Tenkara Fishing At The Hatchery

by Herb S.
(SW Michigan)

On April 21 our Trout Unlimited chapter held our annual “meet the DNR” meeting at the local state fish hatchery. We were told we could fly fish the show pond with hook-less flies with the enticement, “If you've always wondered what it feels like to experience a really big trout rise to your fly, this is your chance.” Really big is an understatement, huge is more like it. So I brought my 12’ Iwana in case some of the “normal” fly flingers wanted to try it. None did, but I was gleefully accused of fishing with a cane pole by one member, and I got the impression others wanted to say the same. So it was with great pleasure that my first cast not only got the first hit of the evening, but the 3” PINK yarn “worm fly” got caught in the monster brown’s teeth and it was a tremendous battle for several seconds until the yarn came unstuck. There were other strikes on the worm and others got rises to their dry flies, but this was the only fight. What a blast! And I learned something. Now Pink Micro Chenille fly production is going full blast in the geezer cave.

“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.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.