2024 Golden Trout Wind River Backpacking Fishing Trip

Hi, my name is Kaden Smith. I am the son of Brady Smith, who usually writes the blog articles on this website. I have been a part of many of his outdoor adventures, and I enjoy writing; therefore, we thought this would be a great opportunity for me to start learning how to blog. This article focuses on a fishing trip I took this past summer. Fishing has been a significant part of my life growing up, and is a passion that I share with my dad. I hope readers enjoy this post as much as I enjoyed the experience.

I enjoy fishing for several reasons. First, I love how relaxing and calming the activity is—it has a way of washing away stress. Another aspect I enjoy is the anticipation; not knowing what fish might bite next is exciting and intriguing. Every fish is unique, whether in color, size, or shape. Finally, I appreciate the scenery that comes with fishing. Over the years, I have seen many beautiful lakes and mountains, all of which make the experience even more memorable.

This video I created showcases our Wind River experience—not just the fish we caught, but also the wildlife and the beautiful scenery.

Returning to the main topic of this article, this week-long fishing trip had been in the works for over a year. My brother, dad, and I have enjoyed fishing in the Uinta Mountains over the past several years, often even during elk hunting trips. One of the great things about the Uinta Mountains is that there are hundreds of fishable lakes just waiting to be explored by anglers.

What inspired this trip was our interest in targeting different trout species. Two new species I recently caught were tiger trout and arctic grayling. Golden trout became a new goal after my dad shared a story about catching a golden trout when he was young. He spoke about how beautiful this species was, and I thought it would be exciting to add golden trout to my own list of catches.

Dad enjoys researching and finding the best fishing locations and routes using the ON X HUNT maps app, which allows maps to be downloaded for offline use. Before this trip, we had fished a few lakes in the Uinta Mountains, including Echo Lake, but had been unsuccessful in catching any golden trout. Later, my dad discovered several lakes in the Wind River Mountain Range that had been stocked with golden trout. This discovery led us to plan our trip to the Wind Rivers—a location my dad and brother had fished before, though not specifically for golden trout. Since Dad and Dallen had visited the Wind Rivers previously, it was decided that this would be a special trip for just Dad, me, and our golden doodle, Biscuit. The trip was scheduled for the last week of July and included backpacking with all of our necessary supplies along a designated route.

The length and planning of the trip were determined by several factors. First, this would be Dad’s first significant hiking trip following a total knee replacement. Second, we needed to account for bringing Biscuit along. Having over a year to plan was incredibly helpful. Dad established a routine of taking Biscuit on short morning hikes to gradually build endurance and help his knee adjust to hiking again. During this time, we also purchased additional gear and refined the details of our excursion.

In preparation, we had been starting to experiment with fly rods, beginning with Tenkara rods. Eventually, my dad decided to upgrade to Redington fly-fishing rods, giving me one for my birthday and getting one for himself a few months before the trip. Dad had fished with fly rods around my age but had returned to the sport in recent years thanks to recommendations from friends and colleagues. He helped me get started, and while we had always enjoyed using spinner rods, we recognized that many fish respond well to realistic fly patterns. Fly-fishing is often said to increase the chances of catching fish compared to spinners, and this was an important aspect of our preparation.

Another area of focus was our camping gear. Since we would be hiking many miles each day and stopping at lakes to fish, we wanted everything to be as lightweight as possible. We prioritized replacing worn gear, including sleeping pads, sleeping bags, lightweight breathable pants, and water pumps.

Once the new gear arrived, we conducted several practice fishing trips on weekends at the beginning of summer. Dad tied a variety of flies to determine what patterns the fish preferred. We packed our gear into backpacks and did a few miles of hiking to test weight and comfort. While the backpacks weren’t fully loaded to trip weight, these mini-trips provided valuable practice for casting and general fly-fishing techniques. Fly-fishing was initially challenging for me, as I had primarily fished with spinning and ice-fishing rods. These trial runs helped ensure proper casting technique and improved our chances of success on the main trip.

As the trip approached, Dad continued tying large quantities of flies. It became a running joke that whenever I entered the kitchen after work, Dad was always seated at the end of the table tying flies. Thanks to his job, Dad had access to GoPro cameras, which we brought along to capture footage of fishing and releases. We also brought additional spinners, including Panther Martins, though the main focus of the trip was fly-fishing.

Time passed quickly, and before we knew it, there was only one week left to prepare. Our primary focus that final week was on backpacks. We decided that each pack should weigh around thirty-five pounds, a commonly recommended weight online, including all food, water, GoPros, fishing gear, clothing, and safety equipment. For food, we packed homemade elk jerky from a cow elk I harvested the previous fall, oatmeal for breakfast, trail mix, and Mountain House meals for dinner. We also brought several Powerade mixes to flavor our water and replenish electrolytes.

Bringing safety gear was essential due to the presence of grizzly bears in the Wind Rivers. Our safety equipment included bear spray and pistols; you can never be too cautious when it comes to grizzlies. In Wyoming, individuals eighteen years or older are legally allowed to open carry, and fortunately, I was exactly eighteen at the time.

A satellite communicator was also purchased at the last minute for safety reasons. Having the ability to contact family in case of an emergency provided peace of mind, especially since there is no internet access in the Uinta Mountains or the Wind Rivers.

Dad also found a clothing repellent spray designed to ward off mosquitoes and other insects. In certain areas of the Uintas we had visited previously, bugs had been a major nuisance. For this trip, we sprayed all the clothing we planned to wear with Sawyer Permethrin Insect Repellent and even treated Biscuit’s dog collar. Using the repellent proved to be a wise decision, as it worked exceptionally well throughout the trip.

Finally, the day of our fishing trip arrived. We woke up at six on Monday morning during the last week of July and immediately began loading the Jeep. Since we were only packing our backpacks, ourselves, and Biscuit, the process was fairly quick, and we departed around seven. The drive from our house to the Wind Rivers takes approximately four hours.

Biscuit, our dog, has traveled to the Uinta Mountains before, so he is accustomed to long drives. However, during extended trips, he occasionally tries to jump into the front seat to sit in our laps, likely because he gets lonely sitting in the back of the Jeep. This can be distracting for the driver, so when we had the opportunity to stop, I moved from the front passenger seat to one of the back seats to keep him comfortable for the remainder of the ride.

We had one additional delay during the drive—a twenty-minute stop caused by construction. It was frustrating, especially since only three other cars were ahead of us. In hindsight, if we hadn’t paused for me to sit with Biscuit, we might have made it through with minimal delay.

Despite the interruptions, we saw a variety of wildlife along the way, including prairie dogs and a couple of antelope. As we neared our destination, the landscape changed dramatically. For most of the drive, the mountains had been barely visible, their silhouettes shrouded in fog, creating a striking contrast with the open terrain we had passed through earlier.

As Dad drove, the mountain range suddenly appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. The peaks were tall and stretched for what seemed like endless miles. It felt as though there was no end to them. As we began ascending, I saw two of the largest lakes I had ever encountered. Dad mentioned that these lakes were naturally formed, which I thought was fascinating.

We continued climbing higher and higher along the road until we were unfortunately slowed down by a large truck in front of us. The road was dusty, and the truck kicked up a thick, hazy cloud that lingered behind it. We had to endure the dust for the remainder of the drive to the main parking lot, where we arrived shortly after eleven o’clock. This parking lot is connected to the Elkhart Long Lake Trail, a popular hiking route, so it was no surprise that it was filled with parked vehicles.

As soon as we got out, Biscuit immediately chased a squirrel chirping in a tree a short distance up the hill from the parking lot. If you know Biscuit, one of his favorite camping activities is chasing squirrels. While Dad finished unloading our packs and gathering supplies, I climbed the hill to retrieve Biscuit, carrying him back in my arms. For reference, golden doodles are solidly over 60 pounds, so it was no small task to bring him back down.

After that minor setback, we put on our backpacks and began hiking. Well, we hiked until Dad remembered he had forgotten his walking sticks. I stayed on the trail with Biscuit while he returned to the Jeep to retrieve them, and then we continued our hike.

The route for our trip was planned around several lakes recommended by a colleague of Dad’s, who had fished the area a few weeks prior while testing some new backpacks he had been developing. On the first day, we planned the longest hike of the trip, totaling four and a half miles. Our goal was to fish a lake that contained only brook trout along the way to our first campsite, which was located just a couple of miles further at a different lake. As we hiked the trail, we passed many people—mostly day hikers, along with a few fishermen. We maintained a steady pace and took several breaks along the way.

During one of our breaks, a humorous encounter occurred with a family from Arizona. As they approached, they asked, “Are there grizzly bears up here?” We replied, “Oh, yeah!” They then reflected on the fact that they hadn’t brought any bear spray. Hesitantly, they continued up the trail, only to return a few minutes later, rushing past us and exclaiming, “We’d better get some bear spray!” We couldn’t help but laugh at their haste.

As we continued along the main trail, we passed person after person for several miles until we finally broke off the trail to head to the first lake, where we would fish.

We arrived at the lake around three o’clock in the afternoon. On the far side of the lake, we noticed a few other fishermen. In the right-hand corner of the lake, numerous fish were jumping, so that’s where we began fishing. Using our fly rods, we received some early bites. Dad was able to land two fish on his fly rod at the start of the session; however, the action quickly slowed down.

After a while of no bites and trying various lures, I switched to my spinner rod and experimented with different colored Panther Martins. The regular lure and several others had been unsuccessful, so I decided to try one of the newest Panther Martins I had—a green one with red dots. I knew this color had a good chance of attracting brook trout, as it resembled their natural coloration. On my first cast with the green Panther Martin, a fish struck as I began to reel in, and I landed my first brook trout at that lake.

I continued catching brook trout with this lure, landing two more fish. By around six o’clock, after several hours of fishing, we realized it was time to hike to our campsite for the night. Setting up the tent and preparing dinner would take some time. After about an hour of hiking, we reached our campsite. This lake is stocked exclusively with golden trout. We dropped off our backpacks and walked down to the lake to fish briefly before dark, but despite several fish jumping across the surface, neither of us managed a bite.

While fishing, a giant yellow dragonfly landed next to me on the bank. I rarely see yellow dragonflies, as they are usually blue, making this a unique encounter.

We returned to our backpacks and quickly set up our two-man tent. Once the tent was up, we ate our Mountain House dinner on nearby rocks, which provided a convenient surface for heating our food. Later, as the sun set, we pumped water from a nearby lake outlet and secured our food in a bear bag, hoisting it high into a tree branch before settling in for the night. This became our nightly routine for the duration of the trip.

We woke up at six the next morning to have breakfast—oatmeal—at the same rocky spot. On the second day of the trip, we planned to stop at a lake located half a mile from camp, then hike an additional two and a half miles to another lake, where we would spend the night. These lakes were all stocked exclusively with golden trout. After breakfast, we fished for about an hour at the lake nearest our campsite before continuing our hike.

We quickly set out for the day’s lakes, reaching the closest one after about thirty to forty-five minutes. The trail was a steep incline, which made the hike longer than usual. Upon arriving, our first impression was that hardly any fish were jumping. As usual, we dropped our backpacks in a shaded area. Dad took Biscuit with him to the left side of the lake, while I fished along the right side.

After about thirty minutes, and noticing Dad had missed a fish on the left side, I decided to work that side as well. Dad moved toward the left corner of the lake, while I continued trying my luck. I wasn’t getting any bites, but Dad missed two fairly large golden trout. Both fish were hooked for only a few seconds—one broke off, and the other spat out the lure.

After two hours of fishing at this lake, we returned to our backpacks for a lunch break. Then we resumed hiking up a steep incline until reaching a turnoff to the right, which led us back onto a main trail. We passed a few people—a rare sight after hiking in solitude for a while. A couple of miles into the hike, we stopped for a nap just as it began raining heavily. We took cover under a rocky ledge and pulled out our ponchos. The rain continued on and off for about thirty minutes before we began fishing again.

At this lake, we had high hopes for catching golden trout, as dozens of small fish were visible schooling near the bank. As soon as I began casting with my fly rod, I got a bite and landed my very first golden trout! After so many attempts in previous trips, it felt incredible to finally catch one. Dad filmed and photographed the fish as I released it, and seeing its vibrant colors up close was remarkable.

After that first catch, the fish kept coming—one after another—for hours. I moved to the right side of the lake, while Dad fished the left. We continued on our respective sides until it began getting late. At that point, we decided to adjust our plans: instead of camping at this lake, we would hike to a higher lake above us to set up camp for the night.

We quickly began hiking up to the higher lake, as it was getting late. Dad mentioned that this would be the steepest hike of our entire trip. Shortly into the climb, we noticed thick, dark clouds moving in, signaling an approaching storm. Our pace increased, but due to briefly going in the wrong direction, it still took over an hour to reach the lake. Once we arrived, the rain began again, and the wind picked up. We had to set up the tent faster than ever, making sure to place our backpacks underneath to keep our gear dry. Fortunately, the rain was brief, allowing us to continue our usual nightly routine.

The next morning, as I sat down to prepare my breakfast and Dad tied a fly on his rod, a chipmunk appeared on the cliff boulders above us, clearly eyeing my oatmeal. It slowly began crawling down the cliff. Biscuit soon noticed the chipmunk and bolted after it, spilling some of our leftover water in the process. The chipmunk simply retreated further up the cliff, seemingly taunting Biscuit from out of reach.

In the chaos, Dad accidentally broke the tip of his fly rod while trying to intervene. Luckily, the rod was still functional after some quick testing at the lake. I had to re-boil water since I hadn’t added it to my oatmeal yet. Later, as I was preparing to start fishing, I realized I had lost my fish net on the way up to this lake. When I mentioned it to Dad, we agreed to search for it on our way out of the Wind Rivers. It was safe to say that it had been a rough morning.

As we began fishing, many fish were jumping, but it quickly became clear that most of them were very small. Compared to the previous lake, where we caught several brook trout, the golden trout here were tiny—more comparable to minnows in size. We started fishing near camp but didn’t manage to land a single fish over the course of a couple of hours. I walked along the left side of the lake, sight fishing as I went, while Dad stayed near camp with Biscuit. I spotted a couple of fish around ten inches long and cast a fly in front of them, but only one attempted to bite, and it quickly got off the hook. According to Dad, the colleague who had recommended this lake reported many bites but didn’t land any fish. For us, the lake gave us only one impressive bite—a humbling reminder of how unpredictable fishing can be.

Frustrated by catching nothing again, we packed up our gear and set out for the final lake, where we would camp. By this time of day, it had gotten warm, and with little to no shade along the uphill trail, the hike was challenging. After about an hour, we stopped for a water and rest break, finding a comfortable spot under the shade of some pines. After resting for roughly forty-five minutes, we continued. It was just after noon, and clouds had begun to roll in, making the hike feel significantly easier. We passed through a cool ravine and weaved between cliffs, finally reaching the last steep hill. At the top, we were rewarded with a stunning view of the lake, which I found particularly interesting. The lake was divided into multiple sections, with the main section running parallel to us on the opposite side. We chose to head left, as it appeared to be the easier path.

After our forty-five-minute break, we proceeded along the left side of the lake, navigating over several boulders. Boulders had always been one of Biscuit’s biggest fears, though repeated excursions had helped him overcome most of it. At one tricky spot, we had to carefully navigate around a boulder to avoid getting wet, so I helped him across. Once we reached the far side of the lake, we set up our tent as usual and picked a spot to start fishing.

It was around five o’clock, leaving us a few hours of daylight. We noticed a cluster of fish jumping in a small outlet in the left corner of the lake, so that became our fishing spot. I had a few bites on the leech fly I was using, but kept missing. Dad moved further up the main lake with Biscuit and later returned, successfully catching some small golden trout using nymphs. As it began getting late, we headed back to camp, though I fished briefly near our tent before calling it a night.

The following morning, we returned to the same small pocket area, but the fish weren’t biting as they had the day before. It seemed they had learned to avoid the lures. We decided to try our luck at a lake further down that was stocked exclusively with brook trout. Heavy rain began as we started walking, forcing us to retreat to the tent and wait about twenty to thirty minutes for it to pass. Once the rain cleared, it took less than thirty minutes to reach the next lake.

Focusing exclusively on brook trout, we used leeches the entire time, having learned that brook trout are particularly attracted to them. We noticed many fish jumping on the right side of the lake, so we all fished that side together. Our leeches produced brook trout after brook trout. At one point, a large brook trout jumped out of the water, narrowly missing my leech—an impressive sight. Dad found a long stick with a branch protruding from it that we could use to hold our fish, ensuring they would stay fresh on the short hike back to camp.

We each caught at least a dozen brook trout, but decided to keep only the largest for dinner. All the fish we kept were over ten inches long, and we selected six in total, which we figured would be more than enough for all of us.

Back at camp, we prepared the fish with seasonings we had stored in baggies—garlic and pepper—and wrapped the fillets in tinfoil to cook. The fish took about twenty minutes to cook, during which I prepared some Mountain House meals. The fish turned out quite well. Interestingly, when we offered some to Biscuit, he refused them, likely due to the added seasonings.

The next day was focused on hiking halfway back to the Jeep, camping, and fishing at the lake where we had previously caught the most golden trout. It was amusing to see Biscuit take the lead, guiding us back along nearly the exact route we had taken on our way in. During the hike, my spinner rod caught on a tree branch, breaking about a quarter of it. Dad also broke a piece off his rod around the same time. Fortunately, we had brought plenty of rods, or we would have been limited in our fishing.

While hiking, we happened to spot the fishing net I had lost—it was lying flat on top of some bushes, caught but completely visible. This spot was surprisingly close to our best golden trout lake of the trip; we had expected the net to be further up on the steep terrain. I retrieved it and carried it with me as we continued our hike back to the lake.

We returned to the lake in just over an hour, with plenty of daylight remaining to fish extensively. This allowed us to take our time without feeling rushed. We focused on the left side of the lake, which proved to be the most productive. During the day, it rained heavily twice, forcing us to take brief breaks and seek shelter under the pine trees.

We hadn't set up the tent, so we hung out under pine tree branches to shield us from the rain. We probably got five or six hours of fishing on that lake that day, fishing right until dark. The next morning, we slept in a little, waking up around eight o'clock, we had whatever else we wanted to eat, and began hiking the rest of the way out. When hiking out, we bumped into a couple returning from a fishing trip just like us. They mentioned they had been up there for a week and hadn't caught any golden trout. Well, except for a sickly one that the guy grabbed out of the water! This couple had been up in the Wind Rivers on various occasions and seemed to know quite a bit about golden trout. We had a nice conversation with them before continuing on our way.

During the hike out, we had our eyes set on any heart-shaped rocks. We did this because my mom loves to collect heart rocks and even puts them in the flower beds. When searching for such rocks, we found three that we could carry back out. We didn't want to carry any massive ones back out.

 We made it back to the Jeep in the parking lot fairly quickly. It only took us a couple of hours, thanks to On X Maps. We realized when looking in the app that we made it harder on ourselves in a certain area coming in. Where we could have continued on some trails instead of going off-trail. So we found that trail, which made it significantly faster to complete the hike. Once we made it back to the Jeep, we were pretty exhausted from hiking all week, but we had a good time. From going on this trip, we have learned that golden trout are pretty tricky to catch, at least the big ones are. We hope to apply what we learned from this trip next time we go up to the Wind River, and maybe next time we'll be able to catch bigger ones.

Below are links to other useful new gear we used during our trip

• The USB rechargeable Portable Water Filter works great at pumping fresh filtered water.
• The SteriPEN Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier functions nicely as well.
• The Lightweight stretchable hiking pants were very breathable and comfy to wear, and they come in 36" inseams for our long legs.
• BigBlue 28W solar panel worked great at keeping our charging bank full.
• We would charge our phones and other equipment at night with an Anker 20,000mAh 87W Power Bank.

Below are links to other backpacking adventures.

• Backpacking The Wind Rivers — Stough Creek Basin
• I Hate Golden Trout! - 2025 Wind River Backpacking Trip