The Micro Canyon

The interaction of geology and hydrology and hydro-electric generation may be no more evident than in Fish Partner’s Micro Canyon beat. The dam on the Tungnaá generates cheap electricity and cleared up the effluent in the glacial river, but it also confined it to a much smaller geologic canyon, creating a spectacular, yet incredibly challenging space to fish for big brown trout, especially in the wind and rain.

Micro canyon etched within a historic canyon

The game is sneaking along the jagged lava edge, looking down into the turbulent, rushing turquoise water, spying for brown shadows cruising into the current. 

We found several big fish and the stalk began…

It may all seem a little silly, maybe even crazy…lying on jagged lava, 10’ above the water, casting upstream with a strong wind into a narrow (20’-25’) canyon, but that’s just because I was unwilling to risk spooking the big fish by taking a picture. Call it trophy hunting - stalking, sneaking, hoping, presenting.

Tom actually hooked into one of the big browns, but she ran downstream faster than he and Nonni could manage on the rough terrain and eventually broke off…

Would have been an epic battle had he been able to keep her on the line and Nonni somehow figured out how to net her!

Why we call it Fishing and not Catching.

The sun actually came out for a few minutes on our way back to the truck …

Tight canyon, strong wind, fast water-what a worthy challenge…and then, Whaddaya do if you hook up?!