Heart Lake & Rogers Pass Lake (Cutthroat Trout)

Join Tim & Gage as they hike deep into the James Peak Wilderness Area in search of Colorado's State Fish, the Cutthroat Trout.

[@WhatMyLensSees]

Great video fellas and those couple you got at Heart plus those views still made for an incredible day! Thanks for sharing

[@CombatFlyFishing]

What My Lens Sees you are right about the views...can’t beat ‘em.

[@driftstone]

I love your pursuit of fish way off the grid! Love it man!

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Eric Leslie thank you and thanks for watching. -Tim

[@kmath8321]

Brother great job keep up the great work.

[@43lbcat]

Another really sweet vid and those Cutts were impressive. I hiked Cheesman yesterday and can relate to picky fish and smokey lungs.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

matt midthun Cheesman Canyon is one of my favorites but those fish can be tough. -Tim

[@nofthet583]

@@CombatFlyFishing Im from NM but went to Cheesman for the first time last week. It was tough. I found fish swimming within inches behind me and they were eating anything I kicked up. I had a hard time picking a fly pattern. I tried everything 🤣🤣🤣. Tons of fish there, but I didn't see very many others pulling out fish either. This tells me those fish bite on a good presentation more than a particular pattern, but idk for sure. I was skunked at Cheesman but I'll be back. I backpacked into IPW and had a blast catching greenback cutthroats over a few days. Lots of rain kept me from fishing more. They were beautiful. Anyway, thanks for inspiring me. Love your videos. The burn scars were heart breaking. I truly can't wait to wake up in a tent, make coffee, and fish all day again. Colorado is a very spiritual place for me. Take care.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

@@nofthet583 Yeah, Cheesman can be tricky. I have developed a personalized strategic approach to the Canyon over the years that has served me well. In the end though, perfect presentation is what brings most fish to the net. -Tim

[@rtistmedia5636]

@@nofthet583 Same story here at Cheeman Canyon. The pressure on those fish from all the anglers make em highly selective about what they'll bite. Looking forward to another go this year.

[@hosshunter]

Real beauties! Thanks for sharing brother. Yet another place I need to hit

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Bryan Hess come with next time, Zen Master!

[@hosshunter]

Combat Fly Fishing lets do something man! been far too long

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Bryan Hess I’m down. Maybe next Monday or Tuesday?

[@hosshunter]

Combat Fly Fishing hit me on text. You have the numbah yeah?

[@rex7lee]

Great video. Nice fish.

[@11B4V]

Great video Tim.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Thanks, Dan! Miss seeing you on the river my friend.

[@FlickyFlies]

Great video! I'd like to get up here and create a video myself. That tiny creek on the way up looked fun too, if not difficult!

[@Nik-gh6gz]

Wow. Your videos are so interesting entertaining and well edited! New favorite fly fishing youtuber for sure and im just surprised you dont have thousands of subscribers yet but I guess you will be my secret channel for now. Keep up the good work!

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Nik thanks for the words of encouragement. I really appreciate you watching my channel. -Tim

[@swashbucklingadventures9929]

Try hiking it from the top down. WAY easier! I've done both.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

I will. Thanks for the tip. I’m guessing the top down route is via Winter Park?

[@swashbucklingadventures9929]

@@CombatFlyFishing Yes and no. Here's the trailhead I took. James Peak Trailhead Nederland, CO 80466 [phone] maps.app.goo.gl/j8LSwmLrgQkAXYvx7

[@rtistmedia5636]

@@swashbucklingadventures9929 ah nice

[@OpportunityFishing]

I love Heart lake! Went there last year, but the wind was so bad could not fish it long. Saw some brutes. There is a ridiculous amount of fish in Rodgers Pass lake to encourage you after Heartbreak lake! Good stuff. BTW Crater lakes in that area is also amazing. The uppermost has very large cutts, but maybe even more challenging than Heart to catch them. The lower two are excellent brookie fishing.

[@swashbucklingadventures9929]

Snowshoed up to the first lake but couldn't see a way to go further

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Opportunity Fishing, thanks for the info. I haven’t been to the Crater Lakes yet, but it’s on the list for sure.

[@Paulpoission]

I had one of the cross water rods. Really didn’t like it. Found that casting was struggle with it. I had it as a backup 5wt

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Yeah, that one does the job but it’s definitely not a high end performer. -Tim

[@brooksvenuti7490]

Which trail head did you take and how long was the hike? Great vid!

[@chaseberry6992]

The hike is 4.5 miles there and 4.5 back. Takes two and a quarter to get there and same on the way back.

[@samkidder13]

What time of year was this? I’m trying to plan a trip for my girlfriend and I to hit a few alpine lakes and streams along the way. We’re from Buffalo ny and have never been into Colorado. Thanks in advance!

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Alpine lakes are usually fishable from the 2nd week of July through the first week of November. Good luck and thanks for watching. -Tim

[@caryh4311]

Thought you could drive most of the way up on CR80, must be closed.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

Cary H I think it’s open. Didn’t want to chance it due to the road closures on I-70 because of the fires.

[@brooksvenuti7490]

@@CombatFlyFishing I can confirm that 80 is open. Took it up to Corona Lake trailhead last weekend. Very smokey on that side of the ridge though.

[@mattier3030]

The 5 people who don’t like this must be trout….

[@1MattFugazzi]

I first fished all these lakes in 1991 with my friend Claus Muhlbauer who guided for the ranch up in Granby. He stocked many of these lakes for DOW in the ‘60s-70s by plane and milk cartons! I am wondering how you obtained your info that these are Greenbacks? As far as I’ve ever seen in all my trips, the Greenbacks were determined not to be in any of the Indian Peaks nor James Peak areas and were limited to restoration in RMNP; these are supposed to always have been our native CRC Cutts. Is there some I do pointing to these being Greenbacks somewhere that I could find? I know two biologists (one being Jim Swigle for this area) that only list them as “natives”. Glad to see Heart Lake has. Ounces back though! It went through a period around from 1996-? Where everyone and their brother fished this lake out because of the huge Cutts in there. The biggest is ever seen was a cover photo of Claus the Winter Park (local magazine) did on him holding a near 4.5 pounder from there. Nice video

[@CombatFlyFishing]

This is incredible information! My knowledge came from word-of-mouth which I fully admit doesn’t hold a candle to your evidence. Since your post I’ve been searching for solid evidence from the DOW website that these are the native Greenbacks but so far, I’ve got nothing. Just that they are “cutthroat trout”. I’m excited to investigate this more. I have some contacts at the Colorado DOW that might be of help, but at this point it would seems that I’m mistaken. Thanks for the post. This is truly fascinating. -Tim

[@1MattFugazzi]

@@CombatFlyFishing Tim, check out my KZbin channel if you wouldn’t mind! I have been fly fishing these high mountain lakes for quite a long time and have compiled quite a book of places that hold many different species including all three of our native Cutts, Grayling and Cali Golden Trout too. I’ve never run across a place that holds Greenbacks other than: RMNP, Arkansas River headwaters and a few secret places ;) In 2012 there was vast testing via DNA on Cutts which disputed and also refuted many “thought” places that held Greenbacks but were found to hold hybridized Cutts. In case you didn’t already know, both the Greenback and the CRCs hail from the same common ancestor before the last glacial age about 10,000 years ago; their DNA is very close as is the native Rainbows from west. Hope this helps, but now, as far as I have seen places that hold Greenbacks are well signed and marked all along the drainages.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

@@1MattFugazzi I’ve been watching your channel today. Fantastic stuff! Definitely a fan and just dropped you a subscription. I really enjoy learning new things as well as unlearning things I took as gospel from word of mouth. Thanks for this interaction. I really appreciate you. -Tim

[@DrPommels]

even the trout re-introduced in RMNP were found to be mixed with Colorado river cutts...... The only true greenbacks were still the remnant populations originally found by Dr. Behnke.

[@chaseberry6992]

Love the videos but please dont release the names of our precious alpine lakes. I hate to see this spot get bombarded by out of towners.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

That’s a really good point. Thank you for that perspective. -Tim

[@rtistmedia5636]

@@CombatFlyFishing I don't know, it's not like you can just drive up to this lake. Out of towners or not, you gotta earn your way through some serious trail to fish these lakes. That alone will keep em' from being "bombarded" in my opinion.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

@@rtistmedia5636 Yeah, I tend to agree. This isn’t a place that can be easily accessed, but I understand chase’s position and appreciate his civil tone. Since this post, I’ve taken his criticism to heart and am more careful about disclosing these lakes locations. -Tim

[@connorgray9951]

Trust me all it takes is one video releasing the name for it to be "known" I've fished heart lake for 5 years used to see nobody there the first couple trips, last year there almost a dozen people and for a lake that size that's crowded. Love the videos and mean no to but these days people will hike anywhere for fish because the rivers are too crowded now a days

[@ioriginalPSN]

Hey! Sorry for the late comment but just got here in colorado and planning an overnight trip with backpacking and fishing!. Just wondering where you guys parked for the hiking access i'm coming from Colorado Springs

[@CombatFlyFishing]

That lake is still frozen over and won’t thaw until the first week of July more than likely. Sorry friend. You have to understand that it lies at about 12,000 feet in elevation. The trail is also still covered in snow. -Tim

[@ioriginalPSN]

@@CombatFlyFishing darn, that was not expected lol. can you ice fish it?

[@CombatFlyFishing]

@@ioriginalPSN nope. You’ll never make the hike up there. You’ll freeze before you ever make it to the lake. Go fish Spinney Mountain Reservoir. It’s close to you and the fishing is excellent this time of year. Big Colorado Cutthroat.

[@CombatFlyFishing]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpebfX-IhJl9idE