There are times when I suit up for a daylong fly fishing trip and start to suspect I’m carrying more gear than your average Navy Seal.
That makes more sense if I’m planning to invade Canada and secure strategically important bacon supplies than it does if I’m trying to outwit a particularly dumb animal. Still, it’s clear that no one actually forces me to carry more than a fly rod, reel, tippet, nippers, floatant and an Altoids tin of flies to a small stream.
But mostly, I do. Is it time to streamline things?
Gearheads probably won't find Tenkara that interesting - it seems pretty simple.
Tenkara is apparently a centuries-old Japanese style of fly fishing that sounds suspiciously like a high-tech version of the overlong cane pole and mono rig many of us used as kids (and I’m just going to say it: anyone belittling that kind of fishing may have lost the ability to have fun).
Frankly, the aesthetic of it all sounds so very zen – and it’s therefore interesting (from the Schenectady Daily Gazette) Fly-Fishing: Tenkara interest growing:
Tenkara, a centuries-old Japanese style of fly-fishing that uses a telescoping carbon fiber rod, 10-foot line, tippet and fly — no reel — is beginning to show up on trout creeks and Web sites across the country.
The first American tenkara tackle company opened for business in San Francisco last month, and a Japanese authority on the method will give a talk and demonstration at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum one week from Saturday.
Paradoxically, this style of fishing, designed for the smallest streams, employs 12-foot rods. The line, made of supple, furled (braided) monofilament, attaches to a short length of braided mono permanently fixed to the tip of the rod.
Tenkara rods collapse to 20 inches long, ideal for backpacking along small mountain streams. They are feather light (three ounces), elegant and sophisticated. There is even a nomenclature for the way they flex: a 5:5 is soft, while an 8:2 has a fast action. This is no cheapo crappie rod, so you don’t “swing” it open, but rather extend the sections, one at a time.
And while you can simply dap your fly if you want, you can also cast the tapered line, and even learn what tenkara USA calls “a large repertoire of casting techniques that may come in handy at different fishing situations.”
I’m not at all sure this would be suited to fishing a brawling western river jammed full of big fish (or a lake), but it could be a hit with backcountry hiking types, who already drill the handles of their toothbrushes to reduce weight.
The full fly fishing catastrophe (waders, rod, reel, flies, junk we’re afraid to live without) weighs the backpacker’s equivalent of several metric tons (ounces = pounds, and pounds = pain), yet a three ounce rod, some tippet, and a handful of flies might just fall under the radar.
The length of the rod would keep you out of most streams, and when’s the last time you cast more than 10′ of line on that small stream anyway?
The Retail Solution
A few seconds with Google found me staring face to face with the Tenkara USA Web site, where the sight of new, untried fly fishing gear (predictably) made my palms itch. (I also found a discussion about Tenakara on the Field & Stream fly blog.)
Since this is the Internet, I’m going to exercise my inalienable right to Make Bold Assumptions Based On Absolutely No Personal Knowledge Or Even A Grasp of the Basic Facts and suggest that:
- This could turn most of us into better “hunters” of fish
- On the right stream, it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun
- On the wrong stream, it looks like a nightmare in the making
- A lightweight, simple rig like this could score on backpacking trips
- Fly reels are overpriced anyway
- Fishing traditional soft hackles tied on heavy hooks would probably kill with this technique
- We’re talking 13′ long rods on small, brushy streams, so the lifetime warranty is a good thing
Without getting too awfully zen about the whole thing, I admit the idea holds a certain appeal, in part because it feels like a simpler approach to a sport that’s famous for self-inflicting a lot of complications on itself.
Undergrounders? Thoughts? The floor is yours.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
I like the concept, but I’m not ready to adopt it. Every time I try to lighten my vest I end up regretting it the next time I’m on the water. I now even carry a backup rod and reel along with other spare essentials in case I break or lose anything.
If I was able to walk out my front door and fish whenever I wanted then the simple approach would be ideal, but as it stands now, with hours of driving and weeks or months between trips, I prefer to have it and not need it. SMJ(Quote)
I am considering trying it. The problem is that I have very little small stream experience despite my desire to move in that direction. But small stream locations and tactics are more guarded than nuclear secrets in some countries, so getting a foot in the door is difficult.
PS: I will happily trade a dozen flies for anyone who wants to share some good spots near Davis, CA :-) Vince(Quote)
Did you look closely at the flies?
The mysterious origin of the “Not Quite Silver Doctor Blue” hackle – that odd color that figures so prominently in all bubble pack fly assortments – is now solved. Sully(Quote)
“Fly reels are overpriced anyway” and underused – last time a 13″ used your $100 drag, anyone?
Czech nymphing would be beautiful with this setup.
I suppose I can have 2 rods, one as a backup …..still not that heavy, nor that expensive. Thiago Santoro(Quote)
Makes total sense.
On a small stream, why not?
If on a lake, using a dry fly near shore, another why not?
All it lacks is versatility, which is better done by the usual set up of fly rod, reel, etc.
As for the expensive of fly fishing…well, if you want to have a million flies, a quiver of rods, a selection of reels and such, then it will be expensive. Especially if you pay top dollar.
Funny, my five-year old cheap(ish) rod and (crap) reel still catch trout. paul w(Quote)
Sounds and looks pretty much like the classic whitefish rigs used here on the Bitterroot. Except a lot more expensive. Maybe some of the old boys down on the river filling up the 5 gallon bucket and heading for the smoker could apply for some stimulus money and buy this setup. Or maybe we’ll see the high end, guided whitefish trips starting up next winter. That really makes my head hurt even thinking like that. Then I would have to take up ice fishing. Taku(Quote)
At Clearwater Lodge, there is a guide, Jason Cockrum… I would best describe him as being one of the most, “Zen-fishy-muthaf@#$&*! dudes around”.
Anyway, one day on the Pit River, while he was teaching a school, he showed me his pimped out wading staff… he simply tied 4 1/2 feet of tippet to the bottom with a fly and some weight. After people fished a run he would quietly let the line slip from his finger and high-stick (now called Czech Nymphing) with his wading staff as a “rod”. The other anglers were busy trying not too fall on the rocks and break their rods, femurs and necks to notice his version of “blue-collar Tenkara” all over the Pit right behind them!! Dave Neal(Quote)
This is the flyfishing worlds version of the stand up paddle surfboard. Its gonna be the next fad for a week then everyone will go back to the trusty sage and abel or helios and bla’s. Nope not for me, if I felt it neccesary I would just dust of the old cane pole and do it that way, but I like throwing a perfect loop across a river or dropping a dry 15 ft away with no splash, or tucking a hopper an inch of the bank. That is F-ing zen!!!! This, to me, is another attempt to market an old idea and profit off the forgetfulness of humans. I mean if it were so great then why did flyfishing evolve into fast action graphite, anodized aluminum,and now flies tied with shrink tubing!? broke and bored(Quote)
“why did flyfishing evolve into fast action graphite, anodized aluminum,and now flies tied with shrink tubing!?”
broke and bored
Because it works, is cool and great to use?
Yeah, the word ‘fad’ did cross my mind. In England, in the mid-1940s, my dad used a length of bamboo with some line on the end. In other words, just about anything will work, but does that mean we have to stick with it?
Of course not.
My crappy reel (I broke it….don’t ask) is about to be replaced with something affordable, yet well made and great to use.
But I do like the simplicity principle. Looking at some fly fishers is like watching a lumbering beast overloaded with gadgets.
Anyway, I’m on the way to figuring out I only need five type of fly for stillwater (my favorite style of fishing). Five flies, one rod, one reel and an extra spool. Purrfect. paul w(Quote)
Hi,
Sounds that Tenkara raised some interest. Here is a site with more patterns and info: http://www.amago.jp.lv/b-streams/flytying/tenkara.html
Cheers,
Arnaud Arnaud(Quote)
Shades of “The Compleat Angler”. For an overview of building your own equipment from hook to rod for this style of fishing see “The Colonial Angler’s Manual of Flyfishing and Flytying” by Ken Reinard. Kurt Hauck(Quote)
Smells like marketing hype to me.
I’m a small stream fanatic, and I just can’t see how this would be effective, let alone better than a 7′ lightweight rod.
They do have it right about the furled leaders though… those things are boss for small stream fishing. Ray(Quote)
I don’t know… once you get passed the artful photography, the wonderful prose of the copy writer and the space age material all you have is pole with a string at the end. Didn’t we make these when were kids, albeit we didn’t have space age material or retract-ability.
You know, I like a little complication, I like a little gadgetry, I like to hear the sound of the real has my combatant takes the line down steam and the sound it makes when I real him in. I like the language I use when he breaks me off (this happens often and I’ve been accused of having tourettes).
It’s marketed as simple, artful and Zen. Zen, don’t get me started; you know what’s Zen when I’m done fishing I sit down with good scotch and a nice Cigar…that’s Zen.
Having said that, I do think it does have its place with the backpacking crowd. But again just cut off a 12’ stick and tie some line to it. When done, take your line, leave your stick its biodegradable. Snowfly(Quote)
Smokey Mountain Dappling.
Actually I have a relative stationed in Japan that told me about this type of fishing. I just bought a spey rod. I don’t need any other distractions right now…. Murdock(Quote)
Aw, hell, I’m buying one. There are days, or times, or places where this could be pretty cool. It’s not the One Rig I Will Take Withe Me to a Desert Island With a Trout Stream, but I dig it. Will report. Philip(Quote)
Great post! I would love to try! A pure form of Japanese style on the fly. Awesome! yuhina(Quote)
A specialized segment of fly-fishing, that’s how I see it, with some real utility, and of course a few limitations.
As they mentioned, Spey fishing, which didn’t get introduced into the States until about 30 years ago (and would have gotten exactly these reactions if there online forums back then) is specialized for big rivers, this for smalll streams.
Ray, you mentioned Theo Lance(Quote)
I tried using a quote from ray, “I’m a small stream fanatic, and I just can’t see how this would be effective, let alone better than a 7′ lightweight rod. “, I think tenkara would be incredibly effective, and for what I have been reading it seems to be. Theo Lance(Quote)
I think it would be a fun diversion – something worth trying once or twice, though after thinking about it, I wonder if its backpacking utility wouldn’t be limited by its inability to fish any distance in a lake. Tom Chandler(Quote)
I can see that limitation for lake fishing, thus the limitations I mentioned. It seems like the backpacking utility would really be when you’re following a stream and hitting different spots. It’s for streams, perhaps not the best for lakes (unless there’s a large drop to fish, but most lakes require some far casts. Theo Lance(Quote)
The lads in Ireland do quite well on their big lakes dapping live mayflies with similar rigs.
You just need a lapstrake boat and and a drunken, surly, opinionated guide. Aside from the style of boat pretty much a normal trip for the Underground. Sully(Quote)
Just read on their forum that a guy has been using these rods for a lot of lake fishing, even caught a ~10lb carp on it, and the tippet broke before the rod. It’s not recommended for this type of fishing, but I guess it would work fine Theo Lance(Quote)
It would be interesting to see how this worked on the meadow portion of the stream I fished last week (and just posted).
I’d wonder if 13′ of rod would have been enough; even casting from my knees, I often had a good 30′ of line past the tip. Much closer, and they’d spook. Then again, the length would make it possible to get the tip of the rod over the grass edging the stream, removing one of the biggest obstacles to a good drift. Tom Chandler(Quote)
I guess what I meant Theo, is that to me… small streams mean Brushy streams. I’m in southern California… a small stream to me is REALLY DAMN SMALL, and loaded with streamside brush… making a 12 foot rod ridiculously unruly. On a meadow stream… sure it looks cool. Or even a wide-open freestone stream. But for the type of small streams I see, its just one big snag waiting to happen.
Most of the fish I catch, I hook within 12 feet of myself, so on a purely philosophical level, I would be a big believer in this… just from a practicality standpoint, i don’t see it working in a wide variety of situations.
I guess if people wanna spend hundreds of dollars to get a fishing rig that will work on a very limited number of streams, great…but me? I say that’s marketing first, practicality second. Ray(Quote)
About tight streams, there’s an interesting post on their forum Tenkara USA forum, tight quarters
Since one putting a lot of line out, and it seems to give you more control over the fly, I can see this actually being easy to avoid a snag, though I’m sure they will most definitely happen. Anyone has experience fishing very long rods? (e.g. Czech nymphing rods)? Theo Lance(Quote)
I suppose everything has its place but I like plain old fly tackle I have one rod a 5wt that does everything from a good sized river to and small stream, with the proper leader, ofcourse. From smallies to trout and panfish, for me its all I need. I can see how it would kick @ss for carp though, with a heavy enough leader. Again for where and what I fish for its totally impractical. broke and bored(Quote)
I ordered a rod from them and it arrived today. Very nice fit and finish and the tube/sock combo is second to none: Aluminum tube with screw cap and rubber bumpers at both ends. Nice and small and slim, and the sock closes via velcro, a wonderful idea. The rod itself is suprisingly stout and has a nice matte brown/olive finish. I’m excited to fish it this weekend. Cliff Graham(Quote)
I’m in the process of researching Tenkara rods for an upcoming Blog post of my own when I came across your comments. After being tempted into picking one up and fishing with one for the past few months, I can perhaps respond to some of your “Bold Assumptions Based On Absolutely No Personal Knowledge Or Even A Grasp of the Basic Facts” LOL!
* This could turn most of us into better “hunters” of fish
Yes… at least if you want to catch walter while standing 25′ away you need to be able to sneak up on him. It’s easiest to fish these rods in pocket water and roiling currents–think Czech nymphing.
* On the right stream, it sounds like a hell of a lot of fun
It is.
* On the wrong stream, it looks like a nightmare in the making
It’s not as bad as that, but a low canopy is a serious handicap.
* A lightweight, simple rig like this could score on backpacking trips
I pack both a fly rod and my Ebisu Tenkara with me. Super flexible
* Fly reels are overpriced anyway
For the most part, but tell me that after you’ve fondled a Hardy Bougle Agate I
* Fishing traditional soft hackles tied on heavy hooks would probably kill with this technique
It does. As does Czech nymphing and small streamers.
* We’re talking 13′ long rods on small, brushy streams, so the lifetime warranty is a good thing
These things are very clever. the base cap unscrews so that the individual telescoping section can be cleaned and or replaced. Makes repairs a snap.
I have the 12′ Ebisu 6:4 action and it easily handles fish up to 18″ depending on the current.
Aaron
http://http://streamtime.blogspot.com/ Aaron(Quote)
I have been fly fishing “Tenkara Style” for many years, I even have my grandson (5 years old) fly fishing Tenkara Style. I do not know if I will introduce him to reels and fly lines, as he is having too much fun fishing “Tenkara”
You do not need to go out and buy a new rod, if you already have fly fishing rods.
Just do not attach the reel and fly line to the reel seat. Instead just attach a leader to the tip-top guide, attach a tippet and fly.
You are now set up to fly fish “Tenkara Style”.
It is addicting, you have been warned! ~Parnelli Steven H. McGarthwaite(Quote)