Highland Creek is a beautiful high alpine stream flowing out of rugged peaks and through flower- studded meadows.
It begins at the outlet of West Highland Lake (GPS: 38 degrees 29 minutes 0.68 seconds N, 48 minutes, 35.50 seconds W) at an elevation of 8,627 feet above sea level. A nice trail leads westbound downhill along Highland Creek. For the first mile or so both the creek and trail drop sharply.
Walk along the trail for two or three miles until you come to Hiram Meadows. While it’s tempting to stop and fish the creek in the flatter stretches, I recommend walking trail for several miles before beginning to fish. This is a meandering alpine meadow stream lined mostly with willows, alders and an occasional lodge pole pine or juniper.
Once you reach the west end of Hiram Meadows you can rig up your rod & begin to fish back upstream in an easterly direction. I suggest wading directly up the middle of the stream. Since Highland is a small stream a shorter rod will do nicely, although you can get along quite well with an 8-foot #4 or #5 rod. From your position in the middle of the creek, you can flip your fly to first one side and then the other. Since the creek is heavily lined with brushy willows and alders, this mid-stream approach will give you greater access to all the water instead of simply working a few spots here and there on either side wherever there is a hole in the brush.
This stretch of Highland Creek is gravely and usually about knee deep, so wading is fairly easy and safe. That’s one of the things I like about Highland Creek, it’s a friendly stream that can be readily fished. Expect lots of feisty Brookies intermixed with rainbows.
Almost any fly will work just fine on this stretch of stream, as these are wilderness fish that don’t get a lot of fishing pressure. I’ve used ants, hoppers, and bee patterns as well as the Royal Coachman, Black Gnat, and Gold Ribbed Hares Ear. My favorite rig, or course is my old trusty dropper rig with a #10 Black wooly Worm on the hand (bottom) fly and a #10 yellow Wooly Worm on the dropper about 14 inches higher.
Ordinarily, on a sunny day, you’ll catch most of your fish on the black wooly worm, and on an overcast day the yellow one will produce better. You can have fun experimenting by switching flies around. The fish are all in the 8 to 10 inch range due to the limited growing season of the higher elevations. These are all wild fish born & raised in the stream. Naturally catch and release is the order of the day, however if unchecked, Brookies tend to over-populate and you end up with a stream full of stunted fish. Don’t be afraid to stop on a streamside & roast a couple Brookies on a stick over a small fire. Food doesn’t get any more fresh or natural than this. Your taste buds may well think they’ve died and gone to Heaven.
Take your time fishing slowly back toward your vehicle at Highland Lake. When the stream begins to get really steep again, I usually pack up my rod and slowly climb the last mile or so back to the lake. While that last mile is a tough one at the end of the day, just take it easy and enjoy the scenery. You’re likely to spot a marmot sunning himself on an overlooking rock, or a doe with fawns in the meadow stretches. Another bonus may well be right under your feet. Watch for unusual rocks, particularly for chunks of water washed petrified wood. It’s just like the icing on the cake. When you finally drag your tired butt up to your truck, you will have had a fantastic days angling and a great day enjoying the other wonders of the high alpine country.
