[salish]

Good suggestions, Dave. Another couple of resources are "Fly Fishing the High Country", by John Gierach (an early, non-humorous book by him) and some of the John Shewey books, such as "Northwest Fly Fishing and Beyond". Shewey's books are an incredible help if you are unfamilar with a certain species and method, and he does have a chapter on alpine lakes. I've never caught a Golden, but this summer will be different Cliff

[3 little fishies]

If someone catches us, we feel terrible. But when they release us we feel like we have a new line on life--much better than before we were caught. Rather than being hooked on a feeling, now we are hooked on life and all of its alure. We worry more about sharks and whales than people. At least when they catch us they prepare us in cornmeal, butter, shallots and herbs and grill us right and savor us to the last bite. Whales just bolt us down -the 3 little fishies (and the momma fishy too)

[sooperfly]

Try Kastmasters for goldens!! I caught this fish last year on a 1/4 ounce silver/blue Kastmaster. Fish was down deep when it bit. I put this on another forum yesterday, but I thought you might like to see it too.

goldyrecord

[salish]

Beautiful Golden, Sooperfly. The blue & chrome Kastmaster is my favorite lure, and I use it in 1/12th, 1/8th, and 1/4 oz sizes. I normally fly fish but on mountain lakes it's difficult to reach some water unless you have a raft, and I'll often go to a spinning reel and lures. I've used Kastmasters with great success. Thanks again for the photo.

[Dslayer]

Wow-so that's what one them looks like-beautiful fish--how big was it?

[sooperfly]

Thanks! It was officially measured at 21.25 inches and 3.91 lbs.

[Dslayer]

Cool-off the top of my head that sounds right around the MT state record-I think it came out of a place called Lightning Lake in the Lake Plateau area of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness-I've never been there but it's on my list of places to get to. There's another lake, Sylvan Lake, that is much more accessible. I've heard of a place near my neck of the woods that supposedly has them and if it does, it's pretty darn remote so I'm hopeful of something like your fish. Goldens have kind of picqued my interest lately-I won't ask where you caught him (but if you PM me, I promise not to tell) Thanks for posting that picture.

[Brian Curtis]

I've been to Lightening Lake. At the time I predicted a world record golden was probably lurking there. It was later I learned the Montana state record came from there. I only caught one 13" fish and I never actually saw anything larger, but based on what that one had been eating I figured the big ones had to be there.

[sooperfly]

I have heard of lightning lake... I really would like to go there this year. The state has surveyed fish there in the ten pound range! I have been looking on my topo but haven't been able to find it yet. I have read a couple of articles on it, and it looks like just my type of lake! Looks like Lightning has given up the title to Cave lake as of 2000, 5.43 pounds..

[Dslayer]

Well now you guys have me reconsidering my whole summer plan-I wa going to go back to the East Rosebud again in August and up to Fossil Lake and explore that area some more, but a trip to the Lake Plateau may be in order.