Tenkara ... What?

[Fishingfiend]

I am sorry ... I really don't want to upset anybody. But I have got to get this off my chest.
What is all this hoopla over Tenkara? I guess I was really a trend setter in the 60's and didn't even know it. But back then, we just called it jigging a fly with a cane pole. There are some major differences that I don't like. With the cane pole, we always used a stout line, and the line length was usually no longer than the pole. This allowed one to quickly land a big fish for releasing if desired.
With these Tenkara poles and the light leaders, you have to hand line the fish in. If you catch a large fish, you'll have to exhaust the fish before you can bring it to you by hand. I fear this will result in more fish kills due to over exertion.

Am I the only one who sees this ... or am I somehow mistaken?

[billhouk]

Except for steelhead, I find myself hand lining more often than reeling a fish in regardless of using a Tenkara rod, or a rod and reel. It is pretty hard to reel up 10, 15, 20 feet of stripped line when a fish takes the fly. You adjust the size of the Tenkara rod to the size of fish you expect to catch. The light tippet guarantees a fish bigger than you can handle breaks off before you exhaust it. This should be true for Tenkara or rod and reel. Good catch and release techniques would have us protect the fish until it is capable of swimming away on its own regardless of equipment used. (See other threads on catch and release mortality...)

So, based on my experience, I don't see much diference between raising a Tenkara rod up and swinging the line to you as opposed to high sticking a rod and reel, stripping in line and eventually taking the line in hand to land the fish.

And, to top it off, I was fishing with a cane pole last week, too. They're made of fiberglass now...

[NewTyer 1]

Back in your day, they never practiced catch and release

[narcodog]

Your mistaken. This subject has been beat to death. I have landed trout to 24 lnches and released them successfully. There are similarities but you are using a rod that weighs about 2 ounces not one that weighs two pounds.

[JohnScott]

It's pretty easy to become informed. Just follow the link and read what a lot of inexperienced people ( like me, at the time ) and a lot of experienced people had to say about Tenkara.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...?37309-Tenkara

As indicated above, the subject has been beat to death ( almost, anyway ) and it's not likely this thread that you have started will take on any life. So it would probably be more productive to go where you can get some answers to your questions.

John

[Betty Hiner]

"like me, at the time"


"it's not likely this thread that you have started will take on any life. So it would probably be more productive to go where you can get some answers to your questions."
He DID come to the right place ... he's here isn't he???!!!??? Don't put him down for asking.

I'm sorry fishingfiend ... I failed to welcome you to FAOL! Glad you're here! Ask ANYTHING you want, about anything ... some of us will surely answer! New guy brings the donuts!