Tenkara?

[highz]

Have any of the anglers on this forum tried Tenkara? I'm thinking it would be a good style of fishing for the small creeks we have here in New Mexico. Plus, the gear wouldn't take up much space in the camper

If there are some folks out there who have tried it, can you recommend a good Tenkara rod?

 

[Lighthawk]

Great question, High.
Some of our local docs have the fly fishing bug and I've been told
this is the new way to go for the North Yuba and small streams.
But, I haven't seen it, so I hope someone else can cast some light on the question.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip>
But, I haven't seen it, so I hope someone else can cast some light
question.


me too!

 

[Alley-Kat]

Never tried it, however, here it is...

Tenkara


Click on the "About Tenkara" menu link in the top left corner for a good description.

And, their "Tenkara Forum" menu link, middle-right top menu has a lot of posts about Tenkara Gear.

Interesting stuff.

 

[highz]

Never tried it, however, here it is...

Tenkara


Click on the "About Tenkara" menu link in the top left corner for a good description.

And, their "Tenkara Forum" menu link, middle-right top menu has a lot of posts about Tenkara Gear.

Interesting stuff.


Thanks for the link. Lots of good info there. I also found this rod, which can be used at three different lengths.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Wow what a interesting method.I think what I like the most is the idea of less equipment more good fishing.The amount of gear for "western" fly fishing that is pushed on the fisher people has always been more that I have wanted to into.I have always thought that for the type of mostly small stream/fish fishing I do that I needed a small rod 7' or so,but with this system you can adjust the rod to the stream your fishing.
The method of keeping the line off the water is another great feature.I seem to be always scaring the fish with too much line out.
This system sure fits into my style,and the equipment sure is a bunch less.
I am going to look into this further.
Thanks for the thread.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

How interesting.I just opened my latest issue of Trout Unlimited and there was a nice story about Tenkara.
Check it out if you have someone who is a member and has the latest issue.
Frank

 

[ski3pin]

How interesting.I just opened my latest issue of Trout Unlimited and there was a nice story about Tenkara.
Check it out if you have someone who is a member and has the latest issue.
Frank


Mine just came also. Ah, some reading tonight.

 

[highz]

How interesting.I just opened my latest issue of Trout Unlimited and there was a nice story about Tenkara.
Check it out if you have someone who is a member and has the latest issue.
Frank


Ummm, yeah. That article is what got me thinking about getting a Tenkara rod.

 

[Foy]

Back East, we fly-fish the Blue Ridge headwater streams for native brook trout. It's basically a combat-style stealth approach, complete with camo gear, involving a pool-to-pool ascent of these plunging freestone streams. They're brushy as can be, so a short 3-weight is about right most places. You get one or at most two casts per pool before they're spooked. When you succeed in sneaking up on them, these little 7-inch brookies will come out of the water smacking a dry fly--they don't get too many juicy dinners offered up on a silver platter! Just last week my buddy and I were visiting near Boone, NC and he told me about the Tenkara gear. Reckon we need some by the time the Spring and Summer seasons arrive this year. Thanks for posting this!

Foy

 

[jcfly]

Back East, we fly-fish the Blue Ridge headwater streams for native brook trout. It's basically a combat-style stealth approach, complete with camo gear, involving a pool-to-pool ascent of these plunging freestone streams. They're brushy as can be, so a short 3-weight is about right most places. You get one or at most two casts per pool before they're spooked. When you succeed in sneaking up on them, these little 7-inch brookies will come out of the water smacking a dry fly--they don't get too many juicy dinners offered up on a silver platter! Just last week my buddy and I were visiting near Boone, NC and he told me about the Tenkara gear. Reckon we need some by the time the Spring and Summer seasons arrive this year. Thanks for posting this!

Foy


Tried Tenkara out last year. A really enjoyable way to present a fly to Trout. I have a 12' Fountainhead, and added a Tenkara USA Iwana 11' to the quiver just last month. If you fly fish, it takes about 5 minutes to learn Tenkara. Plenty of good videos on Youtube. Helps pass the Winter !! Enjoy.

 

[highz]

Thanks for the feedback, Jim. I just bit the bullet and decided to get the Suntech FieldMaster keiryu rod (plus some line and keepers). Guess I'll tie a few tenkara-style flies to add to the fly box just to see how they fish compared to western flies.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks for the feedback, Jim. I just bit the bullet and decided to get the Suntech FieldMaster keiryu rod (plus some line and keepers). Guess I'll tie a few tenkara-style flies to add to the fly box just to see how they fish compared to western flies.

Do you think the Tenkara style flies will work on out western style rod set up?
Frank

 

[highz]

Do you think the Tenkara style flies will work on out western style rod set up?
Frank


Dunno Frank, but I imagine they can be fished like a soft hackle fly. The Tenkara videos I've seen show the fly being given some action. I expect I'll mostly use western style flies, but it will be fun to try out the Tenkara style flies on both types of fly rod. Maybe jcfly has a better answer.

 

[jcfly]

Dunno Frank, but I imagine they can be fished like a soft hackle fly. The Tenkara videos I've seen show the fly being given some action. I expect I'll mostly use western style flies, but it will be fun to try out the Tenkara style flies on both types of fly rod. Maybe jcfly has a better answer.


I have yet to try a Tenkara style fly, but will this season. See no reason it would not work with a western fly outfit. Have fun with that new rod , I saw that on Chris Stewart's site which is always enjoyable. Remember - A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.

 

[highz]

I have yet to try a Tenkara style fly, but will this season. See no reason it would not work with a western fly outfit. Have fun with that new rod , I saw that on Chris Stewart's site which is always enjoyable. Remember - A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.


Thanks.

I'm hoping that the new rod will be versatile enough for the variety of rios and ritos around here, and maybe even on some of the small alpine lakes in the north part of the state. I'm thinking a trip to the forks area of the Gila River is in order soon.

 

[highz]

Due to some family obligations I haven't been able to go to the Gila river yet. Instead, I've taken the Tenkara rod a couple of times to my "home waters", the Rio Peñasco. It's a spring-fed creek only a few feet wide where I fish, but home to some wild browns. According to the rules, you can keep two rainbows, but must release all browns. The thing is, I don't think there are any rainbows in this part of the creek. All I've caught here are browns, and that seems to be true for the two other anglers I've talked to here.

Tenkara casting is different, and I'm still figuring it out. A little more wrist action is needed and the backcast is shorter (the rod only goes to about 12 o'clock). What I'm enjoying is the emphasis on presentation - a dead drift is one option, but I've actually caught most of the trout when I gave the fly a little movement. I'm still learning what works best.

The Peñasco in winter. The elevation is lower than at my house and the snow is already gone.



A typical brown (about 8 inches seems to be average here) taken on a "Utah killer bug". The largest I've caught here with the Tenkara rod is eleven inches, but -ahem- I believe I was trespassing on that one.



So far, I'm enjoying Tenkara fishing quite a bit!

 

[ski3pin]

Looks like fun highz!

 

[Lighthawk]

Nice brownie, High. Tenkara looks like a fun way to go.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Due to some family obligations I haven't been able to go to the Gila river yet. Instead, I've taken the Tenkara rod a couple of times to my "home waters", the Rio Peñasco. It's a spring-fed creek only a few feet wide where I fish, but home to some wild browns. According to the rules, you can keep two rainbows, but must release all browns. The thing is, I don't think there are any rainbows in this part of the creek. All I've caught here are browns, and that seems to be true for the two other anglers I've talked to here.

Tenkara casting is different, and I'm still figuring it out. A little more wrist action is needed and the backcast is shorter (the rod only goes to about 12 o'clock). What I'm enjoying is the emphasis on presentation - a dead drift is one option, but I've actually caught most of the trout when I gave the fly a little movement. I'm still learning what works best.

The Peñasco in winter. The elevation is lower than at my house and the snow is already gone.
View attachment 15928


A typical brown (about 8 inches seems to be average here) taken on a "Utah killer bug". The largest I've caught here with the Tenkara rod is eleven inches, but -ahem- I believe I was trespassing on that one.
View attachment 15929


So far, I'm enjoying Tenkara fishing quite a bit!


Nice fish Highz.I always say it's not the size of the fish.I am not a head counter so any fish I catch is fun.Sounds like you are enjoying the Tenkara setup.
I am envious of you that you have a stream in your back yard.
Thanks for the photos.
Frank