Tenkara

[Heritage Angler]

John - Welcome to the world of Tenkara!

Due to the negative responses of some people to this form of fly fishing in past threads, a lot of folks that have come to enjoy it have remained largely silent - to keep the peace. Tenkara will never replace my "regular" fly rods, but under the right circumstances, it is a highly effective, and most enjoyable way to fish. Every person I've shown my Tenkara rod to was really enthusiastic to try it, and some have purchased their own rods. They really are a blast! I strongly encourage those that are intrigued by this form of fishing to give it a try - it's a very inexpensive way to fish, and it is just another way to enjoy the sport, IMHO.

Warren - The leaders you made for me are easily the finest furled leaders I've ever seen or used, and I have a bunch of them! I attribute their performance to the high quality materials you used, and some mighty fine craftsmanship. You could probably sell a bunch of them, if you were so inclined. The leaders you made for me were 10' 4" long. I added a 12" piece of 3X tippet to the end with a clinch knot, and put a tiny metal tippet ring at the other end. By adding 5X, 6X, or 7X to the tippet ring, those leaders should last for years. My typical total leader length is between 13 and 15' long, and your leaders turn over VERY well. You nailed a perfect taper for my Tenkara rod (I have the 11' Iwana).

Deana - Tenkara may be just the ticket for you. The casting motion is identical to a "regular" fly rod, but you can easily cast the whole line even if you keep your elbow tucked in tight to your side. A gentle touch works best - it's almost effortless. It's a very user friendly way to fish, and it'd be easy on your shoulder. If you contacted Daniel at TenkaraUSA, he may be interested in becoming a sponsor of FAOL. He is a sponsor of a local forum here in PA, and he sent a few rods to try at our yearly gathering, as well as donating a rod to be raffled off in a drawing. Anything that would allow you to fish more is a winner in my book!

H.A.

[JohnScott]

...Could you do the same or something very similar with a telescoping "cane pole" type rod? Or are the actions too different?

... a telescoping cane pole type rod, Zac, so I can't really answer your question.

From my experience last year fishing an 8' for 5 wt bamboo fly rod exclusively for six months, it is hard for me to imagine a 13' rod fashioned from bamboo ( or any material other than graphite ) that would weigh 2.7 ounces, balance beautifully, and cast effortlessly.

H.A. - Some folks are going to be negative about anything that doesn't fit their experience or preferences. Those folks should not discourage open minded people from talking about this or any other approach to fly angling. Not to worry about "peace." You beat me to the punch today suggesting to Deanna that she approach Tenkara about becoming a sponsor. Maybe this thread would cause them to give it serious consideration.

Warren - I'm getting a new furling jig set up in the next week or two. I think that I will be able to make my own Tenkara lines. If it doesn't work out, I'll be in touch with you about furling me a couple.

John

[KeatonsDad]

hmmmm...you've given me some food for thought. I have seen these rods but never tried one. I really do like the thought of them for backcountry excursions along smaller rivers and streams.

[CM_Stewart]

John,

As Heritage Angler said, welcome to the world of tenkara. Although tenkara won't do everything, you'll notice more and more places where it will work just fine.

When you demo the 12' Iwana, be sure to demo the 11' one as well if you do any fishing in smaller streams. If they don't have one in stock, ask them to order one at the same time they order the 12 footer. It is one sweet little rod. I wouldn't take it out looking for 20 inchers, but up to about 15-16" would be fine. An Ayu for bigger streams and 11' Iwana for smaller streams is a very nice combination.

Also, at some point you might want to try a light level line for your Ayu. It will cast a lighter level line than the Yamame, and you can fish a line longer than the 10.5' furled line.

quivira kid,

If by telescopic "cane pole" you mean the crappie or panfish poles, they're not really comparable. Before Tenkara USA opened its doors last year, I bought a number of telescopic panfish poles, both fiberglass and graphite, to try to get as close as I could to a real tenkara rod. A tenkara rod is designed to cast an unweighted fly using just a furled leader (or level line as light as 0x fluorocarbon for an Ayu) as the "fly line." Panfish poles are designed to cast either a weighted jig or a worm, split shot and bobber. They're not nearly sensitive enough (plus they're a lot heavier). Even the Yamame, which is considerably stiffer than the Ayu, has a more sensitive tip than a panfish pole.

I've written a lot about tenkara rods, but I can't give you a link. Google knows where to find me.

Edited to add: They're great for 'gills, too!

[quivira kid]

John and CM, thanks for the responses! I already have a 13 ft telescoping "dipping pole" and figured it might work. That's why I asked.

[TyroneFly]

Hi John,

Great report! Since there is no reel involved and landing a fish is done by raising the rod is there a chance you can break the tip section?

[pszy22]

I've been fishing Tenkara style for the past year and find it very enjoyable and at least fairly versatile for the waters I fish.

The main advantage I see to fishing Tenkara style is the total control it allows you over any movement, or non-movement you choose to exert on your fly. I fish primarily dries, just out of personal preference. The longer rods/light lines really allow you to animate the fly when conditions dictate.

Regarding the use of various line options, one thing I would suggest y'all experiment with is to try to a longer tapered leader if you are using a furled line. It can easily extend your range when fishing larger bodies of water.

Tyronefly, you do want to make sure you purposely provide a weak link in the system in case you happen upon moby dick. The weak link is hopefully your tippet and not your rod tip. However as was mentioned by others, 15-16'" fish in fast moving waters are manageable. The long rods are very effective fish fighting tools, at least up to a point.

[CM_Stewart]

is there a chance you can break the tip section?

Yes and no. The tips are so flexible that they really do bend rather than break on landing a fish, and they distribute the strain over the entire rod. Tips do break, though, mostly from collapsing the rod incorrectly (putting sideways pressure on the light tip sections when pushing them back down into the butt sections). Replacement tips are available and inexpensive.

[JohnScott]

....I've written a lot about tenkara rods, but I can't give you a link....

... but I can post a link to a website by a TenkaraBum that has written a lot about Tenkara.

http://www.tenkarabum.com/tenkara-rods.html

I certainly hope everyone who reads this thread will follow the link and become better informed about this approach to fly angling. Great reviews on the rods available from TenkaraUSA, also.

John

[JohnScott]

...Regarding the use of various line options, one thing I would suggest y'all experiment with is to try to a longer tapered leader if you are using a furled line. It can easily extend your range when fishing larger bodies of water....

... are you refering to a furled tapered leader at the end of the furled line or a tapered knotless mono leader ?? Or either ??

My thinking is to make a furled line of appropriate material and weight for the rod and then add a furled ( tapered ) leader by a loop to loop connection then add tippet. Haven't figured out all the details yet, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

John