We were welcomed to hop a helicopter to fish at British Columbia’s Fortress Lake last fall. We ‘d offered out of ownership of Fortress Lake Retreat and our old organisation partner was closing in on offering his shares and told us he had a couple of empty seats. We believed “what a good time to go up and do a little fishing and filming of the coastline one last time“.
Upon arrival we were provided a boat and all the time on the planet to capture brook trout. Given that it was most likely our last journey to Fortress Lake we decided to forego the boat and invest our weekend doing a shoreline wade from just east of the dock around to the mouth of Chisel Creek. As so ever-familiar to our 11 years of ownership, we sighted brookies just off the coastline shoal and fished light tippet and micro leeches and beadhead nymphs under a little indication, utilizing the windline to wander our flies gradually down-current to the fish. It’s a set-up and system that we’ve utilized on western lakes, hole lakes, and alpine lakes along coastline and mid-lake shoals. It’s exceptionally effective; feeding and travelling trout on similar lakes and shoals can’t assist however be here.There was a time that Fortress Lake dependably produced stud brook trout for everyone that went to. A real 5+ lb brook trout concerned anyone that could cast 50 feet and had the perseverance to let their fly sink to depth and do the correct obtain. But 10 years ago there was a bitter cold spell during winter season, and the area was the coldest area on earth for 2 weeks. That spring we showed up to a huge avalanche at the west end of the lake– stretching numerous hundred meters across the outflow at about 30 to 60 feet in depth. The most significant, earliest brookies immediately were sparse; the entire season we could not catch anything over 3 pounds, most fish 1 to 2 1/2 pounds. There were heaps of trout, just nothing big. Because that time the population structure has basically remained the same, albeit there are a few of the old brutes showing from time to time. 90%of the catch is in between 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs, as represented in this video. These fish program exceptionally well and are wonderful to capture, it’s just not how it used to be. When you spent 11 years as owner of the lodge enjoying that sort of fishing, it’s difficult to return when it isn’t the very same. One birthday mid-August, I stood in one area simply west of the dock. It was a windy, drizzly, choppy day and we were socked in, keeping our guests ‘float plane flight out.
I could see the brookies stacked simply off coast. I tied my leech 3 feet under indication and cast upwind, drift back and caught fish. For kicks since it was my birthday and Amelia was keeping the yurt fire warm and my cake remained in the oven, I chose to see how long it would take prior to I didn’t capture a brookie. I got to 10, 15, 20. It went up to 25. There was no way I ‘d get to 30 successive casts. My 29th cast again produced a colorful brookie, however as I launched it I no longer saw any shadows off the break. It was not to be. 29 straight casts remains the number if you are so compulsive. Do note that Fortress Lake can shut off to a ruthless opposite. Fortress Lake Retreat is in the good hands of new owners that appear to be doing an excellent job with strong evaluations and we want them all the luck in all elements. For anyone treking to camp you do have to remain at the camping areas on the north or east shore; you can trek around or paddle throughout and walk the Chisel shoreline and enjoy the sight-fishing. You can also look for a BC Parks Park Usage Permit to camp
at the Chisel Creek fan; for the more daring you might do the very same for the outflowing Wood River. That’s a great alternative for anybody who packs in a pack raft to navigate the lake. We wished to do our favorite design of fishing Fortress Lake justice through an enjoyable video, so please enjoy in 4K!
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