Tenkara on the Fall River

Posted by on Jun 9, 2012 in Trip Reports | 3 comments

Fall River Brown Trout

 

Today I had a chance to fish the Fall River in Rocky Mountain National Park for three hours.  With high winds and ultra-spooky trout, I definitely had to work for my fish but the scenery and solitude were well worth it.

I decided to fish downstream of the alluvial fan.  My favorite section of the Fall River (and the first place I ever fished tenkara) is actually the hike up the valley from Fall River Road.  It’s all gorgeous pocket water filled with very cooperative cutthroats but I didn’t have time to do the hike today so in order to maximize my time, I opted to stick near the road.  Despite being a free day in the park, I pretty much had this whole section of the river to myself.

 

The Fall River in Rocky Mountain National Park

 

The water in Fall River is crystal clear and the fish can see you coming a mile away so this made it a little challenging.  It also didn’t help that I started fishing midday and the winds were so strong I had to cinch up the chin straps on my Tilley hat to the point of strangulation.  Still, I managed to land a few nice browns all on eyeless sakasa kebari.

 

Fall River Brown Trout 2

 

 

Fall River Brown Trout 3

 

I fished my Tenkara USA Ayu and a #4 Tenkara Bum orange line which worked well for this stretch of the river.

 

Tenkara USA Ayu

 

Three hours on the stream is never enough but it was refreshing to take in the beautiful RMNP scenery and breathe the fresh mountain air.  Next time though, I think I’ll be doing the hike in.  I could hear the cutthroats calling to me from above.

About Jason Klass


Jason is an avid fly angler and backpacker. As a former fly fishing guide originally from Western New York, he moved to Colorado and became an early adopter of tenkara which perfectly suited the small, high altitude streams and lakes there. He has not fished a Western-style fly rod for trout since.

 

3 comments

  1. Mark Stevens
    June 9, 2012

    Hi Jason;

    I’ve followed this blog for some time now. With much enjoyment. I discovered Tenkara last summer and have had a chance to test a variety of TenkaraUSA rods in Yellowstone Park (mainly on the Firehole River) and where I live in central Idaho (up in Sun Valley). Like you, I tested some pretty sly fish and tough conditions (with high wind and some sleet/hail/rain) on Silver Creek (a world-famous spring creek) with great results; mainly using PMD nymphs either sighted or on a slight drift/twitch. Today I fished my Amago. Sounds like we both had a great day. Been some time since I’ve been on the Fall (I have a great friend in Boulder and hail from CO originally and I love RMNP). Cheers and Tight lines!

  2. Eric Philipp
    June 10, 2012

    I love rocky mountain national park and now that I am a Tenkara owner this post makes me want to get back out there and fish.

  3. Jim Morgan Bennett
    June 10, 2012

    Beutfull country and river, lovely little wild trout,it doesn`t get any better…

Leave a Reply