First, the good news: A friend
and I hiked in for the day on Friday to find absolutely wonderful
fishing at Lake Philippa. We released approximately 30 RBs
from 9 to 13 inches as we paddled our float tubes down the east side
of the lake toward the inlet from nearby Lake Isabella.
With no specific hatch visible, the fish were not selective,
hitting dry flies with both splashy, aggressive takes and subtle
slurps. We used red and black Humpies, royal Wulffs and parachute
Adams, size 14 and 16, cast close to shore. We had several twofers,
and frequently hooked up on two or three consecutive casts. The fish
were thick and strong and fought much harder than their size might
suggest.
On reaching the talus slope at the south end of Philippa, we
bushwhacked east over the ridge separating Philippa from Lake
Isabella. Noting only a couple small rises in the middle, we finally
headed back after a fishless hour on the tiny lake.
By the time we'd returned to the campsite near the head of
Philippa Creek, we'd released a total of 55-60 fish on the day, long
distance releasing another couple dozen as well.
While nearly all appeared to be native RBs (adipose fins
intact), we took perhaps a half dozen distinctively different fish
that neither of us were familiar with.
Although they were obviously trout, they had an overall bright
golden color with pronounced large darker gray-gold marks (Parr
marks?), smaller dark spots and an iridescent reddish stripe along
their sides. Their bellies were light-colored like a RB, not red like
the pictures of golden trout I've seen. None had the typical red
slashes under their jaw that might indicate a west slope or coastal
cutthroat.
Can anybody suggest what gold-colored trout they may have been?
Perhaps a redband trout?
Now the bad news: Located about ten miles northeast of North
Bend in the north fork of the Snoqualmie river drainage, Philippa is
a big, 121-acre alpine lake situated at 3346 feet elevation in a
glorious cirque ringed by peaks another 2000 feet higher. Our route
in required an 1800 feet elevation gain from my truck to the
lake.
Make no mistake - this is no casual walk along a Forest
Service-maintained trail. The 2 mile approach up an old logging road
is the easy part. The rugged 3 mile 'fisherman's trail' from the end
of the road up to the lake can best be described as extremely
difficult and quite steep, especially in the last mile before the
lake. We used many more colorful phrases to describe it during the
2-1/2 hours it took us to climb it.
Finally, the ugly: Although I'm in relatively good
condition for a 54 year old male with a computer job, I was nowhere
near fit enough for the round trip death march lugging a 40 pound
pack. I hit the wall of complete physical exhaustion on the way back.
Laying in bed at home that night, I marveled that I even made it back
at all.
Three days later, every muscle in my body is still screaming:
"No way we're ever taking you back there. No matter how good the
fishing is. Don't even ask!"
But if you're interested and have a penchant for self-abuse,
I'll be happy to point the way.
