Fly Fishing Alpine Lakes for Trout – Photos By: Louis Cahill

Fly Fishing on alpine lakes for trout has become one of my favorite ways to spend a day on the water.

There’s something really special about making long accurate casts to rising trout on the move. It’s very much a team effort between the fly angler and the oarsman. Often you can’t just sit in one spot and expect to get shots at rising trout. More times than not the oarsman has to stealthily row along with the cruising fish, pacing himself with the trout and their heading, so the angler can make a pin point cast just ahead of the trout.

Cutthroat Trout Release on a Montana Alpine Lake

Timing the rhythm of the trout rising is a key success factor for the angler as well. Get on the water early for the best dry fly fishing. Once the sun gets up high in the horizon most of the trout will stop feeding on top and move to deeper water. They do this for two reasons. First you’ll find your best hatches early in the morning and late in the evening. Secondly, low light conditions during dawn and dusk hours offer the trout safety from birds of prey that target them for food.

Keep it Reel,