Tenkara Rod Suggestions

[iceyguides]

After lugging a 4wt 30 miles over the west rim trail this past wkend, only to fish for half an hour and get skunked, i realized a tenkara rod might be nice for backpacking.
I was looking at the fountainhead brand. Anyone have any experience with their rods or any suggestions for other rods? i'm not looking to spend a lot, since i only plan on using the rod during backpacking trips where fishing is not the main priority. What length would you suggest for the typical small mtn freestoner?

 

[jdaddy]

Amazon has a tenkada rod for $6. You probably.want to go top.of the line tenkada USA or just get an uber cheap one. Or buy a crappie rod.

 

[salmonoid]

I have a Fountainhead rod. I went with the 11 foot version and that seems to do ok with small streams. I've never fished any other Tenkara rod to compare it to but it seems like a well built rod and casts nicely. At $75, it was a relatively cheap gamble on Tenkara for me; cheaper certainly than the Tenkara USA offerings. Despite having a Tenkara rod, I ended up lugging both a 3wt AND an 8 wt on my own backpacking trip this last Friday and today! Are you looking to save weight or space or ??? How many pieces is your 4wt?

 

[Smike]

I own several Tenkara USA rods, their Iwana is a great rod (12') if you just want to get one rod. It will cast a line from 10'-20' really well. That length works great for small and medium size streams.

I've heard only good things about the fountainhead rods. They don't seem as polished, but should cast everybit as good as the Tenkara USA rod, but for a good bit less.

Crappy rods are dirt cheap, but they really pale as compared to a Tenkara rod when trying to cast a 18' level line. Ya they can work to some degree, but they are to stiff to load a line. Tip sections on Tenkara rods are incredably thin as compared to crappy rods.

There is s lot of rod reviews here if interested:

Www.tenkarabum.com

Ask if you have any other questions.

Mike

 

[iceyguides]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Salmonid: i'm looking to save weight and space. My 4wt is a 7'6 4 piece. I have a 7' 3wt, but it's a 2piece and thus the tod tube is bigger and heavier. The rod itself is light. the rod tube and the reel are the heavy parts. I know i could leave the tube behind, but i'd be pissed if i broke a rod. I figure with the tenkara rod collapsing, i probably don't need a rod tube and theres no reel= a fairly substantial weight and space savings.

I usually go with guys who are non fisherman, so they just want to cover miles which can leave little to no time for fishing. At the same time the avid fisherman in me won't let me go on a trip without carrying some form of fishing rod just in case i should stumble upon a stream filthy with rising 15' brookies. If i know there will be good fishing or i'll have time for fishing, i have no problem carrying a "western style" rod as that's what i prefer fishing, but i've now been on one too many trips where i carry them and never even use it. I figure the tenkara is a good compromise between wanting to have something to fish with and saving weight/space should i not get a chance to fish.

 

[salmonoid]

iceyguides wrote:
Thanks for all the advice guys. Salmonid: i'm looking to save weight and space. My 4wt is a 7'6 4 piece. I have a 7' 3wt, but it's a 2piece and thus the tod tube is bigger and heavier. The rod itself is light. the rod tube and the reel are the heavy parts. I know i could leave the tube behind, but i'd be pissed if i broke a rod. I figure with the tenkara rod collapsing, i probably don't need a rod tube and theres no reel= a fairly substantial weight and space savings.

I usually go with guys who are non fisherman, so they just want to cover miles which can leave little to no time for fishing. At the same time the avid fisherman in me won't let me go on a trip without carrying some form of fishing rod just in case i should stumble upon a stream filthy with rising 15' brookies. If i know there will be good fishing or i'll have time for fishing, i have no problem carrying a "western style" rod as that's what i prefer fishing, but i've now been on one too many trips where i carry them and never even use it. I figure the tenkara is a good compromise between wanting to have something to fish with and saving weight/space should i not get a chance to fish.

I hear you on the thought of missing out on a stream - I guess its a bonafide addiction if I can't bear the thought of not having a trout rod on me when I'm in the woods. However, I don't think I would carry a Tenkara rod in a pack without some sort of rod tube. There's a minimal weight saving between western and Tenkara rods (think 1 or 2 ounces) and you'd save mainly on the reel. But a two or three WT reel is also only going to be a few ounces as well, so you aren't going to be saving huge amounts of weight. I'd be looking for a four to six piece 3WT for backpacking brookie waters if I was carrying a two piece like you currently are. But if your primary aim of the backpacking trip is hiking, but being prepared for an isolated stream, a Tenkara rod could definitely be useful (with a short piece of PVC pipe for a rod tube).

 

[Smike]

I don't carry my rod on long hikes in a tube, its fine and very durable if you keep the tip plug on. If not, then the thin tip sections can slide out of the butt section and break.

After reading your follow up, one advantage would be the quick setup time. You could set one up in less than a minute after pulling it out. Makes me want to pull it out more if if I see some water I want to hit for even just a cast or two. Keep the line ridged with a fly of choice on a spool line holder, so no need to tie anything on, just hook the line to the tip and done.