# Going for the Gold



## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

With this prolonged winter finally subdued by the summer heat, access to the High Uintas has finally opened! Learning of this news halfway through the week, my destination was solidified.

One of my bucket list goals has been to catch a golden trout in Utah. There are only a couple of places, literally, that still hold remnant populations of them from stockings in the 70's. My quest for the week was to try and scratch that goal off the list...

The Uintas are magical. It's such a beautiful place with miles upon miles of unspoiled Nature. Any visit here is a special experience and leaves the soul wanting more.




























The drive to my spot was a rough one. I thought I'd taken my worst road last weekend, but I was waaaaaay off. It was slow going for several miles, as I carefully crawled over the "road". Somehow, I managed to keep from bottoming out or scraping my skidplates. There were many areas along the path that looked hungry for an oil pan.

Though I couldn't make the last 2000 feet due to snow drifts, I was grateful to give the Rodeo a well earned rest and made the short walk to my target.





































A gorgeous venue, indeed. I had the whole place to myself.










The fish were plentiful, but very small. This was to be expected, so it wasn't a let down by any means. The brookies have overpopulated, as they tend to do in western waters that are suitable for natural recruitment. This leaves them small and easy to catch, but I wasn't after the brookies. My intent was to catch only one fish, the golden trout.

Having to compete with the aggressive reproduction of the brookies, it seems miraculous that any goldens still survive. Finding one through the masses of brook trout would prove to be a difficult task and thankfully, I knew of a couple areas where they'd been found in the past.

Regardless of my prepping, the areas I initially tried failed to produce my trophy, but I caught some beautiful little brookies.




























Pretty much anything that got wet was catching fish, so the fast action was nice. There still weren't any goldens coming in though and I could visually tell that all the fish in the area were brookies. Knowing I needed to try a different approach, off I went to improvise and hunt down the rarest of trout in Utah.

It certainly wasn't the most probable place to look, but after spending most of the day unhooking tiny brook trout, I finally found my golden.










My bucket list just got shorter! What a treat to hold this precious little gem in my hand, knowing that there aren't many people who can say they've done the same (a golden from Utah, at least). Mission complete! I'm just thrilled that I didn't have to take a 30 mile, round trip hike to get my golden (that's the other place that has them).

With my main objective successfully met, I was able to "unfocus" and just have a good time in the high country that I've missed so much.


















































































What a pleasure! I took my sweet time on the ride home and ended up taking a couple of short hikes to follow some running water. None of these produced any fish for me, but it was still nice to chart unfamiliar territory and a good way to top off another great fishing adventure.





































Thanks for reading and I wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!

Happy Fishing, Humans.


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## flyfitch (Sep 22, 2007)

Another awesome report. Good job.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Great report!!

I didn't think that lake had any goldens left in it!


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks like you had a great time thanks for the Awesome photos great job getting the gold. 8)


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Good for you.
Now we need to get you up to Strawberry, the Gorge or the Pig for some Koke action.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

I agree! Plans are in the works for a FG trip next month.


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## REPETER (Oct 3, 2007)

Outstanding! I bet that was such a trill to see


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## JCR (Sep 17, 2007)

That's awesome! Glad you found what you were looking for. Thanks for the report


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## Tigru (Oct 15, 2007)

Very very cool. Props to you. I've made a couple attempts at the elusive Golden and have always come up short. I imagine pulling that baby in felt pretty awesome.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

With all the time you have spent on the waters you deserved this one.... Post of the year in my opinion.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

LOAH-- I remember when you first started posting years ago and the questions you asked. You have become a great example of what a willing learner and dedicated person can do. This is one of the best posts I have ever read on this site. To find a Golden trout in Utah is an incredible feat--- One that you deserve! Well done.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Wow, thanks guys. That's really nice.


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

Congrats on a great fish! That one is on my bucket list too, and in Utah. Their tenacity to stick around is only rivaled by your dedication to get after them. What a special treat for the one of us no more deserving of it.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

That's some devotion brother....good job!! :O--O: 

I found some up there once, before you was born.


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## FishNaked (Apr 15, 2009)

I love how you are always on a new quest with a specific destination in mind. Makes me feel lazy for fishing the same thing over and over close to home...nice job on a fun weekend!


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Excellent report and nice work there! :_O=: That one is on my bucket list too. I have fished that location twice and only come up with brookies. Hats off on a true Utah trophy. 

OOO°)OO


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## BULLOCK9 (Jan 27, 2010)

Congrats on the golden!!


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Awesome report as usual thanks for sharing as some of us, well we won't see them thar parts of Utah...congrats on knocking a species off the bucket list well deserved and earned without a doubt. When you going to get a job as a field writer for F&S or other outdoors fish'n magazine? I'm sure you could get articles published and make a few $$$ in the process if you haven't done that already you should. I've done it and got a nice little check for the article. Again congrats and thanks for sharing those breath taking photos of the great Utah wilderness.


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## wyoguy (Mar 4, 2010)

Congrats, as you say few in Utah have caught one. Great pictures as always. thanks for sharing!


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## Jed (Feb 25, 2009)

You cast a long shadow...   8) :lol: :O•-:


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Good job LOAH! That's a beautiful little trophy. 8) 

I've always admired the efffort you've put into your fishing expeditions. Keep up the good work buddy.


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## El Casador (Aug 27, 2009)

Nice pics!  would them pics happen to be near the Poisen, Mtn area sure looks familer great place to be


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## trucha101 (Nov 5, 2009)

I knew you would get your golden. No one has more determination than you when it comes to fishing. Now you know what I meant when I told you about the road. It is a real gem. Bye the way, the goldens in Echo predate the stockings in the 70's. My old "Lakes of the High Unitas" pamphlet dated 1964 mentions them being there. I don't know when they were first planted there but it could have been a long time ago. California stopped exporting golden eggs back in the 50's, I think. Probably because the world record golden was caught in Wyoming. What is the next item on your bucket list?


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Howdy! Though I don't have a real list written up, I keep one in my head. There's no particular order for anything, but I'm hoping to get into a laker and a kokanee this year. A 2lb grayling is something I'd like to catch too.


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## flydaddy834 (Sep 11, 2007)

good job dude thats a freaking nice piece of fish. i think i have said before your blog is the **** esepcially when you cant get out like you would like just read that and be reminded of all the places to see in this state and you gt to fish on top of it. its super cool and i really appreciated it today.


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