High lakes were stocked by helicopters and the hard way.........dedicated anglers and outdoorsmen who actually hiked into the lakes with trout fry in water containers. Their efforts have made the high lake fishery. Some lakes that are connected by creeks and streams have had trout migrate to other lakes which has helped in the growth of the fishery.

I've done a lot of "high lake" fishing and there is a ton of things to know. This fishery is effected by:

Snow pack: Are the lakes accessible by trail and has the ice melted from the surface.

Species of fish: Some lakes have brook trout which tend to spawn easily and stunt themselves out. Others have golden cutts, which are rare and a little tougher to catch.

Size of the lake: Small lakes have smaller fish. Larger lakes usually have bigger fish and are better fished with a inflatable raft.

The difficulty of the hike-in: The harder and longer the hike, the more chance you have in being rewarded with better fishing in solitude.

I need to get on my soapbox for this next part. Leave the bait at home. Barbless flies, spinners, and spoons will do the job. Release everything except one or two for dinner if you plan to stay overnight. It is an extremely delicate fishery. It can be awesome at times.

Good luck!