Adam,
I visited kauai years ago, before I was introduced to tenkara.
It is an interesting and whimsical place. The place is overrun by chickens. Like hike 7 miles into the mountains and take a break on an overlook and there are chickens hanging around way out there…hahhahahaha. I guess if one is a beach bum there…they would never starve.
I fished the surf exclusively.
The fresh also has some peakcock bass.
The interesting thing about the island is both its diversity and its corruption of nature. You would think that an island would be more natural, but man’s environmental mismanagement is long reaching. I went on a guided kayak tour where the guide noted that most visible vegetation was invasive and introduced. Even deep into the mountains. Sort of like the largemouth, peakcock bass and as you note rainbow trout.
Be sure to have good footwear and even consider spikes as it rains a lot there and the mud on the trails makes it like a slip and slide.
My recommendation in conjunction with the trout you consider to target, be sure to target the surf. Those are 100% native and wild and probably the most incredible and whimsical finned creatures I have ever seen.
My wife and I snorkeled Poipu Beach. We had one of those laminated fish identification cards with 20 - 30 different species of fish on it and saw almost every single one of them within a couple hours. Dense schools of reef fish. Mind blowing.
I was after jacks (ulua/papio) when I surfcasted, but caught some lizard fish and some reef fish. There is structure everywhere. The volcanic rock will tear you up so be sure to have wader boots and some neoprene socks.
If I were to go back I would fish for those reef fish with fixed line rods. They are so beautiful and unlike rainbows, those reef fish are what make those islands special. I bet with a fixed line or flyrod most of those fish could be easily caught.
That Island is fantastic.
this is the type of id card I am talking about.
