Tenkara and the Western Native Trout Challenge: Pursuing Eighteen Trout and Char Species Across Twelve Western States Paperback – January 15, 2026

Chasing Trout and Char Across the Western United States: Accompany Mark and Judy Cole, during the summers of 2019 to 2022, as they travel the western United States seeking native trout and char to complete the Western Native Trout Challenge. Experience the Coles’ successes and failures in this quest, gaining knowledge of the salmonid species of the western United States and the lovely, delightful streams and lakes which they inhabit. You will be transported by text and photos to the places and waters where these historic fish are found. The narrative includes the species targeted, the rods, lines, and flies used in the quest, and waters fished. Nothing is held back. Each species is illustrated with a “fish fact sheet” with a photo of the fish, a brief description, and its status. A bonus chapter covers the Cole’s experiences completing the California Heritage Trout Challenge.The Western Native Trout Initiative created the Western Native Trout Challenge to enhance appreciation by anglers and the public for the native trout and char in 12 western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Challenge is completed when an angler submits photo documentation of having caught 18 species of these native fish across the 12 states and is open to all types of anglers: spin, bait, and fly.The Coles caught all their fish using the tenkara method of fishing, which involves only a rod, line, and fly. This book provides the author’s many reasons for choosing this simpler system, with data showing its effectiveness compared to western-style fly fishing.This book belongs to the traveling fly fisher genre of M.R. Montgomery’s Many Rivers to Cross and James Prosek Fly-Fishing the 41st, especially Montgomery’s quest for native trout across the west 3 decades ago.If you are interested in native trout or tenkara, if you want to read a memoir of fishing throughout the western U.S., and especially if you want to attempt the Western Native Trout Challenge, this book is for you. Read more