@@CombatFlyFishing Im from NM but went to Cheesman for the first time last week. It was tough. I found fish swimming within inches behind me and they were eating anything I kicked up. I had a hard time picking a fly pattern. I tried everything 🤣🤣🤣. Tons of fish there, but I didn't see very many others pulling out fish either. This tells me those fish bite on a good presentation more than a particular pattern, but idk for sure. I was skunked at Cheesman but I'll be back. I backpacked into IPW and had a blast catching greenback cutthroats over a few days. Lots of rain kept me from fishing more. They were beautiful. Anyway, thanks for inspiring me. Love your videos. The burn scars were heart breaking. I truly can't wait to wake up in a tent, make coffee, and fish all day again. Colorado is a very spiritual place for me. Take care.
@@nofthet583 Yeah, Cheesman can be tricky. I have developed a personalized strategic approach to the Canyon over the years that has served me well. In the end though, perfect presentation is what brings most fish to the net. -Tim
@@nofthet583 Same story here at Cheeman Canyon. The pressure on those fish from all the anglers make em highly selective about what they'll bite. Looking forward to another go this year.
Wow. Your videos are so interesting entertaining and well edited! New favorite fly fishing youtuber for sure and im just surprised you dont have thousands of subscribers yet but I guess you will be my secret channel for now. Keep up the good work!
@@CombatFlyFishing I don't know, it's not like you can just drive up to this lake. Out of towners or not, you gotta earn your way through some serious trail to fish these lakes. That alone will keep em' from being "bombarded" in my opinion.
@@rtistmedia5636 Yeah, I tend to agree. This isn’t a place that can be easily accessed, but I understand chase’s position and appreciate his civil tone. Since this post, I’ve taken his criticism to heart and am more careful about disclosing these lakes locations. -Tim
Trust me all it takes is one video releasing the name for it to be "known" I've fished heart lake for 5 years used to see nobody there the first couple trips, last year there almost a dozen people and for a lake that size that's crowded. Love the videos and mean no to but these days people will hike anywhere for fish because the rivers are too crowded now a days
What time of year was this? I’m trying to plan a trip for my girlfriend and I to hit a few alpine lakes and streams along the way. We’re from Buffalo ny and have never been into Colorado. Thanks in advance!
I love Heart lake! Went there last year, but the wind was so bad could not fish it long. Saw some brutes. There is a ridiculous amount of fish in Rodgers Pass lake to encourage you after Heartbreak lake! Good stuff. BTW Crater lakes in that area is also amazing. The uppermost has very large cutts, but maybe even more challenging than Heart to catch them. The lower two are excellent brookie fishing.
I first fished all these lakes in 1991 with my friend Claus Muhlbauer who guided for the ranch up in Granby. He stocked many of these lakes for DOW in the ‘60s-70s by plane and milk cartons! I am wondering how you obtained your info that these are Greenbacks? As far as I’ve ever seen in all my trips, the Greenbacks were determined not to be in any of the Indian Peaks nor James Peak areas and were limited to restoration in RMNP; these are supposed to always have been our native CRC Cutts. Is there some I do pointing to these being Greenbacks somewhere that I could find? I know two biologists (one being Jim Swigle for this area) that only list them as “natives”. Glad to see Heart Lake has. Ounces back though! It went through a period around from 1996-? Where everyone and their brother fished this lake out because of the huge Cutts in there. The biggest is ever seen was a cover photo of Claus the Winter Park (local magazine) did on him holding a near 4.5 pounder from there. Nice video
This is incredible information! My knowledge came from word-of-mouth which I fully admit doesn’t hold a candle to your evidence. Since your post I’ve been searching for solid evidence from the DOW website that these are the native Greenbacks but so far, I’ve got nothing. Just that they are “cutthroat trout”. I’m excited to investigate this more. I have some contacts at the Colorado DOW that might be of help, but at this point it would seems that I’m mistaken. Thanks for the post. This is truly fascinating. -Tim
@@CombatFlyFishing Tim, check out my RU-vid channel if you wouldn’t mind! I have been fly fishing these high mountain lakes for quite a long time and have compiled quite a book of places that hold many different species including all three of our native Cutts, Grayling and Cali Golden Trout too. I’ve never run across a place that holds Greenbacks other than: RMNP, Arkansas River headwaters and a few secret places ;) In 2012 there was vast testing via DNA on Cutts which disputed and also refuted many “thought” places that held Greenbacks but were found to hold hybridized Cutts. In case you didn’t already know, both the Greenback and the CRCs hail from the same common ancestor before the last glacial age about 10,000 years ago; their DNA is very close as is the native Rainbows from west. Hope this helps, but now, as far as I have seen places that hold Greenbacks are well signed and marked all along the drainages.
@@TroutSoup1 I’ve been watching your channel today. Fantastic stuff! Definitely a fan and just dropped you a subscription. I really enjoy learning new things as well as unlearning things I took as gospel from word of mouth. Thanks for this interaction. I really appreciate you. -Tim
even the trout re-introduced in RMNP were found to be mixed with Colorado river cutts...... The only true greenbacks were still the remnant populations originally found by Dr. Behnke.
Hey! Sorry for the late comment but just got here in colorado and planning an overnight trip with backpacking and fishing!. Just wondering where you guys parked for the hiking access i'm coming from Colorado Springs
That lake is still frozen over and won’t thaw until the first week of July more than likely. Sorry friend. You have to understand that it lies at about 12,000 feet in elevation. The trail is also still covered in snow. -Tim
@@ioriginalPSN nope. You’ll never make the hike up there. You’ll freeze before you ever make it to the lake. Go fish Spinney Mountain Reservoir. It’s close to you and the fishing is excellent this time of year. Big Colorado Cutthroat.
