From the lushness of the Selway-Bitterroots, to the solitude of the Frank Church Wilderness, or the majesty of the Sawtooths, Idaho's backcountry sparkles with high mountain lakes. There are hundreds of these glistening treasures hidden among the soaring spires and dense forests of the state's high country. To many anglers they represent the ultimate destination.

In the White Cloud mountains fisherman Doug Armentrout is attracted by the wildness and the special connection with nature he finds there.

Doug Armentrout-Fisherman
" I mean you look at the mountains, the lake and the fish and they're all go together. It's part of the same ecosystem of course but more than that it's a natural spirit that I think the fish, for me anyway, exemplify.

For Kay Johnson returning to a mountain lake in the Payette Forest is a homecoming of sorts. He first fished the lake as a boy more than fifty years ago. On a more recent visit Kay found the lake is much the same way he remembers it. He also discovered it's still a pretty good place to hook into some spunky trout. But while catching fish is always a thrill, it's only part of the attraction that keeps Kay coming back to places like this again and again.

Kay Johnson-Fisherman/Llama Packer
"I feel everybody should have a little solitude in their life. A moment of solitude gives you a chance for reflections and I think fishing brings that to you. When you get to a mountain lake there's a feeling of peace."