The Tenkara Love/Hate (un)appreciation thread.

[Rick.H]

I think that people don't realize that you actually can cast with Tenkara rods, it's not just dapping and high sticking. The switch rod idea won't work because you probably can't cast a mono leader with a rod that will handle a 350 grain head.

I do a lot of down rigger trolling for salmon in the ocean and some guys always use rods that will land the 30 pounder of a lifetime while other guys use rods that are fun on the average 12 pound fish. I usually use lighter rods early in the season and then gear up in August for a hog. Tenkara is not a good choice if you are targeting bigger fish or if you won't accept the possibility of losing one you encounter on a small stream.

I once landed a 3 pound planted rainbow using a Winston 4 wt Tom Morgan Favorite in fast water on the West Fork of the Walker which was pretty exciting, but not the best use of that rod.

[PatrickM]

To answer a couple of you questions, Gregg, I'm fishing a 12' Iwana made by Tenkara USA. It casts nicely and feels great when fighting a fish. I've landed fish up to 18" on it, but a 10" fish still puts a nice bend in the rod. For line I'm using the 2.5 level line, usually cut between 12 and 15'. You can roll out proper loops with these lines and easily hold the line off the water after the cast. This definitely becomes harder in windy conditions. Tippet is usually about 4' of 5x mono. I've limited my fly selection to a couple of my favorite dries and two different lightly weighted reverse-hackle flies that I fish sub-surface.
Hope that helps, Gregg.
Best of luck and have fun.

[johnsquires]

For me it falls into the category of Hey, if it works for you...
I can envision situations (backpacking comes to mind) where it would probably be a very nice setup.
I did buy a Tenkara rod for my son several years back, but I've received no reports, I suspect because he's not taken it out of the tube.
I think there are thousands using that system, so there must be a reason they like it.
On a side note, this subject made me think about getting a kick out of the Tenkara rep at The Fly Show. He did a very good job in representing the product. Although the guy was obviously an American and talked like an American, every time he said the word"Tenkara" (ten-KA-RA), he took on a serious Japanese accent.

[Idadon]

I think John is right. If it trips your trigger, GO-FOR-IT. In my 60+ years fishing I've used cane poles or telescoping composite poles for everything from Tulle Dipping to Frog Gigging. Most all of it was fun to be sure but I always seem to come back to using some type of outfit that includes a reel. If you're somewhere that has small streams then I can imagine tenkara would be entertaining. Give it a go and give us a report.

PS: I can tell you that there are several high profile Movie Stars that think it's the best thing going.

Got curious about these rods so went to my local shop. Seems like it would be easy to build one. One site even talks about using a golf club grip, that would make it really simple. The ones at the shop have a short piece of braid on the tip. To short to make a loop so just wondering what it's for?

[PatrickM]

That short piece of braid is what you attach the line to. You tie an overhand slip knot in the line then run the braid through it twice and cinch it down. Doesn't seem like it would hold but it does. When you want to take the line off, you hold onto the braid and pull on the tag end of the line and the knot loosens up.

[Gregg]

To answer a couple of you questions, Gregg, I'm fishing a 12' Iwana made by Tenkara USA. It casts nicely and feels great when fighting a fish. I've landed fish up to 18" on it, but a 10" fish still puts a nice bend in the rod. For line I'm using the 2.5 level line, usually cut between 12 and 15'. You can roll out proper loops with these lines and easily hold the line off the water after the cast. This definitely becomes harder in windy conditions. Tippet is usually about 4' of 5x mono. I've limited my fly selection to a couple of my favorite dries and two different lightly weighted reverse-hackle flies that I fish sub-surface.
Hope that helps, Gregg.
Best of luck and have fun.

So I probably should have started with the admission that I'm gonna buy one regardless of the negative feedback haha, but this info helps a ton. I don't plan on using it for any real water, but spots like the North Fork Yuba, Yellow Creek, Sagehen, etc...little tiny water where I'm stalking 10"ers or under for the most part. I know part of the game is not landing the random big fish that tackles it, but willing to take that chance I think. I like getting off trail and hunting down small pocketwater streams, it seems like it would fit into the program really well. I think I'm leaning toward the Amago being longer and collapsable (initially lol'd at Gangster's joke about them being 20' long, then realized this thing is seriously 13' haha). Curious to see if it'll be easy enough for our kids to figure out also, seems like a really simple way for them to grasp the casting concept and get into fish maybe.

If any Kiene's staff is reading this, you should have demo / rentals of these available. I'd gladly pay $25 to test it out and have that fee applied to the purchase if I ended up buying one.

[Ralph]

On a side note, this subject made me think about getting a kick out of the Tenkara rep at The Fly Show. Although the guy was obviously an American and talked like an American, every time he said the word"Tenkara" (ten-KA-RA), he took on a serious Japanese accent.

The "rep" was Daniel Galhardo. He is from Brazil (native tongue is Portuguese), speaks fluent Japanese, and "talks like an American". Daniel is the guy who started Tenkara USA and brought the system to America. His pronunciation is correct.

[PatrickM]

Ralph, just curious if you've done any underwater filming of Tenkara flies. I know the reverse-hackle flies work, but I wonder what they look like from the fish's perspective. Do they look much different than "normal" soft hackles when fished?

[PV_Premier]

Ralph, just curious if you've done any underwater filming of Tenkara flies. I know the reverse-hackle flies work, but I wonder what they look like from the fish's perspective. Do they look much different than "normal" soft hackles when fished?

curious about the same. i think these could be an interesting solution in situations where the fish are pressured and you want to be swinging a subsurface emerger type pattern...but want something that stands out from the crowd a bit.

i don't think i can get subscribed to the tenkara fad. i value having a reel and a shorter rod even in small creek situations. i also have the "misfortune" of often hooking the biggest fish in the creek and need every advantage i can get. even my traditional 7' 3wt did not get Mr. Piggy into the net on Texas Crk last summer, and it would have been a complete disaster w/ a tenkara rod.

[aaron]

The "rep" was Daniel Galhardo. He is from Brazil (native tongue is Portuguese), speaks fluent Japanese, and "talks like an American". Daniel is the guy who started Tenkara USA and brought the system to America. His pronunciation is correct.

I resisted but have found use for one in the pack when I don't want to haul in a setup when not guaranteed I'm going to fish. Daniel's pronunciation may be funny, but their PNW rep who gives his presentations in a robe and rice farmer hat is....well...head scratching.

I spent some time in Japan when things were getting popular and found it interesting that of all the shops I was able to go into they all responded that Tenkara was an American fad and nobody in Japan fished that way, go figure. Though if you were wondering where all of the best Metz and Whiting capes/saddles go, check out a Japanese fly shop.

Spey casting got a bad wrap when it made a resurgence and its stuck around. Daniel has done a good job of marketing Tenkara and it will bring some new anglers into the fold which ultimately is a good thing for sure.