hiked back into lakes that were great several years before. Only to be skunked after 3+ miles of bushwacking! The features at this lake I believe hold a re-producing population. Good bedding areas and water flow. Plus fish ran is size from 6 to 18.

[predatorG]

Montana 😁

Ayyye you know it

[sooperfly]

Very true Sky! Last report on this lake was that there were no fish. And I have hiked back into lakes that were great several years before. Only to be skunked after 3+ miles of bushwacking! The features at this lake I believe hold a re-producing population. Good bedding areas and water flow. Plus fish ran is size from 6 to 18.

Not sure who you had the report from but the fishing there has been pretty good the last few years.  That lake does not hold a reproducing population.  The reason it has two size classes of fish are because I planted it in 2008 and then again a few years later.   Here's a picture of your 18" - er in 2008 just before it went in the lake!         ( I think I've posted this pic before )