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Thread: Tenkara Flies

  1. #11

    Default Tenkara Flies

    Enjoying the joys of others and suffering with them- these are the best guides for man. A.E.

  2. #12

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    There is no reason why Tenkara flies should be any more expensive
    than any other, if you tie your own, no problem. A lot of them are reverse hackle
    flies, which are no more difficult than softhackle flies you are all familar
    with.
    Chris Stewart uses quite a few well known non-Japanese flies.
    Sawyer's Killer Bug is a prime example.
    Now, I admit I have never, yet, fished with a Tenkara rod, but from what
    I have gathered, Chris has done quite a lot. So if you think the flies are too
    expensive, get tying, and use your smaller unweighted wet-flies.
    Have a look at the Italian Alpine, Reverse Hackle and Tenkara sections
    on my site, plenty of ideas there.

    Donald Nicolson (Scotland)

    http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/

  3. #13

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    To date, every fish I have caught on my Tenkara rod has been on a non-Tenkara fly.

    While I don't discount the effectiveness of any fly, it's all about what you feel will work for you and the way you fish. I know the trout well where I fish and I never planned to change the flies I used when I changed the way I presented them.

    So far, trout have succumbed to soft hackle flies like a Snipe & Purple, Partridge & Peacock and a soft hackle version of the Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear. I also have done well with beadhead nymphs like the Prince and a flashback version of the GRHE.

  4. #14

    Default

    From what I've seen and read about Tenkara flies, matching the hatch does
    not seem to be an important requirement for their design and use.
    The same seems true of the Italian Alpine flies.
    This is because of the speed of flow in the mountain streams, the fish have to be quick if they are going to get anything to eat.
    So if you are going to use your Tenkara rod on your home streams,
    in which Traditional Wet flies, Spiders etc catch fish, then there
    is no reason to use specialised mountain stream flies like the
    Tenkara or Alpines. No doubt you will catch trout with them but the are not 'magic' flies.
    And if you already have a good collection of Spiders etc, why spend good
    money to no avail, or not much anyway.
    always remember 'mony a mickle mak's a muckle'.
    Donald Nicolson (Scotland)

    http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/

  5. #15

    Default

    I agree with what Donald says about when fishing fast water, the fish never really get a good look. I will go a step farther and suggest that Tenkara allows for very precise presentation. When I say presentation, I mean the ability to precisely manipulate a fly. If we limit ourselves to only fishing dead drift, the only thing that separates our fly from a stick or a weed is the fly's profile. Adding movement to the fly is another way to make it look alive, i.e. something good to eat.

    In my mind, it's the level of presentation that Tenkara allows that makes it such an effective method.
    "People tend to get the politicians and the fishing tackle they deserve" -
    John Gierach, Fishing Bamboo

    http://www.tenkaraflyfish.blogspot.com/

  6. #16

    Default

    I have to agree with DT and pszy, with the Tenkara it's the presentation and the ability to sneak up on the fish lies. It's commando fishing at it's best. I have not used any Tenkara flies yet but I do plan on tying some soon then I'll be able to compare them.

  7. #17
    Join Date
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    Australia
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    Default

    Its all about using what best works for you in your situation at the time and what you are comfortable with. Whether Tenkara or traditional fly fishing

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    North Carolina
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    Default

    Flies tied for a rod! What is the reasoning for that? Dry or wet action I understand.
    Fish must be way more sophisticated than I imagined?

    Local brookie to small rainbow......"Bow, don't bother with that artificial, it's being fished on a standard 7' bamboo rod, wait for that fly that's designed to be fished with a Tenkara rod. Sorrypal, but youwon't be able to resist that irresistable Tenkara fly!"

    Geez!!

    Please, I have no problem with folks fishing the Tenkara rods. Whatever trips your trigger.
    But, when you makestatements regarding "Tenkara only flies", I gotta say whoa, gimme a break.

    Please, someone prove to me that these flies only catch trout on Tenkara rods or that it matters in the least!
    Last edited by bobbyg; 12-23-2010 at 10:51 PM.
    When you can arrange your affairs to go fishing, forget all the signs, homilies, advice and folklore. JUST GO.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    NYC
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    Default

    bobbyg, I don't think anyone has said that, either here or on any other forum. Perhaps something has gotten left out of the discussion. They are not called "tenkara flies" to limit their use to tenkara rods. They're called tenkara flies because they were developed in Japan by fishermen who were fishing tenkara rods (which is all they had then). I suppose it's kind of like Spey flies being called Spey flies. There are a number of different styles of tenkara fly, and some of them are virtually indistinguishable from Western flies. I seems understandable that the styles that are the most different (the reverse hackle) are the ones that get the most mention.

    They will work with a western fly rod, and western flies will work on with a tenkara rod. For the last two years, my two best flies, by far, were not tenkara flies (Frank Sawyer's Killer Bug and Hans Weilenmann's CDC & Elk).

    Do these flies only catch trout on tenkara rods? No, obviously not. Does it matter in the least? Well, perhaps.

    The reverse hackle flies probably do work better with a very long rod. As Donald Nicolson mentioned, nearly identical flies were developed in Italy for fishing high gradient mountain streams - with very long rods. The long rod allows you to keep most of the line off the water, and by raising the rod tip give action to the fly by pulsing the hackle. Obviously, you can do that with a 9' rod as well. It's just that with a longer rod, you can do it a bit farther away, so you'll spook fewer fish.

    No one is saying tenkara is the be all and end all. A lot of the people who try it seem to like it, and want to share their enthusiasm.
    Last edited by CM_Stewart; 12-24-2010 at 01:34 PM.
    Tenkara Bum

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    North Carolina
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    Default

    Thank you for the explanation CM.

    Bob
    When you can arrange your affairs to go fishing, forget all the signs, homilies, advice and folklore. JUST GO.

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