Boulder Mtn. - Upper & Lower Barker Reservoirs, Dougherty Basin Reservoir (report)

[southernman]

[left]Boulder Mtn. - Upper & Lower Barker Reservoirs, Dougherty Basin Reservoir Sept 20-23[/left] [left]I was so impressed with this beautiful area the first couple times there, 9 lakes, 4-5 different types of trout, and hiking at 10,000 - 11,000 feet, i had to go for 3-4 days and really try it out. I got in to my campsite at the Barkers campground, there was one other tent and no camp host. I was by myself this trip, a week vacay from work. I set up camp about 4pm and went up to the upper barkers reservoir[/left] [left][/left] [left]at about 10,000 feet, this is so beautiuful, and receives very little fishin' pressure . . [/left] [left][url "http://www.fs.fed.us/dxnf/fishing/reservoirs/barkers.htm"]http://www.fs.fed.us/dxnf/fishing/reservoirs/barkers.htm[/url][/left] [left][/left] [left]i walked along the trail on the far side of the lake, taking the trail, jumping the babbling brook, i noticed it was a little more damp than when i had been there in july, then plop, i went knee deep into the bog . . yuck . . fished for hour and a half, nuthin . . .lots of vegetation growth, tough to fish, couldn't get closer than 8 feet to the shoreline cause id be ankle deep in black funk . .the sun went down, the temp dropped 25 degrees in 20 minutes (or so its seemed), i took a little longer way to get back, skipping the wading this time . . .and enjoyed a campfire and some stargazing my first night . . .temperatures ranged from low 30's at night to low 80's during the day![/left] [left]Started off Sunday morning again at upper barker, but went around the other side, which is the trailhead to get [size 1]to Joe Lay Reservoir, Flat Lake, Blue Lake, and Yellow Lake, where i hear theres some great brook trout fishing . . .[/size][/left] [left][size 1]I caught a dozen rainbows from 14-17 inches that first morning . .[/size][/left] [left][size 1][/size][/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left][size 1]i had a plan all laid out of what lures, flies i would use, but i never got past rainbow crave and nightcrawlers, one every 10-15 minutes, regular as clockwork . . .nice jumpers . . hoping to get a brookie outta there, the first time i was there i caught a 1-1/2 pounder . . not this time . . .[/size][/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left]i released all of the fish . .. brought plenty of food . . quit fishing about 12:30...[/left] [left]that evening about 4pm i figured i'd try the lower barker reservoir, i hadn't even seen it before . . [/left] [left][/left] [left]its just 100 yards or so from the parking area . ., over a dell, not quite as big as the upper reservoir, but really beautiful ! hey and it had a small fishing dock with a couple big logs to sit on! what comfort![/left] [left][/left] [left]a couple guys were fishing near the dam when i got there, they waved, then hauled it in, and had as nice stringer full of rainbows . . . we exchanged pleasantries and i started fishing with worms and crave/powerbait mix again . . bam here were go again . . caught about 10 rainbows in 2 hrs . . .[/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left]i tried some of those brown power natural worms, caught 2 of the bows on them, tried a jig, snagged . . .a ton of moss growing from the bottom, tried a gold panther martin . .caught 1 on that before leaving at 6pm . .[/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left]a doe led its yearling to water . .awesome . .[/left] [left][/left] [left]the next day i decided to hike into dougherty basin reservoir . . .they had brookies and yellowstone cutthroats(ed. WRONG - THEY WERE COLORADO CUTTHROATS, see post below sm) . .a species i hadnt caught before . . .its closed to fishing every year till july 12th, and artificial only . .you cant keep any cutters, but you can keep 4 brookies . . .[/left] [left][/left] [left]well its a long 3/4 of a mile, almost totally uphill, not too steep, but you feel like you've accomplished something let me tell ya . . . i thought id see it around about 5 bends and switchbacks before:[/left] [left][/left] [left][/left] [left]oh man, it was gorgeous, by the way i didnt see anyone else on the trail, and no one fishing there either, it was my own little mtn lake! yeeeeeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaa[/left] [left][/left] [left]it was a lot of tougher hiking around this lake, it had a trail, but a steep slope on both sides and tons of downed trees blocking the path, lots of crawling over and under . . .[/left] [left]so i tied on the same panther martin and started casting, and pow! I was hoping for a brookie, but got a beautiful 16 inch yellowstone cutthroat trout ! my first![/left] [left][/left] [left]another 5-6 casts, and pow another![/left] [left][/left] [left]nothing for an hour , switching lures, jigs, spoons . . caught one smaller cutter on a yellow jig, then an 18 incher on a silver spoon that shook the lure as i tried to get it outta the water . . .[/left] [left][/left] [left]about 10:30am the fish quit hitting, so after 2 hrs of nothing, i hiked pleasantly downhill most of the way back to the trailhead . . .[/left] [left][/left] [left]this is the view of upper barkers from the trail to dougherty . . . the leaves are changing folks! prob 2 weeks or so away now of peaking . . [/left] [left]Went to lower barkers again that evening, caught another dozen from the dock, great fishin . . . even caught one rainbow on a countdown rainbow trout rapala! [/left] [left]the night before some other people camped with some hound dogs, they might have been hunting, but man this ole dog started howling at 5 am the next two mornings . . .ohhhhhhhhh just shut up!@!!@!@! i got about 8 hrs sleep in 3 days . . .man it gets cold up there fast, caught a sniffle, lipburn too . .. really strong sun in the day, but a nice cool breeze . .first night had 20 mph gusts all night long . . .so i took off back for civilization, a hot shower, and the last week of the regular baseball season ( GO CUBS! WE'RE IN FIRST PLACE!)[/left] [left]i would defintely recommend this area for the next 3-4 weeks or so until the snows come, i never got to round and long willow bottom, where theres more cutters and splake! [/left] [left]sm[/left]
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