Exporation of an alpine stream

[heathcote]

It is autumn in New Zealand and a bonus is time to search out some of our more remote and less famous waters plus indulge in my other passion of tramping.
This trip was to the Kowai river in Canterbury in the Torless Range. A convenient hut is situated near the head waters as a base. This stream was seeded with brown trout in the late 20's and ealy thirties and populations have had a hard time surviving in a very harsh environment. With the 2012 earthquakes it was of interest to see what had happened.
The stream is a typical mountain freestone braided system and to a first glance little had changed; however the upper stream has now waterfalls where none had been previously. A search of this stretch saw no sign of fish of any discription however below the hut inthe larger water where two streams joined a small fully mature brown trout of a mere 75mm was caught in a pool under a bluff and a number of fry were observed in a small feeder. Searching up into the gorge on the Torless stream I caught a first for me on a fly, a New Zealand torrent fish of approx. 10cm. These look a little like a gudgeon or barbel, marbled in colouration to match the environment they live in with a flattened head to better hold the bottom in fast water.
Fine weather mean cold nights in the alpine foothills and frosts are common and the stove in the hut is welcome for comfort in the evening and I am reading for the first time the unabridged "Complete Angler" by Isaak Walton most appropriately by candle light before bed.
Three days of "Heaven" away from it all, total solitude and a bonus fish on the way out much lower down, a 1 1/2 lb rainbow. Such are the joys of these more remote alpine valleys and the light weight of a tenkara rod and gear are an added bonus to fully enjoy this wilderness.

[ksbioteacher]

Very nice. Your description has sparked my imagination. Thanks.

[adam]

Tenkara indeed.

It is a beautiful way to enjoy fishing.

[heathcote]

Tenkara is the most satisfying and efficient way to fish the open mountain streams and also I find the small spring creeks.

[adam]

I enjoy tenkara very much. So much I have immersed myself in the study of it for the last three plus years practicing it only.

I dedicated myself to only using one fly with it and have travelled with my tenkara gear with great success.

I choose traditional tenkara rods. Those that predate the American introduction of it. I am sponsored by a small rod firm "Sakura" that is greater than one hundred and ten years old.

Here in the early days of smallstreams.com, we corresponded with Yoshikazu Fujioka, a tenkara master that is also a talented Western style fly angler. Given that, I must say that tenkara is not the only way to fish a small stream.

Although it is my chosen method, I would not say that it is the only method.

I own and operate two Sage rods that I chose for small streams. I chose them carefully on their form and function. I've hand planed and use two very specific bamboo fly rod tapers that I have chosen for small streams.

I know you know that tenkara is not the only way.

...and I continue to choose a tenkara approach to small streams.

It could even be said that it is the only way but I would not choose those approach.

That would be far too limiting.

Your story is enjoyable, I understand it and I hope you post more and more about your adventures with the Japanese form. I know I certainly will.

Do take care.

[heathcote]

Adam with the advances of modern medical science I hope to have a few years yet left to fish (I'm in my 75th year) and tenkara is for me a return to my boyhood but with much advanced tackle from the original 14ft split cane rod of yesteryear. I do not limit myself to Tenkara especially as big water requires a different approach; however saying that "Leader to hand" is not that far from the principals of tenkara. Fishing is for enjoyment and to sooth the soul and calm the mind and I am sure that every day spent fishing is added to our alloted life span. Thank you for your comments, go with Izaack!

[adam]

You did not get to 75 by making poor choices...

You and I agree about tenkara.

At 51, when I was 4, I was taught to swing hoppers on a gold aberdeen hook for bream with a 15' three section bamboo pole, very much like tenkara.

It is a return to youth but make no mistake, those rods of our youth and the knowledge we have now is connected by the experience in between.

Lovely way to spend time.