Reflections from the water

A Weekend Adventure; Tenkara Fly Fishing in the White Mountains

I organized a camping trip to get away with friends and teach them how to fly fish the tenkara method. We camped along the Pemigewasset River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This trip was just for the guys, so we booked some primitive sites with no running water or electricity. Of course, it was only a short walk to the campground store and showers. We’re not fooling anybody. There were six of us in total. My friend Mike and I were the first to arrive. After checking in, we drove to the campsite. This year, an unusually high number of heavy storms caused significant damage to many roads.

The road to our site transitioned from smooth gravel to washed-out dirt and mud.

I said to Mike, “Don’t tell my wife that the new Jeep Cherokee is going off-road”. Sorry, baby, I’ll wash it when I get home. As we were driving through huge puddles, Mike waved his arm out the window and yelled, “Welcome to Hazard County car wash!”

We laughed our way to the site and decided to warn our friend Jerry that he should park his car at the office. When he arrived, he should wait for someone to come and pick him up. We didn’t want to have to dig a car out this year. Last year, we had to get a friend’s car off of a tree stump. But that is a story for another time.

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Reflections from the water

What is The White Mountains Tenkara Campout?

What is the White Mountains Tenkara Camp Out? Wait, you haven’t heard of the most epic fly-fishing event in New England? Well, here it is.

The White Mountains Tenkara Camp Out, or Camp Out for short, is a weekend of camping, tenkara fly fishing, socializing, and instructional presentations. Every year, we gather at a campground in the White Mountains National Forest to celebrate the tenkara method of fly fishing. I should mention that the White Mountains National Forest is one of the most scenic places in America and a fine place to fish for wild brook trout. It all started as an idea to see if anyone would show up. Since then, it has grown exponentially and sells out each year.

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