Tenkara Fly Fishing the "creek" at Stevens Creek
Many know of Stevens Creek as a boulevard. A side thought when they hear "Santana Row" or "Winchester Mystery House".
But did you know Stevens Creek is actually.. a creek? Regulations say there's trout in it, and certain parts you could fish all year. See the video below to know where!
Gear
- Rod: Tenkara USA Iwana 12ft rod
- Line: Dragontail Tenkara Level Line (cut to 9ft)
- Tippet: Scientific Anglers 5x Trout Tippet (cut 2-4 ft)
Fishing Stevens Creek
Most of the fishable creek part of Stevens Creek is dry, with little pools of water. Each small deep section had one "king of the pond", with many smaller fish. It was interesting to see how consistent that theme was with Stevens Creek. It's just really that barren!
Trout here are also well adapted to the busy foot and vehicle traffic, as the creek is close to campgrounds, trails, and even the road. They're extremely skittish. One loud move, or one sliver of shadow cast on the pool, and you could see the fish swim away in your peripheral vision!
It was mostly a terrain issue, as it was difficult to find sections that 1) had fish 2) gave the tenkara angler an easy way to reel the fish in 3) had overhead clearance for a 12ft rod
After some hiking, I found a suitable spot.
Giving my fly movement and patiently waiting for the right moment were crucial. Despite glimpses of interest from the trout, the catch was elusive. I had already given up, the day was about to end as I started my trek late in the afternoon.
On the way out, on my "one last cast for the road" yielded a surprise catch – a tiny trout, hardly three inches long.
While the trip may not have yielded a bounty of catches, it was rich in learning about the subtle art of being undercover. Would I come back to Stevens Creek for fishing? Probably not.. but hey, the hikes are nice!
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