Looking for tips please!

[Ryan Bowering]

Hi again,

I’m trying to plan a 2 night backpacking/fishing trip with the lady and the pup.

The thing is we are both recovering from foot surgeries, and need to limit the hike to 2-3 miles each way,

also,

It would be nice if it were somewhere with somewhat nicely cleared campsites so that she can throw the hammock and have a little spot to enjoy while I paddle around and scare fish.

I live in Everett, but we don’t mind driving.

Thanks!!!

[Brian Curtis]

Forest and Lonesome Lakes in Pierce County are in need of surveys. Both are drive to lakes. I recommend avoiding camping at those lakes on the weekend, especially Lonesome. Forest has a population of goldfish and surveys on their abundance and size is particularly welcome.

Hyas is a flat and easy hike, but a popular spot. Squaw Lake, in the same area, fits your parameters. And the Hi-Laker new member trip will be there on 6-7 July.

Janus Lake would be a nice spot. Josephine, Swimming Deer, Trap, Mig, or Susan Jane would all be good. While we are in the Stevens Pass area the Grace Lakes can be a fun hike if you enjoy the interesting detritus while walking through the ski area.

Down by Mt Rainier you could go to the Deadwood Lakes. No official trail, but there is a way trail. Sheep Lake is right on the trail and nearby. The Dewey Lakes are a short hike the other direction.

Twin Sisters Lakes are nice. Or off White Pass you could visit Hell Lake, or go the other direction to Cramer Lake and from there visit however many lakes you want to visit. But watch for mosquitoes this time of year. They can be brutal in that area.

That was a few off the top of my head. There are many, many more. Perhaps someone will come up with some more ideas. I’m sure I’ll think of a bunch as soon as I hit submit.

[Ryan Bowering]

Brian, thank you so much. This will keep us busy all summer!!

thanks again,

[Ryan Bowering]

Janus looks amazing, but that’s a long hike, unless you know a quicker way from the forest roads? otherwise, looks like 9 miles on the PCT

[Ryan Bowering]

Both Janus and Josephine look wonderful, but they both might be a little long for our first backpack trip in a while….

Hyas sounds like a great hike for us, but I’d love to find a spot off route 2 somewhere, but looks like 4 or 5 miles is the magic number for the alpine lakes wilderness spots….

[Ryan Bowering]

Thoughts on the trout lake, copper lake, dorothy lake area? Seems pretty accessible…

[Brian Curtis]

Janus is about 3.5 miles in if you start from Smithbrook Rd.

Trout Lake is pretty meh. But Copper and above are really nice.

Dorothy is a nice spot. It gets very busy on weekends, but it is a large lake so it absorbs a lot of people. A raft helps for fishing.

[Ryan Bowering]

ooh, right, i see! That’s a perfect hike to Janus, thanks again!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Ryan Bowering.

[Ryan Bowering]

Hijacking this thread to ask you another question. I keep pulling cutties out of Evan, and no rainbow. They are both stocked in equal numbers in the lake. Is it a species battle thing? a lure thing?
I find it interesting.
cheers,

[Brian Curtis]

There could be a number of things going on, but as a general rule, CT are easier to catch than RB. CT tend to be more aggressive and in many lakes they can be largely spatially separated from RB as the CT cruise the shallows while RB hang toward the middle.

[Ryan Bowering]

ahh, once again, thanks. Figured it was something long those lines.

ok, last one I swear: So if the CTs are going after generic wet flies, what might the RBs be going for? or is it a matter or understanding the hatch, and all that that I’m just barely starting to try to figure out.

thanks again!

[Brian Curtis]

It is kind of hard to say. Because their gill rakers are more narrowly spaced, RB can feed more effectively on zooplankton then other species. So sometimes you will find RB in deep water targeting copepods. The dynamics in a relatively productive lake like Evan are a bit different then in higher, less productive lakes. The only real way to know what will be effective is to start trying a bunch of different things to see what you get.

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