By Gerald Konrad
If you’re looking for monster browns, McHugh Lake is where to find them. Tucked between West Hawk and Falcon Lakes just south of Hwy 1, it requires some perseverance to reach. You can either walk in from the parking lot at the West Hawk turnoff, or drive in through Toniata to the pipeline road. The drive definitely requires 4 wheel drive and a stout heart, but is well worth it. The lake is as beautiful as any you’ll run across; it’s glorious just being on the water.
McHugh is a finicky lake, sometimes hot as the blazes with 20 fish days. Then when you think you’ve got it figured out, you’ll leave skunked. It tends to fish best when the water warms up and the leeches are active. Black or brown leach patterns can be killers during the summer months. You will often see the fish slashing minnows along the shore, making small minnow patterns worth a try as well. In the autumn when the fish hold off shore, big DDH leach patterns can be very productive. A 29” brown fell to a tan DDH fished slowly along the bottom last season. 26 and 27 inch browns are not unusual, with 18-20 inchers being common-place. These browns put up terrific fights; they just do not like coming to the tube and will often have you spinning in your float tube while you try to hang on!