Clear Creek 4/21/2013
I got to give my Oni rod and Tenkara USA Ayu II a workout today on clear creek again. This time, with avid tenkara angler, Phil Echelman. It was a great day with lots of fish caught, and some neat streamside discoveries.
Read MoreClear Creek 4/6/2013 & Oni Rod Field Test
My First Fish on the Tenkara no Oni Rod
A few posts ago, I wrote about my initial impressions of the Tenkara no Oni rod and this weekend, I finally got a chance to give it a workout on Clear Creek outside of Golden, CO. Not only was the fishing great, but my field test confirmed a lot of what I had expected of the rod.
Read MoreSouth Platte River 12/27/2012
I hit the South Platte today since it was one of the only rivers that isn’t frozen over right now. I didn’t expect to catch much because, well…it’s the S. Platte in December. And, my expectations were met.
Read MoreFall Fishing on Bear Creek
It was a gloomy day on Bear Creek today. Surrounded by dark waters, cold grey rocks, scraggly leave-less trees, dead grasses, and overcast skies, I felt like I was fishing in a Tim Burton movie. Luckily, the fishing was better than the weather…
Read MoreA Picnic, The World’s Youngest Tenkara Angler, & Dissing Conservation
The world’s youngest tenkara angler inspecting her father’s gear
My daughter Emma doesn’t know it yet, but she’s the world’s youngest tenkara angler. I say this because even though she’s only four months old, she embodies the spirit of tenkara. She takes pleasure in simple things, lives completely in the moment, and basically just takes a beginner’s mind approach to every experience. My wife and I took her for a picnic today on Bear Creek and she was enamored with the fresh mountain air, fall colors, and moving water. Yep, she’s definitely my daughter and I know she will grow up to be a formidable tenkara angler. But what started out as a simple family picnic with the promise of some casual fishing turned out to be a conservation faux pas…
Read MoreBrook Trout Madness on North Inlet Creek
Today, Karel from Tenkara on the Fly, Joe from Dragon Fly Fishing and I headed up to the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park to fish North Inlet Creek just above Grand Lake. I normally fish the east side of RMNP and haven’t been to the west side in years so today was a real treat. I not only got to go somewhere different, but the fishing, scenery, wildlife, and company were fantastic. Here’s my trip report…
Read MoreTenkara Spring Creek Fishing with Paul Vertrees
Today, I was lucky to head out to some absolutley gorgeous water with fellow tenkara angler Paul Vertrees. We saw tons of animals, caught tons of fish, and absorbed more scenery in four hours than many people see in a year. Here’s my trip report…
Read MoreChasing Cutthroats with Anthony Naples in RMNP
Anthony Naples (left) & Jason Klass (right)
I just got back from a quick trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with Anthony Naples from Casting Around. Anthony and I have had a long-term online relationship and many people might not know that he actually designed the graphics for the header of this blog. In addition to being a great graphic designer, Anthony is a true Neo-Renaissance man. He can adeptly discuss anything from tenkara to futurism to politics. I met him in person for the first time at the Tenkara Summit this weekend and was glad to confirm our personalities were just as compatible in real life as they were in the virtual world.
We hiked up the Lawn Lake Trailhead on the Roaring River. This spot is a very special place for me. It was the place where I first fished using a tenkara rod. It was the place I first met my number one fishing partner, Karel Lansky from Tenkara on the Fly. And, it happens to be full of my favorite fish: the greenback cutthroat trout.
Read MoreTenkara on Boulder Creek
Jason with a small rainbow
Last weekend, Karel from Tenkara on the Fly and I headed out to Barker Reservoir in Nederland, CO. He heard that there might be grayling near the inlet so we thought we’d give it a shot. Our last attempt at getting grayling new Joe Wright Reservoir was somewhat of a disaster. But this time, we knew that there were plenty of other fishing opportunities nearby if the grayling didn’t cooperate. And in accordance with our apparent grayling curse, they didn’t. Luckily, there were plenty of browns, rainbows, and brookies to save the day…
Read MoreReturn to Clear Creek
I hit Clear Creek again today, hoping to do better than I did last time. Luckily, I did because this time I really wanted to get some footage with my new Go Pro camera. I’m still learning to work it, but I hope you like this short video I took with it. Also, here are some pictures and the fly that worked today…
Read MoreTenkara on Clear Creek
Today, on my first Father’s Day, I hit Clear Creek for a while just a few miles outside of Golden, CO. I’m not sure why I made that choice. It’s not my favorite type of stream–steep banks that you have to climb to get from spot to spot, vast distances between good pools, highway noise, and extremely fast water (I suppose that’s why it’s such a popular rafting and kayaking stream). But despite not being my favorite destination, I managed to pull a few fish out and have a good day on the water.
Read MoreTenkara on the Fall River
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.
Read MoreAbout Me
Jason Klass is a former fly fishing guide who now exclusively fishes Tenkara for trout in the streams and lakes of Colorado...Read More