As summer was tapering off and the crisp mornings teased autumn’s impending arrival, listing broker Brian Hartley and several guests had one those “you had to be there” days of fall fly fishing on the Hidden Lake Ranch. Cheers echoed through the valley as fish were landed.
As is typical on most western fisheries for the time of year, flows were down and the water was “gin clear.” Long casts and drag-free drifts were critical. However, when a well-placed fly was properly presented the reward was handsome. Small hoppers brought wary fish to the surface for splashy grabs. A red copper john trailing 18-24” from the dry was the MVP of the day, producing the most and biggest fish. They enjoyed casting to and landing rainbows and browns that ran the gamut of size, from overly eager 6-8” fish to true trophies ranging in 26-28”.
As the sun was setting and the temperature dropped, they switched gears and focused efforts on stripping mice patterns through deep holes prospecting for large trout. The results were explosive; territorial brown trout and aggressive rainbows devoured the mouse consistently until the group had their fill. So often in fishing you hear the time-honored, “you should have been here last week”, well on this trip, “we were there and it was incredible,” said Hartley.
While this was just one day, owning the Hidden Lake Ranch presents the opportunity to have days like this for a lifetime. The Hidden Lake Ranch offers the idyllic seclusion and 100% private live water so often desired in a legacy ranch, all with nearby access to town. One of the premier fly fishing ranches in the Rocky Mountain West, this property offers dramatic mountain vistas and miles of exceptional fishing on Weminuche Creek and numerous trout-filled lakes. Rarely does a ranch come on the market like the Hidden Lake Ranch.
