The Henry's Fork

henry's forkIf there is a heaven for anglers, it is the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. Fly fishing enthusiasts come from around the world to match wits with the river's wary trout. "It's the greatest angling challenge, probably in the world," says one angler. "The dumb fish here have their Ph.D., and the smart ones, I'm sure, teach at MIT or some university like that in the off season," says one angler.

The Henry's Fork of the Snake River drains the vast Island Park Caldera, a remnant of the volcanic upheaval that created the geysers in Yellowstone National Park.

Just a few miles from its source at Henry's Lake, the river triples in size. At Big Springs, nearly 500,000 gallons of water a day pour from the vast underground aquifer. At 52 degrees Fahrenheit, it is the ideal temperature for trout. Further downstream, the Henry's Fork carves deep canyons through rhyolite flows, a reminder of the area's volcanic past, including one violent eruption that would have killed everything within 6,000 square miles.

henry's fork At Mesa Falls, the river crashes over the top of one of those ancient volcanic flows. The display of raw power prompted author Wallace Stegner to recall his first visit to the area. "I gave my heart to the mountains the minute I stood beside this river with its spray in my face and watched it thunder into foam, smooth to green glass over sunken rocks, shatter to foam again. I was fascinated by how it sped by and yet was always there; its roar shook both the earth and me."

Stegner wasn't alone in his love for the river. Since the early 1900's, the Henry's Fork has been a favorite haunt of many -- usually lured by fishing so fabulous that one man boasted of catching more than 1,000 fish in a single night. Today, fly fishing enthusiasts from around the world come to the Henry's Fork for the ultimate angling challenge.

Rene Harrop fishing Rene Harrop is an expert on the Henry's Fork.

Real Video: See how far he'll go to catch a fish.










Links:
Henry's Fork Foundation
Fishing the Henry's Fork
Idaho Public Television's "Outdoor Idaho: On the Henry's Fork"



Home | About Idaho | Tour the State | Idaho Adventures | Four Photographers' Views | Resources