A Constellation of Colors – Brook Trout of the White Mountains

Brook trout are arguably the most beautiful freshwater fish one can choose to pursue. Native to the eastern and upper midwestern United States, they’re the official fish of nine different states, even though anybody familiar with their biology will be quick to point out they’re not a trout at all. Fishing for brook trout in their native habitat is one of the draws to what’s become my annual trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. A gateway that was generously opened by the annual tenkara-themed campout organized and held there by friends.

There are many options to fish for trout in the White Mountains, from stocked varieties in ponds and the mainstems of rivers, to a mix of holdovers turned wild fish in the countless tributaries, to native brook trout that still thrive far up in the hemlock lined headwaters. I chose the latter on the Saturday of my visit to the Whites. It was a hike up and into an intimate stretch of water I won’t soon forget.

The Hemlock Forest

A popular trail for hikers parallels this mischievous stream, although it meanders in proximity quite a bit through the altitude change. The water provides the ambitious angler much needed seclusion, as long as you venture far enough away from the trailhead to put some distance between yourself and the less adventurous.

The brook can only be described as pristine. Crystal clear and flowing down a staircase of endless plunge pools, this is what many, myself included, envision when the phrase “tenkara perfect water” is evoked. With pesky canopy just low enough to deter a cast into the best spots, this is no place for overhand “hero” casts. For every two overhand casts made, you must trade back at least five bow and arrow casts in exchange. Given you’d like to keep your fly, of course.

On this day I sized down my tenkara gear quite a bit. When fishing the southern Appalachians, it’s not uncommon for me to use a 320cm rod for most of my fishing. However, on this stream in the northern Appalachians, I reached for a 260cm rod instead. Just under nine feet long, this short, stiff rod when paired with a nine foot level line was perfect for flicking my white hackled kebari into promising pocket water.

Perfectly in Scale

The results, a simply wonderful day on the water. Once down in the streambed, the upstream hike was fairly easy to navigate with only a few downed trees or larger than usual boulders creating brief moments of detour. The cool of the shade, generated by the thick canopy, provided welcomed relief from the unseasonably warm weather. Even the hemlock branches did their part, as they were far more forgiving of an errant cast than the thieving rhododendron I’m accustomed to fishing within.

While the resident brook trout weren’t big by the standard of a ruler, they were perfectly in scale for their quaint environs. With the stream no more than five or six feet across in most places, the tail end of almost every tiny pool yielded a hungry fish, eagerly attacking the feathered morsel with reckless abandon. At times a cast elicited multiple strikes, as it was not uncommon for the size twelve hook to be slightly larger than the mouth of the pursuing predator.

A Constellation of Colors

Once in hand, it was hard to not notice the rich coloration, their bodies a deep, dark tone matching the aforementioned shade. In contrast, their signature freckles of bright pigments, a characteristic that sets them apart from their other trout cousins, burned brightly. Each fish unique, a constellation of colors briefly revealed itself before retreating into the refuge of the stream bottom.

This continued for the better part of five hours, each plunge presenting a new puzzle to be solved. Eventually, some larger falls finally encouraged a natural departure point and junction with the main trail. The walk back down to the trailhead was a brisk one, but not too brief, and allowed for a wonderfully vivid mental playback of the day’s adventure.

Special Waters

Trout or not, I’ve come to appreciate these fish quite a bit. Considering all the challenges brook trout face in their native range, it is comforting to see this stronghold of char remain. While the cruel irony exists that brook trout in the west continue to thrive where they’re not welcome, solid pockets of eastern brook trout seem to be fewer and far between. So when you come across one, it’s notable. That’s what makes places such as the White Mountains meaningful, and streams like this one special.

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Gear Notes:
– Rod: PEBBLE Connecter T260 tenkara rod
– Line: DRAGONtail 3.0 level line, Rio Powerflex tippet 6x
– Fly: Beaded “Road Kone” sakasa kebari size 12

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