Santa is going to bring me a Tenkara Rod for Christmas. I do a fairly decent job of furling leaders and was wondering if anyone has a procedure or plans for a Jig to make a tenkara line?
Randall Sale
the Kytroutbum
… for furling regular leaders and Tenkara line / leader combinations. Here is my set up, as posted in a thread on the Furling Forum.
"Occasionally some one asks for ideas on furling jigs / boards. Thought a thread devoted to various models would be useful, or at least interesting.
Mine is pretty much cobbled together with stuff from Home Depot. The table is simply a plywood sheet rested on a couple collapsible sawhorses. The wings on the far ( left side in photo ) side let me extend the two boards in my basic jig to 14’ and let me furl lines / leaders up to about 12’ long for Tenkara rods.
The sliding carriage at the tip end is connected to a tension device and allows for reduction and relaxation of the leader during twisting and furling. On my original jig, a tension devise was the most difficult problem to solve. The carriage was the only solution I came up with. The tension devise is a length of stretch cord and a box end wrench of the appropriate weight. The fish hook on the post facilitates incorporating a tip ring before furling begins.
The posts or pegs are dowells set at spacing 40% of the distance from the butt to the tip on one side and 70% of that distance on the other side. This results in a configuration of 40% butt section, 30% mid section, and 30% tip section. Changing the spacing / configution would require a couple seconds with a drill to relocate the posts anywhere along the board. I chose the 40-30-30 configuration after reading a number of articles on leader construction. There may be better configurations, but this one works for me.
The gear system consists of two driven gears turning hooks for twisting / furling and a driving gear at a 5:1 ratio. Found the gears on an internet site. They were the most expensive component of the jig, but should last for quite a while.
Power by Ryobi as in a low end variable speed reversible drill. Since I use formulas for making leaders rather than using the “reduction” or “pig tailing” approaches, a lower speed drill is necessary so I can count revolutions / twists. Since I power furl rather than let the twisted leader material relax under tension, the reversible feature is essential to my system.
John
Thanks, I thought for some reason that the techniques were somewhat different than for leaders. I noticed both mono and thread on your jig. Which one do you prefer to use for your tenkara and what size thread or mono do you recommend using?
My approach was to build a line / leader combination which was essentially a leader with a tip section comprising about 15% of the starting length ( 14’ ), the mid section also comprising about 15% of the total length, and a butt section comprising the remaining 70%.
I used the same 10-8-6 configuration as on my leaders - 10 strands in the butt section, 8 strands in the mid section, and 6 strands in the tip section. So basically the finished line / butt section is about 9’ of ten strands and the mid and tip sections are about 2’ each, stepping down from 8 to 6 strands. A tip ring was incorporated before the twisting began.
Danville 210 Flymaster Plus tying thread had been my material of choice for about eight years, and that is what I used for the Tenkara line / leader combinations. ( I recently found some 140 Danville which has become my standard for furled thread leaders for dry fly fishing, but I haven’t used it yet for a Tenkara line. )
I’ve not used mono - just happens there is a spool on the desk. I have used 2# Berkley fluoro for some leaders, for nymphing with my conventional fly rods, but don’t recall if I made a Tenkara leader out of it at any point.
Overall, the line / leader described has worked well on my TUSA Ayu. Chris has used one and a couple other folks reported back that it proved a satisfactory line / leader for them. But that was a couple years ago, and I am sure there have been a bunch of new products brought forth since then, and more serious attention and testing done to improve the performance of furled lines.
John
Thanks- I’ve got a lot of playing for right after Christmas. Randall
I have sold a bunch of Tenkara lines. I do make mine in two part, but once together, no hinging what so ever. Repeat business tells me they work 
As with most things Tenkara, the key thing to remember - “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.
Tenkara rods aren’t very fussy, they will cast and fish a broad spectrum of line types and tapers. It really comes down more to personal preference rather than what will or won’t work. You won’t have any problem coming up with one or more options that will work great.
That is the first I have heard this. the People I make the leaders for are quite avid as to what is needed, but out of five different users and 5 different states, they all agree on the weight and the taper.
I have come to the conclusion - Fly Fisher folk, by their nature, are naturally drawn towards complexity like a moth to a flame.
True, but a set of wrenches can do the job better than a single crescent wrench although you can make it work.
The right tool the more effective and easier the job. Taper matters.
Can you tell us more about the leaders, the popular weight and taper, for instance? And more? I, for instance, was not aware that you were in the business of selling tenkara lines/leaders.
~Paul, who is one of those guys attracted by complexity as well by simplicity
Something I was asked to try by a Tenkara friend. He told me what he looks for, so a few trial and errors, I came up with one that others liked as well.
There is a big taper to them. Example a 10 foot leader will 26 to 6 with a taper of 26 - 24 - 22 - 20 and so on to 6. They roll over beautifully. I got the idea from LaFontaines Floss idea. Float the fly on top the water.
I do use lighter thread as well. Probably equals out to a 6X. Obviously, the advantage is with dries, but nymphs are no problem.
Granted, some folks prefer the “feel” of one line over another, but about half the folks fish with a single strand of non tapered flouro. As long as one stays within some fairly broad guidelines, they are going to be able to deliver a fly and catch fish.
THe appeal of tenkara for many is the simplicity, and being able to concentrate on fishing, not worrying about the equipment they are (or aren’t) using. THere’s certainly nothing wrong with tackle tinkering, if that’s what folks enjoy. However there are people who shy away from fly fishing because they perceive it to be to complicated, and tenkara can offer those folks a much simplified and fun way to fish. That really was my only point.
I don’t see Tenkara as being full of technical tactics, but I also don’t see it as simple as that bamboo pole and a piece of mono like when I was a child, and yes I caught fish then too. Tenkara is about presentation. Sure it can be as simple as you want, but again right tool makes life much more enjoyable.
I watched even Joan Wulff fishing a Tenkara. The nice roll and light fly presentation…from a tapered line.
Joni -
Correct me if I am wrong - but I do get the impression that you have not personally used a Tenkara rod to fish ??
Your customers certainly like the line / leaders you provide ( and I did like the line / leader you sent me a couple years ago ), but five customers in five states is a very limited sample, especially compared to the market that some other folks on here are serving.
About that taper - 11 distinct stepdowns in the configuration of approximately 1’ each in length, and made in two parts to be joined together for the finished product, if I am reading your posts correctly. That is beyond complexity. I mean if your customers like it and you keep them happy, great. But the thought of what you are doing boggles my mind.
John
P.S. How was the demo down at PRO ?? Are you planning to demo at Jimmy’s this winter ??
It went well John. No on Jimmy’s this year as I did it last year, but shows here in my home town coming up.
Now leaders. Five was a modest number on my part. I have supplied some well known fishers with leaders but I prefer not to drop names, but I should have said, these are shop owners so not just one leader, they have customers as well.
You are by far the authority on this but yes I fish a Tenkara, it helps me understand the request more.
I was hoping you would post. Not sure I understand “compared to the market that some other folks on here are serving.”
I do think a tapered leader/line will be much easier to work with than a piece of level mono or fluoro. Not necessary obviously, but also not complicating.
I’m fascinated. How do I find out details for purchase? ~pfa
So where is PRO? Joni do you normally demo furlingat Jimmys? What thread are you using for your Tenkara lines. I know one of your customers come to find out couple weeks back. Waiting for him to bring it by so I can see your work. I will stick with a furled tapered line overlover level any day. I have cast Chris 3.5 level line and furled much easier.
Tight Lines
Brandon
I do a furling demo here in Utah at the Fly Tying Expo for the past three years. PRO Is Portneuf River Outfitters in Pocatello. I did a fly tying demo.
http://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/article_22ba1694-42a7-11e2-a862-0019bb2963f4.html#.UMvEQBO2_3g.facebook
My brother in law lives in Chubbuck. We go up there all the time. Stay in touch and I will bring some up next trip.
Now THAT is funny !!
The only thing I am an authority on is my own experience on the few cricks and rivers I fish around here with the flies I use for the nearsighted, colorblind, dumb, and starving trouts I pursue.
What is obvious, however, is that over the past couple years there has been a proliferation of Tenkara rods available in the U.S. market and an ever increasing number of products available to use with them.
What was about as simple as it can get just a few years ago is trending to another pursuit that will eventually become so complicated that it will turn off potential new comers, just like conventional fly angling does.
Having said that, is anyone else going to help out Kytroutbum regarding his inquiry - “… wondering if anyone has a procedure or plans for a Jig to make a tenkara line?”
John