SOUTH FORK— As the levels in the Rio Grande drop lower, temperatures get cooler and the trees put on their fall colors, the town of South Fork gears up for a fall full of fun activities and spooky treats.
South fork Visitor Center Director Mark Teders invites late season guests to visit him at the center for a brief introduction to a new technique in fishing. This time of year is a wonderful time to hit those gold medal waters and catch that trophy fish. Teders has a new and unique way to go about it for anyone wanting to learn.
Tenkara fishing is a form of fly-fishing that can be enjoyed by anglers of all abilities and ages. According to the definition, “Tenkara is the Japanese method of fly-fishing, which uses only a rod, line and fly. Tenkara shines in mountain streams, where the long rod and light line provide the best possible fly presentation. Tenkara is also effective in a variety of waters, such as alpine lakes or urban ponds for panfish and bass. Tenkara is the ideal setup for anyone looking for an intuitive and fun way to fly-fish, something to take along on a backpacking fishing trip or teaching kids the art of fly-fishing, without the complexities.”
Teders has a pole of his own, and it is set up ready to show anglers the new technique. The long 20-foot pole sits just above the heads of visitors as they come into the center and Teders is more than happy to take it down to show guests how easy it is to catch a trophy fish. “You can be very successful this time of year if you know where to go and how to catch the fish. I can help give tips and tricks and show guests the art of Tenkara fishing,” explained Teders.
While he waits for people to come in, Teders is also working on the annual tourism magazine which usually prints in the spring. This year though, town staff thought it would be beneficial for the magazine to come out just in time for winter in order to help winter guests plan their family activities such as skiing, snowmobiling and other winter outdoor activities. “We thought we could help the winter crowd plan their trips by releasing it in December rather than in the spring,” explained Teders.

Halloween fun
In addition to the outdoor fun in South Fork, children of all ages are eager to celebrate the Halloween holiday before winter sets in. This year, the Feeling Good Café partnered with the South Fork Fire Department to come up with an evening of fun and games for all of the trick-or-treaters in town. In previous years the Feeling Good Café has hosted a trunk-or-treat in their parking lot but this year, through the combined efforts of the fire department and the café, a new event will take place.
Join the fun on Halloween night at the fire department located behind the South Fork Carnegie Library at 7 p.m. There will be a trunk-or-treat, bonfire, food, games and a costume contest. The department is still looking for volunteers to host games or decorate trunks for the event. If interested, please contact Brittany Hathorn at 719-588-0656.
Be sure to come out and join in the fun, whether it is fall fishing or trick-or-treating for Halloween!