I too was skeptical about the application of a tenkara rod to western streams. I also thought is was little different (other than in price!) from the simple cane pole I started with at 5 years old. I was wrong.
I recently purchased a cheap tenkara blank, intending to cut it up for parts to build an experimental backpacking rod. Before cutting it into pieces I decided to try it out just for kicks. To my surprise it has opened up a whole new avenue of fly fishing for me. Casting the 12' tenkara rod is nothing like my old cane pole, it is also not just dabbing and dunking like you may have done with a long western style rod. While it is not the right tool for some rivers it is ideal for the local pocket water nearby. When I doubled my normal catch rate on a favorite stream I started to rethink earlier prejudice. I'm not going to get rid of any of my western style rods just yet, but the tenkara has earned a place in the quiver. Here are some of the things I have discovered...
1. Tenkara rods are much more supple than western rigs, especially in the tip. When casting the entire rod flexes deeply like the whole system, rod-line-tippet are one long buggy whip. It feels nothing like a cane pole or a telescoping crappie rod. Hard to compare to western line wt ratings. My 7'-6" 3wt feels like a broom stick compared to the 12' tenkara rod. On the Western scale Tenkara rods would start well below 0wt, maybe around 4/0wt. They cast so different is is hard to compare.
2. It can be much more stealthy that I am capable of with my western fly rig. Reaching out with 12' of rod and 15'-20' of line gives me a huge target area where I can keep most of the line and leader out of the water. I catch more fish AND bigger fish out of the same pools than I do with my 4wt. In most cases I can reach all the way across and fish the far bank without any line touching the water, completely eliminating the drag associated with 'up and across' or 'down and across' casting. This is a game changer.
3. I can reach pockets with the tenkara rig where I could not get a good drift with a western rig. I can dance a fly into a 6" diameter eddy and keep it there indefinitely with out any drag, something well beyond my skill set with a western rod. In fairness there are also western style castes that I could not duplicated with tenkara, such as a double haul for shooting into the wind.
4. Not so good in the wind. Even light breezes will move the line all over the place, heavy gusts will actually flex the light tip sections to the point I had no control over the rod at all. In a rare occasion the wind blows the right direction and you can use it to dance flies over the surface inducing some some viscous leaps.
5. Surprisingly the 12' tenkara rod is much easier in thick brush than my 4wt. Just collapse the tenkara rod down to 22" and wrap the line around your hand. It is far easier than threading the 8'-6" 4wt through the willows. I can collapse the sections just a bit faster and with a bit less effort than it takes to reel in 40' of line.
6. Tenkara rods are much more delicate than western style rods. It is very easy to break the tip, so don't invest in a rod company that does not provide spare parts.
7. Going without the reel. At first I really missed the reel and the line manipulation possible with an active stripping hand. Eventually I figured it out that if I need to add 2 feet to the cast I just take two steps forward. Landing fish without the reel is definitely more challenging, but I expect it will improve with practice. I normally don't use a net on local water but find I really want one with the 12' rod.
8. Not the right tool for really big trout. I think my 12' triple zoom rod is ideal for trout in the 6-12 inch range. I have caught the occasional 20" brown but I felt I had to overplay the fish and it took way too long to land him. I also didn't have the rod stiffness to apply enough pressure to control the run like I could with a western rod.
If I was heading to some big trophy water I would take a western rod, but I might throw in the tenkara for side streams.
9. The simplicity and minimal gear makes it a great tool for day hikes and casual fishing. It's really easy to toss a small fly box in your shirt pocket and slip the 22" rod into your day pack. I think my lunch takes up more room.
10. Even 6" trout put up a fun fight on the ultra light tenkara rod, the 18 inchers are epic. Makes fishing the high pressured local water fun again!
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