Tenkara Fishing

[Rolf]

Anyone do it? I've been reading some about it and for certain things it looks interesting.

Thanks,

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I own a tenkara rod and use it from time to time but it will never replace my conventional flyrod and reels.

 

[dryflyguy]

I also would like to give Tenkara a try.
Seems to me that it would be most effective on very small streams, where you have very little room for conventional casting anyway.
Most outfits I've seen come with, what looks like attractor style flies.
And I would give those a shot on brookie streams. Although I don't see why you couldn't use terrestrial patterns too.
And maybe even - where applicable - do some match the hatch fishing too

 

[mikesl]

I have a tenkara rod, thought it would be good for packing light and hitting small streams.... I don't really feel that way anymore.

for tenkara to work, the rod has to be rather long. And, being rather long makes small stream fishing quite tough. a 7' 3wt works better in tight quarters.

I find the ability to vary the line length is crucial for casting in tight quarters.

and the tenkara setup makes it much more difficult to bushwhack between spots - unless you wind up the line and break it down all the way... which i find too cumbersome.

i have some good memories from tenkara fishing, and maybe i will circle back to it as i evolve as a fisherman, but right now, it is not getting much use.

 

[FarmerDave]

Sure, I've done Tenkara style fishing. For crappie and bluegill. But not for trout.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Mikesl, although I completely agree with you on small streams, I also know people who prefer longer rods for small streams. Less casting, more dapping, high sticking, jigging, or whatever you want to call it. You know, Tenkara style. ;-)

Seriously though, I knew a guy who fly fished/fishes way more than me and his favorite small stream rod was a 9ft Winston. At the time, mine was a 6 foot 4 wt Cortland combo that I got for about 30 bucks.

I eventually gave that to a beginner as a gift. I now have a 1 and a 2 weight, but haven't used them yet. Need to buy a couple more reels. Had them awhile, and hoping to try them both next year.

Actually my favorite small stream rod is about a 7.5 foot 3 piece bamboo that I made out of a very old production rod. It's really sweat and throws a 4 weight line very well. But I re-broke the tip section awhile back (my first repair job was poor) and haven't gotten around to fixing it. I have what I need (including a new/old tip section) except for the time. Maybe this winter.

 

[steveo27]

I wanted to pick up a Tenkara rod for the longest time until I really started thinking about it. Mikesl's reason are the same reasons I havent purchased one yet.

I have a 7'6" 3w and a 6'6" 3/4w that work perfect for the tiny streams I fish. When I find a situation these no longer work in, I'll explore new options, including Tenkara.

 

[salmonoid]

I bought a Tenkara rod because I wanted to try it. I fished a small brookie stream and did not find the extra rod length to inhibit my fishing. I fished dries that day. I've always thought it would make a superb dapping rod, which is what I spend a lot of time doing on small streams, but I've somehow always managed to use the more traditional approach when fishing buggers or nymphs on small streams.

In summary, used the rod once. Enjoyed it. But apparently not enough to displace a variable line length rod for the majority of my outings...

 

[FarmerDave]

Maybe they need to make a movie for this to take off. :lol:

 

[JerryC]

I've fooled around with it a bit. Got interested when a customer brought a tenkara rod in the local fly shop I frequent that he'd picked for the owner in Japan. The price was $300. The guy showed us how to rig it up. I examined the rod and to quote farmerdave realized I had done the same thing, used the tenkara style fishing for crappie and bream on Reelfoot Lake when I was in college. Rather than spend a couple of hundred bucks on a true Tenkara rod I browsed Cabela's catalog and found "telescoping graphite crappie rods". Ordered a 11 foot one made by the same company as the Japanese one. looked exactly like it. Set me back $25. Rigged it up, practiced a bit . Then realized I couldn't use it on the streams I fished around here because of the length. Did fish it once when I went back to Tennessee for a reunion. The house we were partying at had a boat dock I managed to catch a crappie and a bream on flies with it before I switched to the more conventional use of it. May have to drag it out and try it on a couple of Pocono lakes with a lot of brush on the shore when the weather warms up in the spring.

 

[geebee]

I don't have one, but the feedback I've seen is that they are ideal for Czech nymphing fast deep runs and dry fly or nymphing, shallow wide spring creeks.

the mountain streams in Japan are not like our close quarter rough and tumble woody or rocky streams but wide, fast and shallow.

its a specific rod for specific purposes. if that works for you, have at it.

 

[Rolf]

Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate it. Looks like I'll have to chew on this awhile.

 

[tomitrout]

I've tinkered with it, as others say, it's fun in open quarters, they are long rods. So in tight PA brookie streams, I like my short light line rods, and I also like to cast rather than dap.

That said, I think it'd be a fun rig to play with on the Breeches or the local Limestoners, close quarter fishing with an open arena....white flies and sulphurs would be fun for sure if you're looking for change of pace.

 

[SlingerFlyRods]

Rolf,
i just purchased this rod at a closeout to make room for next years models.. for this price i couldnt pass it up.. This is for my son who by next fishing season in the spring will be 3.. We will play around with it on kettle, first fork, etc. stuff like that with maybe some live bait under an indicator.


http://uintahflyshop.com/collections/the-tenkara-shop/products/uintah-fly-shop-12-foot-tenkara-rod

 

[geebee]

tomitrout wrote:
That said, I think it'd be a fun rig to play with on the Breeches or the local Limestoners, close quarter fishing with an open arena.....

yes, ideal for dropping a scud between the weed beds on Big Spring or Falling Spring Branch...

 

[mjones32]

I've been doing tenkara for 4 years now after 20 years of regular fly fishing and I prefer to use it most of the time when conditions permit...meaning low wind and clear enough for dry fly. I don't like it for any kind of wet fly at all because you can't retrieve a fly upstream little by little and you can get in real trouble with underwater snags. In my opinion concerns about tight creeks are over-stated - once you develop some casting dexterity you can generally avoid trouble - one of my rods is an 8 footer which is fine for me , you can always collapse the butt section anyway to make it even shorter.

There's really no dapping in tenkara - the line+leader is normally about twice the rod length, so you have to cast properly.

The real point is presentation - with practice you can pop a fly right where you want it again and again, minimal drag and I think it just works.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

 

[The_Sasquatch]

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I'm sorry, I'm not really a hater. These things just get circulated around on some FB groups I'm on and they crack me up to no end!

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Trust me a Tenkara rod is NOT the same as a cane pole.

 

[pcray1231]

I won a Tenkara rod at the jam once.

I yard tested it, then as I was trying to telescope it down to put it away, the tip broke. Never saw the water. I put it away for a few years and then I think gave it to Les, who may have intended to fix it.

Anyway, it doesn't appeal to me much. I mean, a fly reel offers the ability to lengthen and shorten my line, without being a hinder in any form or fashion. I don't really see the point in taking it off and fixing my line.

I do agree with others though that a small stream is about the last place you'd want to use one. Long rod, fixed length of line, in brush? No thanks. And they suck as bow and arrow rods, not enough backbone.

If it has a use, it'd be high stick nymphing. You know those noodle rods for steelhead? Same idea, just smaller fish. A long whippy rod makes sense for that. Perfect drifts, length to lift over currents, light, sensitive, tippet protection. I still think the same rod with a reel on it would be better, though.