# Twin Lakes near Brighton 1-17



## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Twin Lakes - Well it was just my twin and I so we opted to take the milicent chair lift to twin lakes to ice fish. We paid our $15 each for a single ride up and held our breath to hear whether of not the lifties would let us up, as I had an ice auger sticking out of my pack. First they asked what it was, where I was going, and that they might join me. BINGO got passed the ticket guys. The lift operator asked "what is that?" just as I was loading the chair and I said "Don't ask you don't want to know !"

We skied down the groomer to the dam by 10:30am. Right as I went off trail/out of bounds, the snow launched me onto my face thanks to the breakable wind crust. We drilled the 1st holes at the dam and it was only 8 ft. deep. We continued to move around 4 times and I only got 2 nibbles. We could only find water 12 ft. deep and less everywhere. So by 1pm we decided to hit the upper twin lakes.

We drilled 2 holes and noticed once again that the water was only 12 ft. deep. My twin tried to talk me into Silver lake (bad idea by the way) and BAM my rod went bendo and I started to reel the fish up and lost it. I lost 3 fish total and my twin lost 1. The fish would travel through every 30 minutes at 6 ft. deep. By 2:45pm we caled it quits and headed for silver lake. Turns out silver lake is owned by solitude and it is only open to hikers and cross country skiers for a fee and violators will be prosecuted. So much for ice fishing that place. Better get it before the resorts open or after they close for the season.

I was using a pumpkin pepper jig with a glow jig head. My twin was using a ratso jig in white. Both were tipped with nightcrawlers. Our glow pepper jig didn't work all day.

Me going up the millicent chair lift








The groomer shots into Twin Lakes

















Me looking at the final approach to Twin Lakes









Me ice fishing lower twin lakes









Me leaving Twin Lakes


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## scientificangler (Aug 13, 2008)

That is just cool. Great adventure.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Good on ya to give Twin Lakes a try.
Not many here would go to that effort.

May I suggest adding a few of Maniac's jigs to your tackle.
Cutt'r Bugs, Gizzy Bugs and Gizzillas are working great for me on the Trout.
Wax Worms have been the best bait.
Get some in White and some in Chartreuse Green.
They may save a day of no fish for you once in a while.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

nice report. sucks no fish but at least ya got to ski. cool pic of you standing in that shadow on the ice


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Grandpa D said:


> Good on ya to give Twin Lakes a try.
> Not many here would go to that effort.
> 
> May I suggest adding a few of Maniac's jigs to your tackle.
> ...


Great idea GD! Just another thing to add to the tackle!

Tube dude told me that he uses nightcrawlers and a personal made bait. We asked about waxies and he said "I haven't bought those in 4 years". We are just trying something new this year. Used to be a big waxie fan.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Man, that's rough! Great effort though and some awesome photos. Sorry it didn't work out. Getting skunked is bad enough, but getting skunked after missing bites is the worst!

How thick was the ice?

Was the access road to the dam groomed or at least packed a little?


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

LOAH said:


> How thick was the ice?
> Was the access road to the dam groomed or at least packed a little?


The ice n the lower lake was 25 inches thick, the upper lake was 27.5 inches thick. 9 holes total were drilled by us.

The summer trail is non-existent but Brighton has a great uphill policy. The groomed run was packed down. That is the better way up for sure if ya hike. Stick to the lookers left side of the lift then eventually like haf way up stick to the right side of the lift and you are there. Stay to the side of the trail to avoid getting run over! :shock:


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

tye dye twins said:


> 25 inches thick


Thanks.



tye dye twins said:


> Stick to the lookers left side of the lift then eventually like haf way up stick to the right side of the lift and you are there.


...Or wait until June. Yeah, that's what I think I'll do. :lol: That's just way too much ice to work through without a power auger.

You guys aren't lazy, I'll give you that!


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

I'm surprised they let you on there lifts carrying an auger ha ha


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Bscuderi said:


> I'm surprised they let you on there lifts carrying an auger ha ha


I think for $15 they will let you do anything!


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Good point


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## Crow (Sep 15, 2007)

If Solitude owns the lake why would the DWR plant fish in it. I can't see them planting fish in a private lake. By the way my oldest son has caught a lake trout out of one of the twin lakes but that was a very long time ago.

http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots/detai ... 1246979664

DWR plants for 2011:
SILVER L Salt Lake RAINBOW 1600 9.56" 06/30/2011

SILVER L Salt Lake RAINBOW 1601 10.13" 07/14/2011

SILVER L Salt Lake RAINBOW 1397 10.13" 07/28/2011

SILVER L Salt Lake BROOK TROUT 1495 2.45" 08/01/2011

SILVER L Salt Lake RAINBOW 1517 8.63" 08/09/2011

SILVER L Salt Lake RAINBOW 1098 9.26" 08/30/2011


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Crow said:


> If Solitude owns the lake why would the DWR plant fish in it. I can't see them planting fish in a private lake. By the way my oldest son has caught a lake trout out of one of the twin lakes but that was a very long time ago.
> 
> http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots/detai ... 1246979664


I have fished it in the summer and have walked the trails for years. Every winter there are signs in the parking lot that read "Solitude. YOU ARE ENTERING A FEE AREA. Hikers, snowshoers, and cross country skiers must purchase a pass ........ All violators will be prosecuted!" The passes are sold right there at the lodge looking cabin in front of the lake.

There must be some kind of deal they have for winter operations. Still that was a big bummer to see that ice fishing is off limits, till they close in April that is! 8)

A laker would be sweet. I have seen pics of 23 inch cutthroats coming out of there. Still I have fished it twice (fall and this winter) with the same results, fish got off the darn hook! What was surprisng though was the lack fish on the sonar.

I have heard of a few brook trout coming out of Silver Lake too. Very small (4 to 5 inches) ones though.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Even the DWR report says slow with no report on Ice thickness. If it was closed im sure it would say closed winters? Perhaps the signs are a scare tactic or are mis marked. If you want to fish it I would call the division and ask. From my understanding 99 percent of the ski resorts are forest service property in which ski resorts buy permissions to put lifts. I'm pretty sure they only own the lifts. I've heard if you wanted to hike up you wouldn't even need a lift ticket. I believe this is how when we used to go sledding and snowboarding after hours at alta. once the resort called on us and the sheriff came to see what we were doing and he told the resort we weren't in violation. He just said to us have fun boys and I can't stop you unless there's a noise complaint from the neighboring hotels do just keep it quiet and safe.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

I was actually going to submit a report to the DWR and Utah Fish Finder. I have emailed the DWR and am waiting for the official answer.

Well I just listen to the signs. Once I made the mistake of skinning up Alta on their runs and ski patrol came flying down by snowmobile threatining me with Tresspassing, Theft of Services, Reckless Endangerment, and Disorderly Conduct. They told me only the summer road was open to uphill traffic during thier open hours and that I could only take the service road down to ski as they escorted me out. Whew I luckily had a great attitude to avoid charges.

Snowbird allows uphill traffic. That was the deal to backcountry skiers when they took over mineral basin. This weekend they are considering suspending that right until the avalanche danger goes down.

Solitude does not allow early season (before opening) traffic. All the other resorts in the Cottonwood Canyons do allow pre-season traffic BTW. The rest of the open season at Solitude is a "wild card".

Brighton allows uphill traffic. They even sell the single ride tickets for $15.

Park City will not allow you to come in from Big Cottonwood's Gaurdsmans Pass. They will charge you with Reckless Endangerment, Tresspassing, and Theft of Services. I had a friendly chat with ski patrol on that one.

The Canyons can't enforce it as well if you come from Big Cottonwood. They have an open backcountry all the time. Still they scan tickets a darn near every lift.

Deer Valley will not allow you to come from Big Cottonwood. They police it VERY well as they share a border with Park City resort.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Ha ha seems you have learned all the inns and outs there.  I have no idea what you can and can't do I remember thinking oh let's drop into the backcountry from the bird one time needless to say I got escorted off the mountain and my pass revoked. I thought I could do that and I was assuming responsibility apparently not as they didn't believe my ignorance. I would live to hear the results of your letter because something seems to stink about it. I feel slot of times people put up signs where they have no right too. Plenty of perfect examples in this state. It's kinda sad they don't police it better. Theres places I hunt that if I didn't know the area and forest service parking lot behind that if I was new to the area I would have turned around due to signage


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Bscuderi said:


> I would love to hear the results of your letter because something seems to stink about it. I feel a lot of times people put up signs where they have no right too.


I will post up the reponse when I get it. I sure hope you are right though so I can ice fish it!


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Here was the reponse from the DWR about Silver Lake.....

"The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources regulates fishing in the lake, according to our regulations there is nothing against ice fishing Silver Lake. However, the division does not regulate access to and from the lake, unless it is DWR property. This is regulated by the land agency. You will need to contact the land agency regarding access through their managed properties.
Thanks"

I guess I will have to ask the lodge right next to Silver lake then. My guess is no as they probably don't want ice holes in their course they set up. Still it is worth asking next time I am up there! Whenever the avalanche conditions settle down I will go up there again.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

If the resort has a special use permit, you can contact the Forest Service and ask if/why there are restrictions to access. It is always worth the time to ask the questions.


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