Pocket Mini and Mountain Bike

by Doug
(Oregon)

We have a local small stream which is perfect Tenkara water. It is full of small redband rainbows and a few brookies. The state wants to eliminate the non-native brook trout, but I like them here. They grow a bit bigger than the redband, and they are often in faster water.

I had heard that way up in the headwaters, above several massive waterfalls, the creek holds 100% brook trout. Apparently, someone stocked it by horse and milk can long ago, and they hang on in a tough high altitude spot.

The headwaters can be reached by a long steep trail, which is (just) mountain-bikeable. I put the marvelously compact Nissin Pocket Mini in my bike bag and strapped some river shoes on the back. This super minimal outfit let me confirm, yep, there is a gorgeous dry fly gulping brookie in every decent pool up there.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.