The Allure of High Mountain Troutin'
by Phil Scheen
School was out, the bags were packed, and the little family from the flatlands
of Texas was about to explode with anticipation.
Once a year this little band had the opportunity to escape the constant pressures
of the big city and head to the mountains of Colorado. The drive only took a couple of days, but it seemed like they'd never spy the
hills above Pueblo.
While Dad and Grandpa built our cabin, my brother Jerry and I explored every inch of that mountain. Collecting
rocks, hunting everything that moved, and, of course, fishing occupied our every waking moment.
Finally, the cabin was finished! We
played hard all day on that mountain, then spent the evening on the deck with the family - looking up at the stars through crystal-clear
skies was amazing! All the constellations we had learned about in school were actually visible up in the mountains. Listening to all
the living things stirring from their daylight slumber was wonderful, but the best part was that at times there was total silence...
After
enjoying a few vacations in Colorado, my grandpa died and the cabin was sold. I was devastated, but once I had regained some semblance
of control, I promised myself I would one day return to God's Country - this time to stay!
That eight-year-old's dream became reality
24 years later. During those long years, a substantial amount of time was spent in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Oregon exploring
the mountains. From Montana's Missouri River to the Wood of Idaho and the Klamath of Oregon, I have experienced incredible fishing.
The hundreds of lakes and streams of Utah's Uintas are amazing, as are the dozens of spots in the Tetons and Wyoming's Yellowstone
Park.
For the young at heart and the stout of body, the Wind River Mountains are truly incredible. In the end, God's greatest creation
is the mountains, and all the life that springs forth from them! But let's get down to the subject at hand - slammin' trout in the
high country!
Fishing alpine waters is a tremendous experience that should be had by every person on the face of the earth. Becoming
a part of that huge, living thing that is "the mountain" is beyond description, if a person will just allow the defenses to drop.
By doing so, you may be very surprised how your fishing improves, as well.
You must become a part of it all, and for a while just sit
back and soak everything in. Once you have "become a part of it," you will begin to sense things that were invisible before, including
trout and their favorite haunts and habits in the water you are targeting.
