Tenkara Fishing & Biking In Idaho

I just got back from a week in eastern Washington with family and did manage to get a bit of fishing in.  As a result I have enough pics and ammunition to fill this blog with numerous posts for some time to come but for now I will skip the family photos and proceed to the fishing.

As our family likes to do when we get together, outdoor activities always top the list.  One of those excursions on this trip was a 17 mile bike ride down the Hiawatha trail, which is a converted railroad bed winding its way from western Montana and into northern Idaho.  The first 2 miles of this bike ride is a dark ride through a long tunnel on the state boarder.  After that first long dark tunnel is another dozen tunnels that weave there way down to the St. Joe river, (Prime Cutthrout!!)
I have spared you the bike riding photos but let me tell you, the kids loved riding in the kid trailer down the trail and through the tunnels.  Even my wife, who was not so sure a 17 mile bike ride would be fun, had a great time on the tandem bike with my sister.  We contemplated attaching the kids trailer to the tandem but thought better of it.  The thought of loosing our whole family over the edge of a 3000ft mountain side due to faulty driving on my part was the deciding factor.

Once the bike ride was complete I unloaded the Tenkara rod and box of flies I had stashed in the kids carrier and headed out to the river while my lovely and understanding wife and brother took the bus back up the steep, switchback mountain road to retrieve our cars.  I had about an hour and a half to fish this pristine water.  Since I was pressed for space, I didn't pack any waders so I had to buck up and wet wade.  Man That Water Is Cold!

But not cold enough to keep me away from those perfect cutthroat!  These are my first cutties I have ever caught and I got to tell you, They Are Fun!  For such a small fish they put up a continuous fight.  I don't believe that I have ever hooked into a fish that shook its head so much.  I lost more than I caught but in that hour and half I did manage to land 6 or so great looking trout.  None were of any record size but man was it fun and fishing dries with the Tenkara rod on that waster was great.
It was perfect the way the wind was blowing slightly off my back and extending the fly out into the stream.  I hovered the fly for a few seconds just inches over where I wanted it (about 18 feet from where I was standing) and then let it hit the water.
BAM!    
After I found out how they where biting and the fly they liked, it was consistent fun.  Time however was not standing still and the fun with the fish gave way to fun with the family.  Before long we loaded up the truck and cars with bikes and tired kids and headed back to Spokane for pulled pork, beverages, and a few hands of cards.  Such a sweet day!