With the recent Post on TUSA Blog about What's a tenkara rod , it got me wondering what is tenkara fishing. There have been topics in the past about some techniques that would not be considered tenkara fishing. It has also been brought up that tenkara fishing is a form of fly fishing.


Since I have never visited or probably never will visit japan I may never fully understand what tenkara fishing is. I mainly fish retention ponds using my TUSA Amago and TBUM's hi viz #4 line. I fish a variety of flies from foam poppers to bead chain eye crazy charlies and tube flies. I mainly fish for panfish and bass since there are not many trout streams near where I live in Indiana.


Some have said that if you fish anything besides streams with tenkara gear than you are not tenkara fishing. If this is the case than does that mean you can not fly fish still or salt water. I also like fishing from my kayak weather floating down stream or on a lake. I am tenkara fishing if I do this or am I just using tenkara gear to fish and putting a western modification to tenkara fishing.


I am trying to understand what tenkara fishing is without so called westernizing or modifying it. The only way I believe any one can fully understand is to go live in Japan and fiss the small mountain streams for there trout but not everyone can do this. Fishing as I see it in any form is always changing and evolving with every generation. What the ones they call the Masters of Tenkara are teaching to others have been modified from what it was 500 to 1000 years ago. The same can be said with any form fishing. Improvements from one generation, culture, region and targeted fish change and therefor change what is tenkara.


I am just trying to get a better understanding of what Tenkara fishing is. To means simple, uncomplicated fix line fly fishing. It has also been fun, exciting and relaxing way of ultra light fishing. Weather or not what I do is considered to be Tenkara or not I will continue to enjoy my time fishing with my tenkara gear.


Mike P.