4 Reasons to Fish Small Mountain Streams
Exert The Effort.
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If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you give small mountain stream fishing a shot.
For starters, small mountain streams are incredibly beautiful. Knock-your-boots-off beautiful. In addition, they’re rarely crowded. Sure, that’s mostly true because small mountain streams aren’t particularly easy to access and do take time and effort to fish. But, let me tell you…the reward is unlike anything else in fly fishing.
As far as I see it, when you do decide to go out and fish, you have one of two options: 1) drive the minimum distance only to stumble upon crowded waters, or 2) travel the extra 30-45 minutes to a pristine location where you can experience genuine solitude, and catch plenty of eager fish — which will ultimately make you a better angler.
So, if you still aren’t convinced you should make the trip out to high mountain streams, here are four great reasons why you should.
Less Crowds
Find fish, not other anglers
Fact: most people are lazy. Even fly fishermen are lazy. So, it’s true that more often than not, anglers opt out of the extra driving and bushwhacking it typically takes to get to a high mountain stream.
Think of it like hiking. If you hike for more than one mile, you’ll probably pass 80% of the crowds. You’ll also find better lookouts, without a ton of tourists and kids obstructing your hard earned view. In the same way, if you exert that extra effort and head out to a mountain stream, odds are you won’t be running into a bunch of anglers fishing the same holes on repeat — as you would in your easily accessible, most popular spots.
Bottom Line — I haven’t met an angler yet who’s excited to fish within the crowds. Some don’t mind it, and most of us just deal with it when we have to, but all of us seek solitude, and fly fishing mountain streams will get you the peace and quiet you’ve been searching for — guaranteed.
More Fish
Need I say more?
Small mountain streams are typically full of eager trout. The secret’s in the elevation.
Because you’re at a higher elevation, the period in which the trout feed is shorter. The elevation also restricts large hatches from occurring, which ultimately means that trout have less food available. As a result, the fish that do live in these waters don’t have the luxury to refuse a meal and will more often than not eat anything that looks alive.
In terms of fly selection, search patterns like Royal Wulffs, Hares Ears, Stimulators, and Parachute Adams are often all you need to find success. Although, location and presentation are much more important. With eager fish willing to eat anything that lands on the water, it isn’t unlikely to have a 20+ fish day. Zero people and a 20 fish day is always a win in my book, and I know I’m among the majority that share that belief.
The Beauty And Solitude That You’ve Been Searching For
Discover Sprawling Landscapes Like You’ve never Seen
I fish some pretty urban fisheries for carp on the fly, and I absolutely love it. The fish fight hard and consistently challenge my skills, but after a while, fishing in 95˚ weather walking through leech infested swamp mud with a highway in the background takes its toll.
We all love to catch more fish, but we would be remiss if we didn’t enjoy the immense beauty in our surroundings too. High mountain trout live in some of the most stunning and pristine places in the world. A day spent fishing in these exquisite locations will prompt you to forget your troubles and remember what’s most important.
Wildflowers often blanket these landscapes, moss covered rocks line the willow coated banks, and mighty pine trees sweep across the lowlands. The beauty is surreal. Best of all, your peace and quiet is only ever interrupted by song birds, or deer walking through the stream below, or a trout rising to your fly. Not to mention, temperatures always seem to be in the 55˚– 70˚range, which feels great in long sleeves and pants — the perfect armor against pesky mountain mosquitos.
If you fly fish to recharge your internal battery, and to remind yourself why you work so hard for your kids and your family. Challenge yourself to take on new adventures — seek out high mountain streams. They’re the best spot in the world to find the solitude you’ve been looking for.
Supermodel Trout
Catch Breathtaking Fish
If the lack of crowds, incredible landscape, peaceful ambience, and loads of eager fish weren’t enough to convince you already, let’s not forget the true icing on the cake — you get to spend time with supermodels. Not the composite, manufactured supermodels on big city runways, but the organic, wild trout of the high country. Trout in the high country sport the most vibrant colors that freshwater fish can offer. All manners of reds, greens, blues, golds, and yellows surround these trout. Holding them in your net seems to stop time for a short while, as you enjoy the beauty and wonder the trout emanates. These fish are amazing to see, and some of the more unique and rare species can only be found in mountain streams such as these.
Scenery that is only less beautiful than the trout you catch, non-existent crowds, and tons of eager fish to hook into makes small mountain stream fly fishing some of the most enjoyable fishing you can do in a day. Next time you start to plan a fishing trip, wake up an extra couple hours early. Make the longer drive. Do the hike. Discover the small mountain stream you’ve been thinking about fishing, but haven’t made the effort to explore. You won’t regret it.
If you want to see why we recommend small streams for their beauty and fun, check out one of our streamside courses like this one ->
Over and tr-out!
