I joined the club on Monday although daily rain and swollen creeks have thwarted my opportunities to try my 11" Iwana.
Hopefully Friday will be different! :)
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I joined the club on Monday although daily rain and swollen creeks have thwarted my opportunities to try my 11" Iwana.
Hopefully Friday will be different! :)
I was hoping to join the Tenkara fraternity, but my two best job leads died on the vine. At least I can 'live it' through these posts until my next gig comes along. :D
I finally got my Tenkara rod out last Friday on a tricky local wild trout stream and I had a blast bringing in at least 7 wild browns in about an hour. All but one was caught on a small beadhead nymph and one on a soft hackle. I tried a dry fly for a few casts at the end of the session but a stiff breeze destroyed most of my presentations so I'll chalk that failure up to environmental conditions. :rolleyes:
Two issues I had to deal with were wind and bank fishing since the creek in question really doesn't lend itself to wading. I could have done without the wind with any tackle but experiments with both furled, (THANKS John Scott!) and level lines helped me to get a better understanding of the capabilities of my Tenkara rig. I need to spend a little more time refining my line/leader combos but on this first trip, I was trying as many different things as I could in the short amount of time I had to fish. The jury is still out as to what line I favor but line visibility was key with the bright sun right in my eyes most of the time. Because of this, I used the furled thread Tenkara lines John Scott made for me more than the level lines I made.
The reach of my 11 foot Iwana made bank fishing a breeze even with the high weed growth along the edges. I was surprised at how easy it was to cast just about any length line I tried when the wind wasn't gusting full blast. I honestly think Tenkara would be an excellent way to introduce someone to conventional fly fishing. Not having a reel and other stuff to fuss with allows you to focus on the cast which is identical to regular fly casting. Landing fish without a reel was also a lot easier than I expected and pretty intuitive, not to mention fun! I imagine using Tenkara to fish for hungry "sunnies" along the edges of a favorite pond would be a blast. That's next up on my list!
I guess the biggest issue was what to do with my free "reel" hand? In between fish I just stuck it in my pocket. I have visions of using this new found freedom to sip a martini while I fish, once I figure out how to make a serving table I can wear around my waist and a come up with a place to store olives. ;)
All in all it was an excellent first experience and great vindication that trying Tenkara was a worthwhile endeavor. I doubt it will replace my conventional fly-fishing but it will add a new dimension and fill a void for those places & situations when something different is more effective or fun. The simplicity of it intrigues me as well and I am already creating a super minimalist kit to use while Tenkara fishing. In my mind it just begs for less.
Thanks to all of the posters who planted the seed, to Heritage Angler for letting me try his rod on a cold day last winter and to John Scott for the lines. This is going to be a LOT of fun!
Beware, you will find it addictive! More fun while catching more fish.
It's funny, that was my first impression, what do I do with my free hand?
.... Bam. Or, you could try casting with your "line hand." I've found that to be very intuitive and very effective for some presentations, depending on casting angles and such.
Thanks for posting about your first day out and initial impressions fishing with a Tenkara rod. Very much enjoyed reading about your experience and your reactions.
John
John:
I am UBER right-handed. They gave me a left arm to make me look symmetrical; it isn't of much use to me for anything else but waving.
But what the heck, I'll give your idea a shot the next time out!
Bamboozle,
1. Your left hand is for your wading staff. Now you have no excuse not to use one.
2. I completely agree that line visibility is critical, but hi-vis level lines are available.
3. You will find yourself more and more going to places where your tenkara rod is the rod of choice.
4. It IS going to be a LOT of fun!
C:
1. - I always do! It's amazing how much easier it is to kill yourself on a really small rocky stream with pools no more than two feet deep as opposed to a raging river.
2. - I will be ordering some of your orange line once you get more. PM me when you have it.
3. - My head is spinning with ideas.
4. - So far, it's a blast!
Of course if you are fishing in tight conditions, that free hand comes into play to make a bow and arrow/slingshot cast. And if all goes according to plan, the oft hand is kept busy doing "the reach" to gather in the haul -
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