Welcome to the Fishwest Blog: Bridget Fabel

Editors Note: Here at Fishwest, we are always looking for anglers who are passionate about the pursuits of fish on the fly. Bridget is no exception, she has an affinity for high elevation fly fishing and tiger trout. We are excited to welcome her as a regular contributor to the Fishwest blog. Stay tuned for more from Bridget soon!

Hello! I’m Bridget Fabel, and I’m going to start contributing to this blog very regularly. I’m an avid fly fisherwoman originally from the small town of Stillwater, New Jersey. I began fishing with family in the Florida keys and rivers around my hometown as soon as I learned to walk. From the very beginning, I was hooked. Anytime we went somewhere and I saw water I immediately asked, “can we fish this?” I loved the thrill of catching all kinds of fish, as well as being out in the sunshine enjoying the outdoors. At the age of 20, I took a risk and moved out west to Utah by myself. I wanted to move west my whole life, and it only took one trip to Utah for me to feel like this state was meant to be my home. I’ve been living here for 3 years now, and the fly fishing here is AMAZING. I can not get enough.

I’m currently a full-time student and will graduate with a degree in Earth Science and Chemistry Education. I want to teach high school Chemistry here in Utah and fish all day every day in the summers for the rest of my life. My style of fly fishing involves hiking into backcountry lakes and streams in hopes of catching all sorts of trout on my 5wt 4 piece Redington Classic Trout Fly Rod

I fish alone, and all my photos are thanks to my trusty tripod and remote shutter release for my Sony camera. The spots I fish are often way off the beaten path.. requiring a 3 to 10-mile hike depending on the day. Lots of these lakes and streams are up at 11,000 feet of elevation with native trout that have been around since the last Ice Age meltdown.

I work really hard for the fish I catch. I do a lot of research on google earth where I search for unnamed, unmarked honey holes downstream from lakes that hold native trout or stocked trout. I hike in with no trial or signs to help find my way. The majority of my fishing takes place in Southern Utah where I guide for a fly shop in the little town of Loa, Utah. The fishing around here is the greatest and I spend 3 to 5 days a week fishing and living in my ’71 camper trailer in the middle of the mountains. The areas I fish in are in a really rugged mountain range filled with deer, elk, bear, mountain lions, and so on. When I’m not fly fishing I enjoy summiting mountains, snowboarding, hunting, and going on dirt road adventures with my Jeep Wrangler.

Fly fishing is an addiction, a need, and a lifestyle for me. I’m very passionate and happy about the life I live outdoors and I hope you enjoy the stories that I share! My first blog will be about some chunky Arctic Grayling that I caught the other day, stay tuned!

Connect with Bridget on Instagram @bridget77744 or by clicking HERE