New Book: Tenkara and the Western Native Trout Challenge

Mark Cole has a new book out, and if native trout and tenkara are anywhere on your radar (and I assume they are if you’re here), it’s one worth paying attention to. Tenkara and the Western Native Trout Challenge follows Mark and his wife Judy as they spend four summers traveling the western U.S. in pursuit of every native trout and char recognized by the Western Native Trout Initiative.

The heart of the book is the Western Native Trout Challenge itself, a long-form quest that spans 12 states and 18 native species. Each species gets its own “fish fact sheet,” and the narrative is supported by a ton of photography that puts you right alongside them on the various streams and lakes.

The book also lays out why the pair chose tenkara for this kind of pursuit. The gear, flies, and waters are all part of the story, shared openly and honestly for anyone curious about how a simple fixed line system holds up across such a wide range of conditions. Judy & Mark are the 18th and 19th people to complete the challenge, the first to do it with tenkara tackle, the first Coloradoans, and the first husband and wife from Colorado!

Part memoir, part exploration, and part quiet encouragement to pursue these fish for yourself, Mark’s book is newly released and now available on Amazon. Whether you’re thinking about tackling the Western Native Trout Challenge or just want to read a thoughtful account of chasing native fish across the West, it’s an easy recommendation for any tenkara angler.

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