June 16, 2013- We got to Lily Lake about 20 minutes before a storm passed by with lightning and plenty of wind. We fished dry flies even though this time of year is mostly about nymphs. Using a flying ant pattern and a parachute Adams we caught and released several greenback cutthroat trout both before and after the storm. These beautiful fish ranged in size between 14″ and 18″.

The lake water is already quite warm so a lengthy resuscitation was required. Lily Lake has no defined inlet and the outlet stream flows only during the early spring runoff so the spawning efforts by these trout are futile without the flowing water to oxygenate the eggs. This same low oxygen level makes it imperative to land the fish quickly and release them only after they regain their vigor. Read more about the Greenback Cutthroat Trout and Lily Lake in our waterproof pocket guide “Angler’s Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park” available on-line at: https://www.anglerpocketguides.com