Wyoming’s High Country Brook Trout

By Jeff McDonald

It was not until well into July when winter finally loosened its grip on the high country of Wyoming’s Snowy Range, located about 30 miles west of Laramie.  The snow finally receded and reveled familiar meandering streams teaming with hungry brook trout.

The window for fly fishing for brook trout above 10,000 feet is small; winter will again begin to set in as early as mid-September.  This gives the resident brook trout a short time to eat anything and everything that they can … and this makes for exciting fly fishing.

My tool of choice for these small high alpine streams is a 7-foot, 6-inch, 3-weight rod, 6X tippet, and big bushy dry flies that present a meal opportunity that is too good to pass up.

The cold mountain water is gin-clear, making it easy to sight trout. This also means the trout can see me, so a certain level of stealth is required to approach each deep pool that can hold dozens of trout.  Approaching a pool from the downstream side and making short to moderate cast that places the fly at the head of the pool is sure to produce a strike.

While these fish are generally small, ranging from 6 to 12 inches, they hit the fly deliberately and with purpose. Hooking these trout with light tackle is some of the most fun I have ever had trout fishing.

My selection is simple: Just about any general pattern that looks appetizing to the trout will work.  Because of their environment and short “summer,” the trout are not very selective and want to eat as much as they can. This simplicity makes for less time spent trying to match a particular insect on the water, and more time hooking fish after fish on a dry fly. The only time I need to change flies is after so many fish have hit the fly that the thread and hackle begin to unravel.

This type of fly fishing is great for fly anglers of any skill level.  Long and tricky casts are generally not needed, and it is a great confidence-builder for a beginner.  Likewise, experienced anglers can enjoy beautiful surroundings and ultra-light gear while catching wild trout on the fly.

Jeff McDonald is a member of the Laramie chapter of Trout Unlimited (Laramie Valley Trout Unlimited). He enjoys traveling Wyoming with his wife and daughter, fly fishing, skiing and photography. You can watch Jeff's fly fishing videos on his Laramie Angler YouTube channel.

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