Think Fly Reels Are Too Expensive? Take Up Tenkara (Centuries Old Japanese Style of Fly Fishing)

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Fly Fishing
fishing
fly fishing small streams
fly fishing stuff
tenkara fly fishing
Underground Entertainment
Added Date:
Thursday, 14 May, 2009
Summary
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.
 
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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?



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.

Read More Tenkara in the Yukon
 
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Truckee is a charming western mountain town. Truckee is geared toward both summer and winter tourism where visitors can hike, climb, shout into surrealistic caverns, or eat a superb ... moremeal, all before their head hits the pillow. Truckee is located along Interstate 80 and the Truckee river runs on the east side of town down the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada in to Reno, Nevada. Truckee's elevation is 5,899 ft and around 16,000 people call it home. Truckee's annual snow pabck makes it the fifth snowiest city in the United States. For fly fishermen and paddlers alike the Truckee river is the main attraction. The river runs once gentle and through gurgling rapids as it changes its face almost constantly.
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Toobally lakes are the largest two lakes in the southeast corner of Canada's Yukon Territory. These two lakes are known locally as 'Upper" and 'Lower" Toobally. They are connected ... moreby the upper Smith river. Both of these lakes are superb lake trout, and northern pike waters. With a depth of 250-feet and many shallow shoals, they offer great fish habitat. The Smith river is a great arctic grayling fishery in its own right.
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The Upper Truckee River is a stream that flows northward from the western slope of Red Lake Peak in Alpine County, California to Lake Tahoe via the Truckee Marsh in South Lake Tahoe, ... moreCalifornia. The river flows northeasterly and is 23 miles (37 km) long. It is Lake Tahoe's largest tributary.

This watershed is the largest in the Lake Tahoe Basin and occupies 56.5 square miles (146 km2), which is 18 percent of the total land area tributary to Lake Tahoe (314 square miles (810 km2)). Tributaries include Angora, Echo, Grass Lake, and Big Meadow Creeks, and Upper and Lower Echo, Round, and Dardanelles Lakes. Major lakes include and smaller lakes include Dardanelles, Round, Showers, Elbert, Tamarack, Ralston, and Angora Lakes. The stretch between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe is known as Lake Valley.

Historically, Trout Creek was tributary to Upper Truckee River in the Truckee Marsh area near the lake. But with development of the Tahoe Keys, the Upper Truckee River was channeled to the lake and currently the streamflow of the two tributaries combine only during high runoff.
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Enjoy a week in the rugged Yukon wilderness. Our 2 to 1 fisherman-to-guide ratio means you'll have the guidance and expertise you expect from a worldclass Canada Fishing Adventure. ... moreYou can spend your day catching trophy canadian lake trout and giant norhern pike on flies, or go on the pursuit of arctic grayling to reel in an amazing catch. Our guides have the experience and patience to help you catch your next Trophy Fish. Come as clients, leave as friends.
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Enjoy a day fishing the Truckee River near Sierraville, California. With our extensive experience fishing the Truckee River, we have the vast knowledge needed to help you catch fish ... moreand have fun doing it. We specialize in guided trips for fishermen of all types from first-time anglers, to experts.
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Grizzly Creek Lodge
Grizzly Creek Lodge offers world class fishing adventures in Canada's Yukon Territory. We take a limited number of anglers each year, and our specialty is fly fishing for big lake ... moretrout, arctic grayling, and northern pike.
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Tenkara in The Yukon
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36 comments
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Here is a picture of that big brown trout and the important related information: http://www.tenkarausa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3811
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I have been T-fishing for about 1-1/2 years now quite successfully on both lakes and streams. My biggest trout so far has been a better than 4 pound brown trout caught out of a lake at better than 9,400 feet in elevation. Except for float tubing and shad fishing, my western gear is just gathering dust these days, and that's after 40 plus years of conventional fly fishing. Here is a link to an article ... more that caused me to give Tenkara fly fishing some serious consideration: http://ryanjordan.com/blog/2011/05/big-river-fly-fishing-why-tenkara-beats-western-methods/
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For the past season here in New Zealand I have fished with a tenkara rod, line and flies on small spring creeks. I never would have thought after over 50 years of fly fishing I would find and learn new techniques so very effective. My rod is 12 ft, line 10ft of fluro-carbon plus up to 5 ft of tippet. I use traditional tenkara flies plus weighted nymphs and dries such as Adams. The control of drift ... more with tenkara is superb and with the casting line off the water takes are so confident it is unbelievable. This last season I have banked twice as many fish up to 4 lb. (mostly browns) as in past seasons. I can not recomend tenkara highly enough for gin clear small waters such as ours down under. NB I have only lost one fish so far!
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I know I'm dragging up a post from over a year ago, but I can't help but say it - Tom, you're asking if a Tenkara can do something that it's not intended to do. It's not made for that. So, no - it would probably not be good in such an application. Forgive me for taking the time to point it out here and to you. I've just been reading so much on the internet these last few days regarding the "limitations" ... more of tenkara. An F016 fighter jet has limitations too. You can't use it as a garden hose. Or a dog collar. Or a bus ticket. It's made for one thing, and it does it exceptionally well. So it is with tenkara.
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[ed note: This comment is reposted after it was lost during site move] The Tankara method is fascinating to me. But I am very put off that the fly fishing and backpacking blogosphere have article after article promoting Daniel Galhardo's company. What we have here a telescopic rod that is 10X the price of very similar bream rods. Sure the materials and finish are superior and lighter; so how about ... more comparing them to a more similar European telescopic “whip” – A nice 3 meter, 80 gram, cork gripped, IM Carbon Garbolino whip is about $35. There is a backpacking blogger I used to read a lot, because he posted many ideas for cost effective weight saving gear. I didn't know he even fished, until I saw a post about Tenkara on his blog. Soon he started a whole new “blog” with a link to Galhardo's store in every post. Perhaps Tenkara USA is a R.L. Winston equivalent; I will be waiting until a Ross USA or Redington model hits the market.
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I do not under stand this need for a 13 or 14 foot expandable fishing rod. That has been a rod used for fishing in England using floss line, where the line floats in the the wind, and only the fly is touching the water. ~Parnelli (Quote) An 11 to 14 foot rod is also used in Japan. The line is not floss and wind is not required, but the goal is also to have just the fly and a little bit of tippet in ... more the water. The advantage of a longer rod is that you can fish a longer line than is convenient with your 9' rods, and still keep all or most of your line off the water. Keeping your line off the water minimizes drag and makes fishing eddies and tricky currents easy.
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In Japan, where Tenkara was created, the traditional fishing rod, is a one piece split cane fishing rod with only a handle and tip-top guide. The bamboo blank is colored orange and black, using stain varnish, with alternating colors at every bamboo nib. I do not under stand this need for a 13 or 14 foot expandable fishing rod. That has been a rod used for fishing in England using floss line, where ... more the line floats in the the wind, and only the fly is touching the water. I fish Tenkara with either my 3 wt (sunfish), my 5 wt (walleye) or my 7 wt (bass). All are 9 ft fly rods. I attach the tapered leader to the tip-top guide, add a tippet and fly and go fishing. I fish streams with my 9 ft fly rods, with great success, using the Leisenring Lift. The Leisenring Lift is where you cast at a 45 degree angle (up stream) holding your fly rod parallel to the water surface, as the fly moves down stream you lift your fly rod to keep the line off the water, as the fly continues down stream you lower the fly rod. Then you return the fly to your position by genitally raising the fly rod tip to skate the fly on the water surface on your side of the stream. Then you take three steps down stream and recast. Another Leisenring innovation was a backward fly pattern, this is where the head of the fly is at the rear of the hook, and the tail (if any) is at the eye of the hook. This works great when using the Leisenring Lift. The hook is traveling down stream with the bard facing the fish which is facing up stream. This causes almost guaranteed hook-ups. These backward flies are great for drifting under bridges, where the big fish are sheltered from the sunlight, and all the water is channeled.... ~Parnelli
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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 ... more 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
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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 ... more 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/
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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.
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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.
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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)?
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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 ... more 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.
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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 ... more biggest obstacles to a good drift.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. Haven't you ever wished you ... more could control the fly better, or hold the fly on that pool that is 15 ft away, or hold a fly in place on the other side of a current? I know I have, and would imagine with a long rod, that would be very cool to do. I don't think it's pure marketing, as Field and Stream mentioned, this has been around for hundreds of years, and is pretty popular in Japan....for a reason. Plus, pure marketing is what overpriced new reel companies do, or other rod manufacturers do everytime they come up with a new rod. This seems to be "innovation" to me. I'll probably try it.
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Great post! I would love to try! A pure form of Japanese style on the fly. Awesome!
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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.
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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....
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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 ... more 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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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"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 ... more 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.
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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 ... more 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!?
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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 ... more 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!!
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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 ... more like that. Then I would have to take up ice fishing.
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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 ... more five-year old cheap(ish) rod and (crap) reel still catch trout.
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"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.
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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.
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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 :-)
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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 ... more and weeks or months between trips, I prefer to have it and not need it.
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