Tenkara USA's tweets of the week
- Great video by Dr. Kelleher on tenkara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXpuqvKv5kk #
- April 12, 2010: Tenkara USA 1st year anniversary!!! #
- Symptom of a western fly angler turned tenkara angler: keep looking for more gear before a trip…it really is just a rod, line and flies #
- Symptom of a western fly anglers turned tenkara: keep looking for more gear before a trip…it really is just a rod, line and flies #
- Oops, correction, Mr. Wickstrom’s talk is on April 14 Boulder Creek, CO: http://boulderflycasters.wordpress.com/ #
- Writer, Mr. Gordon Wickstrom to talk about tenkara on April 15th at Boulder Creek, CO: http://boulderflycasters.wordpress.com/ #
- Tenkara history, part 1: http://www.tenkarausa.com/blog/?p=688 #
One of the possible origins of tenkara, part 1
There are several theories regarding the origins of tenkara. It may have been imported from China, it may have passed through the lowlands in the hands of samurai and up to the mountains, or it may have originated independently. Personally, I have no reason to believe it didn’t originate independently. The mountain folk in Japan had an abundance of fish in their reach, and plenty of streams around them. The abundant bamboo in some areas made bamboo rods an obvious tool of choice, and what is perhaps one of the most logical steps towards fly-fishing, creating artificial flies that could be used over and over again to catch fish in small running streams was by far much more efficient than using bait (tie one fly and catch several fish v. look for bait, catch bait, change bait, catch one fish…). One of the theories for the origins of tenkara is the “samurai tenkara theory”. It’s the theory most westerners are quickly drawn to because it brings to mind the poetic image of a samurai with a fishing rod as substitute for a weapon. I think it is plausible, and cool, but based on one counterargument, presented here, it may not be the most likely origin.
It is known that the samurai, one of the highest classes in Japanese society at times, fished for Ayu and other fish found in the lower flatlands of the country. They even used this method of fishing as a martial arts practice substitute at times of peace and quiet. It is also known that the samurai sometimes used flies; intricate patterns made with several types of feathers and silk wound around bent needles. As the samurai tenkara theory goes, their method of fishing may have found its way to the high mountains of Japan where it was adapted by locals to small, fast running streams and became tenkara.
Before visiting Japan…
Tenkara USA's tweets of the week
- Tenkara featured on Hawaiian Airlines: http://www.hanahou.com/pages/magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=866&MagazineID=55 #
- Putah Creek Council holding an event to benefit a stream with tenkara-perfect sections: http://bit.ly/92vDm6 #
- Furled line = “Basu”;Tippet=“Harisu”;Fly= “Kebari”;Landing net=“Tamo”; Creel=“Biku”; Line,Tippet and Fly=“Shikake”. Spool=”Shikake-maki”. #
- Really great interview with renowned tenkara angler, Mr. Yoshikazu Fujioka: http://tenkara-fisher.com/?p=199. Nicely done. #
- Gordon Wickstrom on tenkara: http://www.wildonthefly.com/content/tenkara-beauty-simplicity #
Tenkara kids
Educational Recreational Adventures (ERA) reports on the use of tenkara at their Spring Bread Fly Fishing Camp on the Crooked River, Oregon. March 25-27, 2010. Written by Jeff Gottfried.
Anglers ages 13-14 traveled with ERA from the Willamette Valley across the Cascade Mountains to the Crooked River of Central Oregon for three days of fly fishing for native red-band rainbow trout. All but one of the youth had participated in other ERA fishing expeditions so I concentrated my initial efforts on Ian Nakamura, the novice. Since I was excited to try out our new Tenkara rods, I decided to start Ian out on one of them. I soon found out that my choice was excellent.
Instead of spending a whole bunch of time teaching Ian to cast, I simply demonstrated a few casts with the Tenkara rod and then handed it to him. Within 15 minutes, Ian’s rod was bent into a major arc. He was onto a nice 12 rainbow trout! Soon he caught a larger whitefish that gave him a great fight. Ian was fishing a size 18 bead-head midge larve to start with but he also caught fish on a size 16 blue-winged olive. I was very impressed by his ability to make a drag-free presentation.
Ian Nakamura at ERA camp
“The tenkara rods were a real eye opener for me since they simplified the process and allowed my young anglers to catch fish on their own and be independent of me much sooner than had been the case with traditional rods and reels.”
Read the rest of this entry »
Tenkara USA's tweets of
- Tenkara USA on Fox Business: http://www.foxsmallbusinesscenter.com/entrepreneurs/2010/03/31/fly-fishings-trip-japan/ #tenkara @tenkarausa #
- Tenkara USA on Fox News: http://www.foxsmallbusinesscenter.com/entrepreneurs/2010/03/31/fly-fishings-trip-japan/ #tenkara @tenkarausa #
- David Dirks, Tenkara method a revelation: http://bit.ly/9kCVA7. Another enamored tenkara angler, and ambassador #
- Writer, Mr. Gordon Wickstrom to talk about tenkara on April 15th at Boulder Creek, CO: http://boulderflycasters.wordpress.com/ #
- Tenkara rods, by definition, have a handle for comfortably casting a fly all day. Their longest length will always be less than 15ft. #
"I'm a Tenkara Bum", Chris Stewart
Before there was Tenkara USA, there was tenkara fly angling… and tenkara anglers. One of these anglers is Mr. Chris Stewart.
The Tenkara Bum
Many anglers who have been interested in tenkara and have done some research on it, read our community forum and others or watched our videos, have probably seen Chris’ name around. He’s the one always willing to answer questions, and who is not afraid to defend tenkara for what it is. He doesn’t step into every conversation, but will not hesitate to share his love for tenkara and let those interested know that tenkara is not dapping and it’s not cane-pole fishing. Now Chris has put together a very comprehensive tenkara e-ncyclopedia that we’re proud to share with you: www.tenkarabum.com.
There are many blogs, and new thoughts coming up around the web and in print with the advent of tenkara. The Tenkara Bum is a great addition to the world of tenkara fly-fishing. It’s a place where you’ll find Chris’s well thought articles on tenkara, ranging unbiased and honest rod reviews, to fly presentation techniques and what is probably his specialty: lines.
How we met, and Chris relationship with Tenkara USA
Right after having the idea for Tenkara USA and setting up a placeholder page Chris found us on his continued search for tenkara in the US. He was the first person to contact us through that site, despite the fact that the email posted wasn’t working he persisted and got through to us. Chris was excited to see tenkara becoming available here. He had practiced it, but the unavailability of equipment was something hard to deal with. Chris had already been tenkara fishing for a few months and knew quite a bit about it. Then he told me about this tenkara event taking place in New York a few months later, the one where Dr. Ishigaki came from Japan to talk and demonstrate tenkara. Since Chris is in New York we agreed to meet, and got to spend time fishing together and he participated in the movie we made while visiting the Catskills.
We have exchanged several emails, and are very thankful for his insights and experiences with tenkara, we have learned a lot from him. Chris has no commercial relationship with Tenkara USA, we do not provide free gear for reviews and we always ask for absolute critical feedback when he uses our rods…we want to have the best rods possible.
New, One-Page checkout
In an effort to make your experience shopping with us easier and more pleasant we have now simplified the checkout process. We cut the number of steps in our checkout process from 5 to 2.
If you were having problems ordering before, we hope you’ll now find it much easier.
Tenkara is NOT…
In the back of Dr. Hisao Ishigaki’s business card, there is a part that reads something like this:
“Tenkara is not tempura, it’s not karaage (fried chicken), it’s the Japanese style of fly-fishing”.
Dr. Ishigaki's business card
As Dr. Ishigaki’s humourous business card suggests, in Japan many non-anglers are not familiar with tenkara. It’s not their fault though, Japan has at least a dozen methods of fresh water fishing, and all these different styles – some of them very similar - cause confusion even among anglers. Take a look at this site for a funny illustration of all styles of fresh water fishing in Japan (in Japanese but illlustrated): http://www.yahagi-aqua.com/tsuri/tsuri.htm. In the US on the other hand, there are fewer styles of fishing, and tenkara has just been introduced, so there is no confusion; on the other hand, there are some misconceptions about tenkara.
The two main misconceptions some American anglers [who have not yet tried it] have of tenkara are: “it’s ‘high-tech’ cane-pole fishing” or “it’s just like dapping”. My next business cards will likely say this on the back:
“Tenkara is not cane-pole fishing. Tenkara is not dapping!”
Stop Coal Mining
From Coal River Mountain Watch – www.crmw.net
This week, over 200 citizens from Appalachia and across the US are gathering in our nation’s capital as part of the 5th Annual End Mountaintop Removal Week in Washington – and hundreds more will show support by making this phone call.
Mountaintop removal coal mining is one of the most egregious environmental, economic, and social justice disasters in America today –more than 500 mountains and 1.5 million acres of land have already been destroyed by this practice. If not ended soon, our own Coal River Mountain may join this grim tally. Residents and supporters from across the US are asking for an end to mountaintop removal and an investment in sustainable economic alternatives for Appalachia, like the Coal River Wind Project.
This issue is urgent and the coal industry is working overtime to block the passage of the Clean Water Protection Act. That’s why we need people like you to take a stand with Appalachian communities.
Please take a moment to visit www.ilovemountains.org/call-your-rep — we have a special call-in tool there that will allow you to make a phone call to your Representative – if you’ve never called your Congressperson before – this is the easiest way to do it!
Give a man a fish… : Finding a stream
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese proverb
OR,
“Tell a man where to fish and you give him a place for leisure. Teach a man how to find fishing and you give him a world of fishing, and adventures for a lifetime.” – Tenkara USA 
It is common for fishermen to feel protective of their favorite streams, and it can be frustrating for people new to an area, or new to the sport, to know where they can find good fishing. Given that there are so many thousands of streams in the US and in the world, we figured we couldn’t even try to give you stream locations. We will not attempt to. But, with our experience in finding our own streams, and often fishing them completely alone, we can give you some advice on how to find waters to fish. And, the best thing about tenkara fly fishing is that tenkara will mostly make you seek scenic small streams that are often much less crowded than any of the big known rivers.
There may be many ways to do so, but here are our three favorite methods on finding areas for fishing:
1) Study maps and go for a hike: This is our personal favorite. It allows us to explore, and allows us to feel like we are pioneers. It is relatively easy, and if you can let go of worries it’s very rewarding. Maps provide anglers with tons of information. To let go of worries we suggest that you follow some basic guidelines: have enough gas in your tank, have enough food and water with you, make sure you and/or your vehicle are in good condition. Now, to find places on a map, we suggest you look for the clusters of blue veins indicating water in your map. Then, focus on the clusters found in higher elevation – topo maps are particularly useful for this. Then, just go there.
2) Read your state’s regulations: The state’s regulations books are something an angler may not pay attention to until he is going fishing in a specific stream. But, a regulation book pretty much tells you almost all the streams you may want to fish. It will often tell you what species you can find in the stream, and the regulations of course. They will list major rivers and streams, and often break the streams into pieces based on landmarks. What we often do is search through a book for counties near where we are willing to drive to (most regulations books are available as pdf files in your state’s fish and game site, you may scroll down through the pages, or do ctrl+f and type the names of counties you suspect there are mountain streams and are close enough to you that you can drive there). Use these guides alongside with maps to determine streams that may have the elevation you feel is appropriate, will provide adequate gradients of the terrain surrounding the stream (Google maps, especially in terrain mode, Google Earth and the USGS map database are our favorites) and seem to have access points (e.g. no private property markings, trailheads, roads nearby, etc).
3) Connect with anglers via online forums or fishing clubs: You may establish great relationships via online forums, and more so if you have a fishing club near you. Once you start knowing people, sharing your streams and experiences and talking more to them, you’ll be a recipient of great secret locations. It’s a give and take situation, be expected to share your streams too.
One thing to remember is that your stream will not likely become crowded suddenly because you told a few people about it. In fact, the most streams people know about, the more anglers are likely to spread over several places instead of concentrating on the usual and obvious ones. Our take on it is that if we share a location that is several hours away and requires some hiking, most anglers won’t be going there everyday. They will go once in a while. Plus, if this angler is willing to explore the stream we suggested, then he is also likely to be exploring other streams. And, finally, if he/she is willing to go there, then it is well deserved that they experience that water.
A last tip:
- Know the type of water you like. Do you like small and fast streams with pools, rocks covered in moss, and rocky terrain? If so look for locations on topo maps where the lines may be closer together, which indicates a steeper terrain, but not super close that access is impossible.
Or, do you prefer meadow streams, where the view is open and the streams zig-zag through grass and flowers? If meadow streams are your preference make sure the topo map shows lines that are further apart that can indicate less steep gradients and meadows.
Knowing the type of water you are looking for will go a long way. Tenkara anglers may really enjoy the faster mountain streams, and knowing that will allow you to look at a map and know where you can go. Plus, your rod and gear will be so light you won’t have a problem getting there.
UTAH – Public water access
Tenkara USA is largely founded on philosophical principles, primarily: simplify your gear to enjoy the experience (no need to be weighed down by extra stuff), and protect our waters. It can be argued that forming the basis of these principles is the explicit need for public access to fishing waters, that is the only way that people can connect with nature and in turn enjoy the experience so many of us love, and finally feel compelled to protect these waters.
Thus, here is an important issue brought up by tenkara angler, Erik Ostrander, a Utah resident, on our forum:
Many of you are aware of the Utah Supreme Court decision on July, 2008 that gave back the public’s right to access public water ways – whether they flow on private or public lands. This was a huge win by fisherman across the state. Since then, the legislature has been trying to resolve the issues that have come up from that decision every legislative session. This year there are two bills HB-80 and HB-141. Please, please contact your Utah representative and ask them to vote FOR HB-80 and AGAINST HB-141. I have attached my e-mail to my representative at the bottom
For those of you outside of the state I’m not sure who you would send your comments to, but please let them know that this legislation might affect your decision to spend tourism dollars in Utah – we’ve got to make people know there is more money to be made through greater access.
READ MORE
Link to HB-80′s text: http://le.utah.gov/~2010/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0080.htm
Link to HB-141′s text: http://le.utah.gov/~2010/bills/hbillhtm/hb0141.htm
Link to “How to find your representative”: http://le.utah.gov/house/DistrictInfo/NewMaps/State.htm
Below is a summary of the two bills:
HB-80 (Rep Fowlkes) – GOOD:
*Went through and open, public process involving multiple parties
* Provides education which will drive accountability
* Clarifies the unanimous Supreme Court Conaster decision
* It strengthens protections for landowners by defining the easement clearly, limits liability for landowners, increases trespassing penalties, and requires the public to be educated on the easement if they are going to use it.
* It benefits the public by defining the easement clearly recognized by the Supreme Court, allows for portage around man-made obstructions in streams
* It also clearly recognizes two competing rights and fairly balances those rights
HB-141 (Rep Mciffs Bill) – BAD:
* Repeals the Unanimous Supreme Court Decision – Conaster
“Line 78: (3) The public has no right to the recreational use of public waters on private property
Line 79: to which access is restricted, as defined in Section 73-29-102 , without permission of the
Line 80: property owner or as provided in Chapter 29, Public Waters Access Act.”
* No public process
* It makes no attempt to balance the rights of private property owners and the public
* It is no attempt at a compromise in these competing rights.
This is my e-mail to my representative:
Quote:
Representative Biskupski,
I’m emailing you to ask for your continued support on HB-80. I believe this bill to be a good clarification and support of the Utah Supreme Court decision that was made in the Conaster decision. HB-80 supports the public in a constitutionally granted right to access public waters – whether or not they fall on private or public land. I believe that the education provided as a result of section 73-6a-202 exemplifies the public’s desire to respect public waters on private lands, and the bill offers land owners protection from lawsuits by section 73-6a-201. I believe HB-80 to be a good definition of the law that supports both land-owner rights and the public’s rights.
Conversely, I would like to ask for your vote against HB 141 which is un-constitutional in it’s blatant disregard for the Supreme Court of Utah. HB 141 takes away all access to public waters that flow on private lands – that’s over 14,000 miles of water ways that will be stolen from the public. HB 141 would support the last several decades of unfairly compensating land owners at the public’s expense – compensation that is granted by restricting access to the public. Not allowing the public on these river beds is immoral and wrong. Simply put, it is stealing away a constitutional right.
I urge you, please fight for the tens of thousands of recreators in Utah that would like their rights protected by HB-80.
Thank you very much for your help,
- NAME
Resident, District 30
Give a man a fish …
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese proverb
OR,
“Tell a man where to fish and you give him place for leisure. Teach a man how to find fishing and you give him a world of fishing, and adventures for a lifetime.” – Tenkara USA
It is common for fishermen to feel protective of their favorite streams, and it can be frustrating for people new to an area, or new to the sport, to know where they can find good fishing. Given that there are so many thousands of streams in the US and in the world, we figured we couldn’t try to give you stream locations, and we will not attempt to, but with our experience in finding our own streams, and often fishing them completely along, we can give you some advice on how to find waters to fish.
There may be many ways to do so, but here are our three favorite methods on finding areas for fishing:
1) Study maps and go for a hike: This is our personal favorite. It allows us to explore, and allows us to feel like we are pioneers. It is relatively easy, and if you can let go of worries it’s very rewarding. Maps provide anglers with tons of information
2) Read your state’s regulations: Very often the state’s regulations are something an angler doesn’t pay attention to until he is going fishing in a specific stream. But, here’s the trick a regulation book pretty much tells you almost all the streams you may want to fish anyways. They will list major rivers, and streams, and often break the streams into pieces based on landmarks. They may also tell you limits and types of fish found in a stream. What we often do is search through a book for counties near where we are willing to drive to (most regulations books are available as pdf files in your state’s fish and game site, you may scroll down through the pages, or do ctrl+f and type the names of counties you suspect there are mountain streams and are close enough to you that you can drive there). Use these guides alongside with maps to determine streams that may have the elevation you feel is appropriate, will provide adequate gradients of the terrain surrounding the stream (Google maps, especially in terrain mode, Google Earth and the USGS map database are our favorites) and seem to have access points (e.g. no private property markings, trailheads, roads nearby, etc).
3) Connect with anglers via online forums or fishing clubs:
More tips:
- Don’t be afraid, relax, and make sure you have enough gas in the tank, some spare time and a willingness to sometimes not find productive fishing water but in exchange have an adventure.
- Know the type of water you like. Do you like small and fast streams with pools, rocks covered in moss, and rocky terrain? If so look for locations on topo maps where the lines may be closer together, which indicates a steeper terrain, but not super close that access is impossible.
Or, do you prefer meadow streams, where the view is open and the streams zig-zag through grass and flowers? If meadow streams are your preference make sure the topo map shows lines that are further apart that can indicate less steep gradients and meadows.
Tenkara pictures – some of our favorites
We thought you may enjoy our favorite pictures depicting tenkara, or tenkara-perfect landscapes.
(*these are pictures taken or owned by Tenkara USA, if you have a picture you’d like to share, please email us to include it here.)
Oct ’09 Tenkara Outing
All pictures of this outing can be seen here: http://picasaweb.google.com/TenkaraUSA/TenkaraOutingOctober09#
Tenkara Flies Origins
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115281063052794282472.00047db0cdb1b87fa51b2&ll=36.275279,138.449707&spn=2.497582,4.938354&z=8
Traditional Tenkara Flies
Ishigaki Kebari
Fujioka Kebari
Gujo Kebari
Sakasa Kebari (*sakasa = reversed hackle)
Nikko Kebari
Takayama Sakasa Kebari
Caddis Mayfly Variant
Paper Trout – by Yoshikazu Fujioka
Okay, kids, here’s the coolest site out there:
Japanese trout: http://www.amago.jp.lv/papercraft/papercraft-2.html
World Trout: http://www.amago.jp.lv/papercraft/papercraft2-2.html; http://www.amago.jp.lv/papercraft/papercraft2-3.html
Developed and put together by Mr. Yoshikazu Fujioka in Japan, these are a lot of fun to make and look at. You can make some beautiful paper trout, several different species, by simply downloading the pdf files Mr. Yoshikazu Fujioka has put together available at his site. These are true works of art at anyone’s reach.
Instructions:http://www.amago.jp.lv/papercraft/pdf/instructions3j.pdf
Tenkara Rods
Ayu
$165.95
13ft, 5:5 action, mid-weight
Our longest rod at the moment, it’s a great rod for its versatility and delicate sensation
Ebisu
$159.95
12ft, 5:5 action, mid-weight
At a “standard” 12ft the Ebisu rod has a truly unique red-pine wooden handle. The wooden handle is unique in its aesthetics and its sensitivity to subtle bites. It’s a slow rod, with similar build as the Ayu, but feels faster because of shorter length.
Iwana
$135.95
11 OR 12ft, 6:4 action, light-weight
The Iwana is a beautiful precision tool. Our lightest rods, either at 11 or 12ft long, the Iwana has the perfect action for delicate yet accurate casting. But, don’t let the “light-weight” description fool you, because of its superb construction and high-quality materials it’s been known to handle VERY good sized fish. It’s our choice for smaller streams, or consistently catching large fish.
Yamame
$139.95
12ft, 7:3 action, “heavy”-weight
The Yamame is our most robust rod. It’s a true tenkara rod, that is, made for small stream fly fishing. It’s sensitive rod transmits the vibration and take of small fish very well, yet it serves to protect light tippet when handling large fish. It has the most backbone of our rods, and is the recommended rod if you are consistently catching larger fish (i.e. >15″).
1% of the purchase of any Tenkara USA product goes direct to conservation projects
For more information on the rods, or to purchase tenkara gear, please visit www.tenkarausa.com or call +1.888.483.6527
.jpg "Tenkara fly fishing in Brazil")
Knots – just the basic
For those who just want a simple and quick way to fish, there are 3 1/2 knots you REALLY have to know:
Improved clinch (to tie your fly to the tippet, and pretty much anything else that needs to be tied),
Surgeons (forming a loop) - and the Surgeon’s join, that extra 1/2 knot we refer to (joining two lines, e.g. lengths of tippet, together )
Loop-to-loop.
Other knots may be necessary in specific situations, e.g. tying your level line to the tenkara rod, and the tippet to the level line, but they are less frequently used. These are just the 3 1/2 knots we feel everyone should know at anytime. Here are some simple knots used in tenkara:
About Tenkara
What Is Tenkara?
Tenkara is the traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing, which uses only a rod, line and fly.
Tenkara is a category of fly-fishing particularly well-suited for fishing small streams and for backpacking. It’s a very effective, simple and enjoyable method of fly-fishing small streams.
The basic concept:
Tenkara is primarily used for small-stream fishing. It is particularly effective for fishing pocket water and faster flowing streams. Some of the main advantages are its simplicity, the very delicate presentations with the light line, the ability to hold the line off the water and a fly in place on the other side of a current, precise casting, and greater control of the fly.
Only rod, line and fly are used. The line is attached directly to the tip of the rod using a girth hitch, and tippet is attached to the end of the tenkara line (total line length will be about 1 – 2 ft longer than the rod) . Like in western fly-fishing the line propels the weightless fly foward and there is a fly-casting technique involved (just a bit slower, and with a shorter casting stroke). Landing a fish is very intuitive and similar to any type of fishing with a rod: one simply raises the rod high, and reaches for the fish.
Tenkara USA Authorized Dealers
Tenkara USA will be sold through independent fly shops and outdoor equipment retailers. Our products can currently be found at the following locations
MONTANA
Blue Ribbon Flies
305 Canyon Street, West Yellowstone, Montana 59758
(406) 646-7642
View Larger Map
MASSACHUSETTS
Bear’s Den
98 Summer Street, Taunton, MA – (508) 977-0700
View Larger Map
Blogs
The list is ongoing. If you have a blog that discusses tenkara and you’d like to see it here, please email us info “-@-” tenkarausa.com
www.tenkarausa.com/blog
Dr. Ishigaki’s Blog (in Japanese)
Yoshikazu Fujioka’s Blog (Japanese)
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/how-fish/
http://backpackinglight.typepad.com/
http://thefiberglassmanifesto.blogspot.com/
http://troutunderground.com/
http://www.paflyfish.com/
http://www.52trout.blogspot.com/
http://castingaround.anthonynaples.com/
http://eclecticguy.com/
Basic Tenkara Instructions
A tenkara rod is a very easy instrument to use. But, as with anything there are a few things one must learn:
Setting Up
1) Remove rod plug. Tilt rod down a little to expose the rod tip.
2) Keeping the hard tip inside, and exposing only the braided tip, attach line to rod tip.
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS Leave the fragile hard tip of the rod inside its main segment while setting up, exposing only the braided “lilian” string to prevent sideway pressures and breakage.
Traditional Line Attachment
Level Line attachment
Opening Rod
Tip: Keep control of the rod segments when opening or closing the rod!
Tippet-to-line connection
Important: Always use 5lbs or weaker tippet material.
We recommend the use of a 5 – 8 inch nylon extender (suggested 3X material) to extend the life of your line and protect it from your cutter when changing tippet.
Extender
Closing Rod
Stuck Pieces!
If pieces are stuck, you may try the following:
Important: when closing rod, always use your fingers (not your entire hand) for extra precision, and ALWAYS hold nearest the joint of two pieces (the strongest part of the rod).
1) Hold stuck pieces with rubber pads for increased grip and push straight in.
2) Put the bottom of your rod on a flat surface, and gently tap the stuck piece against it – while holding near the joint! Simply hold stuck segment with your finger close to joint, lift it up and tap it down a few times to dislodge it.
If you continue having problems, please contact us or mail the rod back to us:
Tenkara USA
5758 Geary Blvd. #226
San Francisco, CA 94121
888.483.6527
info “-@-” tenkarausa.com
FAQ
Shipping:
All orders placed before 11:59PM PST (GMT -8) are shipped the next business day.
Domestic Shipping
US orders are optimized based on best shipping method for your delivery address and should arrive in approximately 5 – 7 business days. Most orders will ship via UPS or Fedex, please email us if you need USPS shipping. At this moment we do not offer Express/ Overnight shipping.
Shipping costs within the United States is based on the following table:
up to $40.00 (e.g. t-shirt, couple of flies, line, etc) = $5.50
$40.01 – $80.00 (couple of shirts, couple of lines) = $7.50
$80.01 – $600.00 (most orders, rods, lines, flies ) = $9.00
> $600 = $15.00
International Shipping
We ship to pretty much any country. International orders ship via USPS (United States Postal Service) and most orders arrive within 10 business days. Estimated International shipping costs for most commonly requested regions and most orders (please note, these may vary on larger/heavier orders, but these reflect most orders):
Canada = $ 22.50
Europe = $ 27.00
Asia = $ 30.50
*Customs: buyer is responsible for any customs fees, tariffs, duties, VAT, etc. Our shipping costs do not include these fees. Unfortunately we have no control over customs charges and no way to estimate what customs fees will be. For customs inquiries you may contact your country’s customs (HS Tariff #:950710).
Sales Taxes
We’re based in San Francisco, California. Thus, any sale to a customer with a billing address or shipping address in California will be charged California sales tax. And, any customer with a billing or shipping address in San Francisco will be charged San Francisco sales tax. Customers in any other locations are currently not charged sales tax.
| Shipping:
All orders placed before 11:59PM PST (GMT -8) are shipped the next business day. Domestic Shipping US orders are optimized based on best shipping method for your delivery address and should arrive in approximately 5 – 7 business days. Most orders will ship via UPS or Fedex, please email us if you need USPS shipping. At this moment we do not offer Express/ Overnight shipping. Shipping costs within the United States is based on the following table: up to $40.00 (e.g. t-shirt, couple of flies, line, etc) = $5.50 $40.01 – $80.00 (couple of shirts, couple of lines) = $7.50 $80.01 – $600.00 (most orders, rods, lines, flies ) = $9.00 > $600 = $15.00 International Shipping We ship to pretty much any country. International orders ship via USPS (United States Postal Service) and most orders arrive within 10 business days. Estimated International shipping costs for most commonly requested regions and most orders (please note, these may vary on larger/heavier orders, but these reflect most orders): Canada = $ 22.50 Europe = $ 27.00 Asia = $ 30.50 *Customs: buyer is responsible for any customs fees, tariffs, duties, VAT, etc. Our shipping costs do not include these fees. Unfortunately we have no control over customs charges and no way to estimate what customs fees will be. For customs inquiries you may contact your country’s customs (HS Tariff #:950710). Sales Taxes We’re based in San Francisco, California. Thus, any sale to a customer with a billing address or shipping address in California will be charged California sales tax. And, any customer with a billing or shipping address in San Francisco will be charged San Francisco sales tax. Customers in any other locations are currently not charged sales tax. Closing Rod It may seem odd that we’d start by talking about Closing Rod before we even covered opening and setting up. That’s because closing the rod requires special care. Tenkara rods are excellent and strong fishing tools thatcan take a load and handle fish well. But, they are delicate forhandling, and most breakages will occur when closing the rod. It’simportant to never exert any sideway pressure on the rod segments when closing the rod.It’s best to put the bottom of the rod on a flat and stable surface when closing it. And, then push pieces straight in. As soon as the piece is loose, you may letit slide down. The 3 tip segments are particularly fragile and specialcare should be taken when handling them. Opening Rod Tenkara rods are telescopic. Opening the rod is nothing complicated, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind to make it easier/quicker to open and prevent damaging the rod:
Keep control of the rod segments when opening or closing the rod! 1) Remove rod plug. Tilt rod down a little to expose the rod tip. 2) Keeping the hard tip inside, and exposing only the braided tip, attach line to rod tip. 3) Once line is attached, hold rod tip near opening of rod. Pull the tip, and each subsequent segment out, sliding them out between your fingers. Pull each piece (tip, second segment, 3rd segment, etc) out completely until next segment is snug and pulled out before pulling the next segment out. Pieces should feel snug, not overly tight.
Warning: (1) When pulling the cap out, pull it straight out without any sideway pressure. (2) Never swing the rod open, and do not apply too much pressure when pulling the segment out as that will cause pieces to get stuck together. Attaching Line to RodOne major difference between tenkara rods and other fishing rods is the absence of a loop at the tip of the rod, or any guides throughout the rod. The tip of tenkara rods are made of strong braid material, where the tenkara line is then tied. this greatly enhances the sensitivity for detecting subtle strikes and also provides for a smoother cast. To tie the line to the rod, simply tie an overhand knot on the braid material at the tip of the rod (leaving a 1/8 to 1/4 inch tag sticking out), then girth-hitch the small braid loop on the tenkara line to the rod tip (behind the stopper). Though a bit strange, this is an extremelly secure connection. All tenkara lines come pre-tied with a short loop made of Spectra braid. This short, and soft loop is what you use to hitch the tenkara line to the rod tip. Line to tippet Alternatively, you may also connect your tippet directly to your tenkara line by using a loop-to-loop connection. Replacing Rod Tip or Tip Stuck Inside Rod: Should rod segments get stuck:
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Tenkara in Brazil
Brazil…land of peacock bass, huge snook, and monster amazonic fish! Where could tenkara fit in?
Being originally from Brazil I had some sweet memories of my earliest days of fishing, where it all started, and they didn’t involve the largest fish. But, rather, some of the smallest, and what I now know are some of the most challenging! The small “lambari“, in Japanese called “tanago”.
This is where I first became familiar with telescopic rods. They were not tenkara rods, but rather crappie rods, and to begin with I didn’t use a fly, but rather some home boiled “pasta”. I remember many of these rods I acquired and the first experiences with cleaning them, or getting the pieces stuck. I learned. With the years my fishing evolved and it seems to have completed a full circle: telescopic rods for lambari; spincast reels for tilapias; baitcasting reel, heavy rod and a hundred lures for some monster dourados and pintados in Pantanal; a fly rod and reel that I managed to find in the scarce fly market of Brazil and used for tilapias, bass and trout after I moved to California. And, finally, tenkara, which combined the most advanced stage of my fishing with the simplest and most enjoyable of my experiences as a kid. I kept the pieces I liked best: the casting technique, the weightless fly, the reading of water and finding of fish, and the experience of fishing without the encumbering of the hundred lures.
The appeal of the lambari I remembered most was its taste! How delicious it was to catch several of these and have my parents fry them for us. Growing up the lambari were known as the “bait thieves”, as they often took our bait before our floats detected them. The lambari always had a fame as being a VERY difficult fish to catch. This time, their reputation became the biggest part of their appeal, their appeal was the challenge. These fish are fast – lightning fast! And, what a sport it was to target them with a fly. Not for the fight, but for the chase and “seeing-if-I-can-catch-it”. Much like trout, the lambari are very wary and spooky fish, and they can be found in very similar water, small mountain streams, the type of water I take every opportunity to fish, be it in the Sierra Nevada, or even in the country known for its big fish. I’m glad to report, tenkara is the way to go for lambari too!
My dad says he couldn’t remember having so much success catching the lambari in a long time, even with the time it took him to learn a new method of fishing, and our limited time fishing due to heavy rains. One day some locals saw us in the water and probably found our funny casting, the fact that we never seemed to replace our “bait”, and the quantity of fish we were pulling out of the water at least intriguing. Thinking it was an unusually good day, they pulled out their cane poles and bait and started fishing next to us. It wasn’t a counting game, but we easily outfished those who tried, and they soon gave up fishing next to us. The Iwana, the Ayu, and the Ebisu performed flawlessly!
Perhaps another story for another day, but, I thought I may as well write it here. Tenkara USA is introducing a foreign style of fly-fishing to the US, so it was quite interesting that two days before taking off to visit family, I was contacted by the person who is helping introduce [western] fly fishing to Brazil, Thiago Zanetti, owner of Fly Shop Brasil. Not only that, but he also happened to be from my home-town, Curitiba, where I’d be spending most of my time. The market for fly-fishing in Brazil is barely an infant. When I started about 12 years ago I had to look VERY hard to find any fly fishing gear, I hiked looking down to find feathers for my flies, tied them without the use of a vise, and was happy fishing a rod, reel and line combo from 3M Scientific Anglers. Fly Shop Brasil is currently one of the only companies giving access to quality fly fishing gear to anglers in Brazil, and they see the opportunity with tenkara. Since lambari are by far the most popular fish in my home waters, it seems like fly-fishing in Brazil could have in tenkara a useful tool to introduce anglers to the wonderful sport of fly-fishing.
Thiago Zanetti, Fly Shop Brasil
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P.S. Trying to pack as light as possible for this 3 week trip, I carried very few clothes. Mandatory among them, of course, was the World Trout Tenkara USA t-shirt. I wore that shirt almost every other day, washing it in the sink after using it, and putting it out to dry so I could have a clean shirt when I needed it. After so much abuse, I’m glad to report the shirt has held up extremelly well and still looks like new.
2010
Happy New Year!
Today Midcurrent sent out a newsletter with a topic named “Fearless Fly Fishing Predictions – 2010“. No one explicitly said 2010 was going to be the year of tenkara fly-fishing – when newcomers and experienced anglers discover that fly-fishing is really simple and these anglers realize for themselves that the long tenkara rods provide significant advantages to fishing, and that reels are really not necessary in most small stream fishing – but everyone seemed to have these thoughts near their words. We particularly liked the second prediction, by author Lou Ureneck:
“One of the best things about fishing is its resistance to change. Too much technology, too fast, seems an affront to the soul of the sport. So my hope (and prediction) for the New Year is that fishing will find its equivalent to Europe’s slow-food movement — cooking based on local ingredients, prepared slowly and with care for taste and health. A slow-fishing movement would return us to the health of our local streams, fishing deliberately, maybe with a youngster at our side, with cell phone apps and iPod ear plugs safely out of sight. Just a man and a fish, with a rod and a line between.“
Other interesting predictions were:
“…the continued Balkanization, or specialization, or fracturing, or whatever you want to call it, among fly anglers… the various fly-fishing subcultures—tournament bass fishermen, carp anglers, steelheaders, backcountry saltwater fishermen and so on —will continue to define themselves more distinctly and vocally.” – Ted Leeson, Author. He failed to include tenkara anglers in the subcultures, but you are part of a distinct, and shall we say, a very cool group of anglers!
“Trends for trouties: The European proliferation of deadly nymphing techniques will continue to gnaw on Yank rod makers, who after many years of ignoring anything longer than 8 1/2 ft. and 9 ft. rods for regular fishing are going to convince users of the versatility found in longer (9 1/2 on up) equipment.” – Paul Bruun, Columnist and Guide. Huh!
Our prediction is that 2010 will be an awesome year for angling with a rod, line and a fly; when angling will be the simple and relaxing experience we crave, when you don’t need to (though you may still want to) travel far to enjoy pristine waters and wild fish, and perhaps a year of retirement for your underworked reel. This will be a tenkara fly-fishing year for many anglers throughout the world who will enjoy the simplicity and relaxation only tenkara allows.
Our 1% for the Planet Trout
As you may have seen, Tenkara USA has been a member of the 1% For the Planet initiative since its inception. Recently we also joined the World Trout program, which directs proceeds from the sales of our exclusive t-shirts to protect small stream trout habitat. Coincidentally, we later learned one of the founders of both programs, Patagonia CEO Yvon Chouinard, is also a huge fan of tenkara fly fishing, and the two other co-founders, Craig Mathews, owner of the Blue Ribbon fly shop in Montana and co-founder of 1% for the Planet, and artist James Prosek, co-founder of World Trout, are now becoming tenkara anglers themselves. We follow in their footsteps and we feel proud joining their initiatives.
Both initiatives give their members a lot of freedom to choose from among all the organizations out there, and are a good way to show commitment to the cause, rain or shine. We have chosen to focus on helping the grassroots organizations that roll-up their sleeves to protect small stream trout habitat. After much research and looking at the work of several environmental organizations in the US, we have finalized the list of the organizations we’ll be donating at least 1% of our sales proceeds, plus $5.00 from each shirt we have sold in 2009. The money coming from us won’t be huge, but we hope it does make a small difference in helping their efforts. The organizations we’ll donate to are:
The Coal River Mountain Watch: This group has an formidable task ahead of them, a long uphill battle that has been happening for quite sometime. And, outrageouly, it’s happening here. Their story is one that has outraged us the most. It really makes one feel like crying! In the West Virginia mountains, and other areas on the East coast, the practice of mountaintop removal mining has been destroying mountains, rivers, streams, and lives. This practice means that the top of mountains is completely destroyed to mine for coal. The sludge, toxic waste, debris, you name it, seeps into the ground, flows into small streams, and inevitably destroys everything and makes locals very sick. Additionally, the coal will of course then be burned – double slap on our face! A while ago I heard about their plight on the radio, the coal mining lobby is extremelly stubborn, well, they don’t believe they are doing any harm, don’t even believe in global warming, and don’t seem to give a damn about trout, small streams or the environment. We’d also like to urge you to look in this group’s plight and help if possible: http://www.crmw.net/campaigns.php
Trout Unlimited – Deschutes Chapter: TU is organized in a very interesting way, it’s a national organization split into local chapters. These local chapters can get a lot done by passionate people who live in the area. While the Deschutes is not primarily a small stream group, we have seen a lot of activity coming from this chapter of TU. They work smart and hard, and are constantly sending updates of the good work they are doing. It can be hard to find a very functional organization with good leadership and strong initiatives, but this group has been on top of it.
Trout Unlimited – Winsconsin Chapter: The TU chapter in Wisconsin is also busy with several good initiatives, and are very active. We got tipped about their work on a specific project and we liked it, they will be working on “Trout Stream Habitat Restoration for Peterson Creek” in Centeral Wisconsin. The Driftless Area of Wisconsin is the primary center of attention for small stream protection, and receives a lot of funding for projects, while other streams are sometimes left aside. We feel that no stream is too small and no stream should be forgotten, so we’ll be helping this specific project.
Our decision to donate a small part of our sales to the environment was based on one simple fact: we’re making money from clients who enjoy their time outside, and we feel we should be directing a self-imposed tax for the purpose of protecting their small streams. The reasons are as much idealistic as pragmatic: (1) We want to ensure our business will be viable in the long term and we feel strongly that we need to protect the resources and the environment where tenkara anglers will go fishing, (2) we have seen the lack of support by our government, and by our own industry, and we need to do our part. It’s the least we can do, very simple really!
I recently read an article on a fly-fishing industry magazine that was giving marketing tips to companies in the industry, among other points it said: “Join the ‘Green’ scene. It’s the latest marketing craze. Create a program that addresses ecology and be public about it.” While encouraging companies to join the “green scene” is a great thing, I think that surperficial reason misses the point completely and makes joining the movement a “chore”, not a idealistic decision. Such reasons, in our opinion, are not long-term commitments. A change in management, or a time of little money (say a recession), and the commitment evaporates. We write about what we are doing to increase awareness about the programs we feel are important, but the decision to participate in the “green scene” should be based on something more fundamental than marketing: we just need to do our part and pay something back to protect what our industry depends upon. We just need to protect what we use!
Tenkara Level Lines and Larger Streams
There has been much discussion about, and a long wait for “the other” line used in tenkara fly-fishing, the tenkara level line. In tenkara, two types of lines are used: traditional tenkara lines (furled and tapered), and tenkara level lines (level). Traditional tenkara lines have always been our preferred choice of line, for they offer the absolutely most delicate presentations of any type of fly-fishing, are a delight to cast, and keep things simple. However, we can’t ignore the utility of tenkara level lines, which are less expensive, may be cast against wind a bit more easily, and,most importantly in our opinion, can be cut to the desired length depending on river size.
Tenkara level lines make it possible to very effectively fish water that is some 30 to even 40ft away, yet, because the line is so much lighter than any Western fly line (including 00-wt lines) and because of the use of a very long rod, the line can be kept entirely off the water at a considerable distance. This means that only tippet and fly will touch the water when fished properly.
Please watch our new video, which shows Tenkara USA founder fishing a larger stream/river, in the Sierra Nevada, California.
Use of Western fly-lines with tenkara – not suggested!
We have seen many people suggesting, experimenting, and even selling lengths of western fly-lines to be used in conjunction with tenkara rods. This is highly discouraged as it would take away one of the great advantages of tenkara fly-fishing, namely, the ability to cast and fish a very light line. Even a 00-wt line is too thick and heavy, actually, at least about twice too heavy for a tenkara rod. Yes, a western fly-line would be even easier to cast, simply because it’s so heavy and it would overload tenkara rods. However, once cast a western fly-line would be immediately dragged back to right below the rod tip as soon as it’s cast, greatly reducing the distance one may fish. It would also make the splashing, and pick-up noise that happens with western fly-fishing, thus spooking fish. A western fly-line would also have not good way to attach to the tip of a tenkara rod, and the use of a transition loop with those lines would create a very noticeable hinging effect.
If we felt it a western fly-line could be a good product, we would sell it on our site. We could simply buy a bunch of used fly line, start a “fly line recycling program”, or even buy it new in bulk, and make money off it. But, we are here to introduce what has been tried and works well, typically what is traditional tenkara. After decades of evolution and experimentation in Japan with modern materials, tenkara anglers have settled for traditional tenkara lines, and tenkara level lines for a reason.
Tenkara featured in California Fly Fisher
The December ’09 edition of California Fly Fisher magazine has a great interview with Tenkara USA founder. The interview is featured across 3 pages of the magazine and has several diverse and very intelligent questions posed by California Fly Fisher interviewer Bud Bynack. The interview covers topics such as the origin of tenkara, how Tenkara USA came about, our response to comments that tenkara is not fly-fishing, and where we see the future of fly-fishing.
California Fly Fisher is an excellent publication and a very progressive magazine that is always on top of what is going on in the sport. And, it’s the primary fly-fishing resource in the state. If you want to make sure you know things before they happen, you should subscribe to this magazine. And, if you live in California you NEED to subscribe to it. And, make sure to pick up the December issue, which should hit newsstands anytime now.
World Trout
Tenkara USA joined the World Trout initiative
To raise funds for the conservation of wild trout and their habitat, Tenkara USA designed exclusive t-shirts featuring the stunning watercolor painting of the Yamame (Japanese landlocked Cherry Salmon) by renowned angler, artist and author James Prosek.
$5.00 from the sale of each shirt will be donated directly to grassroots organizations devoted to preserving wild trout and their habitat. To purchase the shirts, simply visit the Tenkara USA-World Trout page
Tenkara is primarily a small-stream method of fly-fishing, and simplicity is its main appeal, however caring for small stream habitats is far from simple. Tenkara USA will focus on contributing to the individuals and groups that work on the preservation of the often-overlooked and sometimes -forgotten small streams of the world and the trout that reside in them. Small streams are an integral part of healthy ecosystems; these are often the sources of the water and life that feeds larger rivers and provide habitat to a diverse animal population, and are also spawning grounds to many species of fish.
“Preserving these small-streams, and the wild trout that reside in them, is a very important task but one that is not quite so simple to achieve ”, says Daniel W. Galhardo, founder of Tenkara USA, “these are often the playgrounds of recreational anglers, and backpackers seeking solitude, but are often subject to degradation by mining, deforestation and general abuse, and they receive little attention from the public and the media, so we hope to bring more resources and attention to them”.
American Angler magazine
We were very happy to learn that the newest issue of American Angler magazine (November/December 09) contains an article on tenkara fly-fishing. Unfortunately, there were a few mistakes made in the article. As the authority on tenkara, we feel the obligation to share some corrections. The article perpetuates some of the “myths” and misconceptions about tenkara, namely that it is all about dapping, and there is no casting involved. It also states that tenkara evolved from a method of fishing done by the samurai. As a result it does not give an accurate picture of tenkara to readers, and in fact builds on the thoughts found in some online forums by anglers who have never tried or seen tenkara in person.
The authors refer to dapping seven times throughout the article, and also say “no casting!” in reference to the ease of teaching fly fishing to kids via tenkara, but only talk of casting twice (and once in connection with dapping). Anyone who has tried tenkara will agree dapping is one of the least used techniques in tenkara fly-fishing (see our forum for discussion). Actual casting is necessary and tight loops are an integral part of tenkara fly-fishing. Dapping is a very limiting technique where one either lowers the fly to a spot, thus allowing for no reach, or where one uses the wind to blow his line into place. We wrote a post on how tenkara is not dapping in August: http://tenkarausa.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/tightloop1.png?p=257 . They also write “[tenkara is] an easy way to introduce kids to fly fishing (no casting!)”. True, it’s a very easy way to introduce kids to fly-fishing, but not because there is no casting; in fact it is a great way to teach kids how to properly fly cast. The article also says, “perhaps the most recognizable modern equivalent is Czech nymphing, the style of close high-stick indicatorless nymphing”. Czech nymphing is only one of the techniques that can lend itself well to the use of tenkara gear, and it’s primarily one that is being used here in the US as a form of adaptation of the tenkara. Generally, tenkara is more similar to using a soft-hackle wet fly, and tenkara anglers hardly use heavy nymphs. One would be more concerned to casting delicately to a rising fish or to a likely spot than swinging a heavy fly on the bottom. Tenkara is about casting tight loops, for delicate and accurate presentations.
Accurate casting is a big part of tenkara
Here’s a new video we just posted on tenkara casting
The article also says, “In the Japanese equivalent of the Middle Ages, the ruling samurai class used a simple style of dapped-fly fishing as a practice to refine their swordsmanship and balance, meanwhile banning all others from fishing. Later, after the fall of the samurai, professional fishermen (some of them innkeepers looking to supply their kitchens) adapted the old samurai technique and Tenkara was born”. The first part of the statement is true and talks about ayu fishing, but tenkara was not adapted from samurai fishing. Our movie, “Tenkara in the Land of Little Rivers”, shows the story of the origins of tenkara and why the rods continued to be “reel-less” in Japan. Tenkara was originated in the mountain streams of Japan by professional anglers as a way to harvest food. The samurai, on the other hand, lived in the foothills and flat lands in Japan and practiced another style of fishing, known as “Ayu fishing”, primarily for recreation purposes. While both styles use flies, tenkara and ayu fishing developed independently of each other.
Tenkara has been a topic of much discussion on online forums this year, and some of them show the misconception many people have of tenkara. However, there is no reason these misconceptions should be perpetuated in a reputable magazine.
Tenkara Comics from tenkara father
A couple of days ago a package arrived at my mailbox. As I opened it, I was quite overwhelmed, wowed!, astounded, ecstatic, well you get the picture. A very good tenkara no oto-san, Dr. Ishigaki had sent me a one-of-a-kind find: two volumes of a comic book devoted to tenkara! Wow! is almost all I can say. Thank you Dr. Ishigaki! This is a rare treasure that I will cherish forever.
These books are beautifully illustrated, and with very good content. Take a look at the pictures below.
http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
By Kondansya Comics
If it was not clear that fishing is a vital part of Japanese culture and life by now, then I think the existence of these books will clear any doubt. The two comic books are part of a larger series of comics devoted to fishing. The comics are called “Tsuri kichi Sanpei (Sanpei, a boy crazy about fishing). Volumes 6 and 7 are entirely devoted to tenkara, and are now part of our tenkara museum. These comics were published some 30 years ago. Each volume has about 200 pages of the most beautiful illustrations. Not only are these comics artful and entertaining, but they also have several tips and real fishing knowledge: fly-tying, rod making, native fish, casting and fishing techniques and other knowledge of the world of tenkara.
This series of comics has also been adopted by schools in the education of their young; talking about a way to get kids engaged in reading, and then really into the sport, heh?
Tenkara: fly-fishing in great hands
Long story short, tenkara just found itself in the hands of some great anglers, one may say “the biggest of big guns” at a gathering in the River Itchen, one of the most famous chalk streams in the UK.
British angling author Peter Lapsley recently discovered tenkara. By chance, the day after he received his tenkara gear, he attended a small gathering of some of Britain’s best and best known fly fishers and angling writers for a day’s grayling fishing on the famous River Itchen. Of course, he took his coolest new toy to the gathering and amused many people with it.
Mr. Lapsley said, “We all tried it, liked it and were intrigued by it; it is a most attractive blend of ancient Japanese tradition with modern materials and technology.”
Neil Patterson, John Goddard, Brian Clarke, Dr Tony Hayter
The gentlemen in the picture are (left to right): Neil Patterson (author of Chalk Stream Chronicle), John Goddard (well-known angling entomologist and designer of numerous trout flies such as the Goddard Caddis), Brian Clarke (fishing editor of UK’s The Times) and Dr Tony Hayter (author of the definitive biography of F.M. Halford and of a future biography of another great angler).
First Tenkara Outing
This last weekend Tenkara USA hosted the first tenkara outing in Northern California. And, it was absolutely phenomenal. Leaves were changing colors, weather was cool and crisp, and the fish were biting. We fished 2 streams on Saturday and 2 more streams on Sunday and all were very productive.
Thanks to all who came and made this a memorable weekend! We’ll look forward to the next one.
The Tenkara Experience – New Video
We just posted a new video of tenkara fly-fishing on our gallery and also below.
As one tenkara angler who watched it put it, this video is a “this is how I fish” type of video. This video was shot in one day in the Sierra Nevada, where Daniel, founder of Tenkara USA, casually fished and explained a bit of his tenkara fly-fishing style and techniques.
Please stay tuned for new videos coming soon, next we’ll show casting techniques with a tenkara rod and tenkara in very tight streams.
Tenkara in the Land of Little Rivers (Catskills)
Our newest video is finally here. We just finished work on our video of the first tenkara event in the US, which happened in the Catskills back in May. A special, whole hearted thanks to Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, Chris Stewart, Misako Ishimura and the Catskills Fly Fishing Center and Museum (www.cffcm.net)
We believe it’s a good video and that you’ll enjoy it. It covers the history of tenkara and fly-fishing, the introduction of tenkara to the US and the insights of tenkara master Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, and two early adopters of tenkara Chris Stewart and Misako Ishimura.
Landing fish
Since introducing tenkara to the US one of the most common questions we have received or read on forums regards landing, and safely landing fish with a tenkara rod. If we had a dime for everytime someone says, “how do you land a fish if you have no reel?” Not only is landing a fish with a tenkara rod more intuitive than you think, but it’s also the best way to SAFELY play and land a fish before releasing it, read on…
The first question, “how do you land a fish?, has been a bit baffling to me, perhaps because my first method of fishing was the good “cane-pole”, and I also never had a “lesson” to land a fish with a western fly-rod, but to me landing a fish has always seemed much more intuitive with a tenkara rod. Remember all the fish you have caught using a reel? Yes, you may get the fish slightly closer to you, but you don’t reel the fish all the way in. You reel in, or strip in so much line, until the line is about the same length as the rod, then grab the line or fish or net the fish. Guess what, it’s the exact same motion!
For example, I just received this video in my junk mail folder today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A1I01j8_vI (see at around 0:40)
Now, see this (example of landing a larger fish using line longer than rod):
Landing fish with a tenkara rod
* One ironic note, in searching for fly-fishing videos for examples of landing fish I ran across this Orvis fly-fishing lesson series on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcaTedAq … re=related), and…there is no lesson dedicated to teaching how to land a fish! But, somehow we have managed…well, kind of…
The best way to practice C&R
Other times people may have watched some videos of tenkara in Japan and assumed that landing a fish with a tenkara rod involves letting the fish hit rocks, therefore injuring the fish. This could not be further from the truth. I’m a sport angler and I would NOT be doing tenkara if that was the case. In the end, it’s the user who decides how to handle the fish, but I know I have never let a fish flop on rocks to land it, and have never seen the need to do it with tenkara, even if my intent was to later eat it for dinner. If anything, tenkara is the best method to safely release a fish, and the best way to practice C&R. By using a short line, and not letting the 12″ trout “run”, you are allowing the fish to save considerable amount of energy and stress. By quickly landing a fish, you’re greatly increasing its chances for survival.
I can’t say how many times I have seen people play a fish to death when using a reel… a 12″ trout that did not need to take any line, but would be let free to run, just to be reeled closer and and then let run again for the “pleasure” of the angler; once netted the angler would then try to “revive” the trout for release…the trout wouldn’t dart off, so he would push it back and forth, and after a minute he just pushed it foward! Yes, the trout would swim a little, but I know its chances of survival were grim.
As many have said, if not practiced properly, C&R is only nice in theory. In tenkara one can quickly bring the fish in and release it. I like that part about it.
Fishy Kid
A very cool project has just gotten underway with our support: Fishy Kid
As the simplest, and arguably most enjoyable and effective method of fly-fishing, we strongly believe tenkara is an incredible way to introduce youth to the sport of fly-fishing and are proud supporters of this project.
The site is the work of Cameron (Fiberglass Manifesto) and Kevin (Red Dirt Studio) and is currently being supported by a very large number of artists and companies, including Tenkara USA, with the intent to get kids involved in one way or another in the wonderful sport, and as the site shows, art of fly-fishing. The site will be running various contests for kids, currently there is a coloring book contest and participants will be winning some very cool gear from sponsors, including traditional tenkara fly sets from us.
From their site: “Fishy Kid was inspired by two fathers who enjoy the sport of fly fishing and want to do our part in passing along the virtues of the outdoors to our children as well as to families within the online angling community.”
American Angler: "Who are the new faces in fly-fishing?"
I feel a little out-of-character asking for such a thing, but after reading the call for submissions from American Angler magazine I felt I needed to spread the word and make a quick request from those who get the idea behind tenkara.
American Angler asks, “Who are the faces [under 40] of fly fishing’s future? (http://americanangler.com/index.php?option=com_forme&fid=31)
If you think of tenkara as an “innovation” or something that will have a lasting impact in America’s small stream fly-fishing, as founder of Tenkara USA, I would like to ask for your vote under the “product developer” category.
Daniel W. Galhardo, founder of Tenkara USA
Tenkara is not a current innovation in the grand-scheme of things, it has been around for at least a couple of hundred years. But, I believe its introduction to the US marks one of the few “new” things that have come to market in recent times and that may have an impact in the way fly-fishing is done. It also reminds us that not all innovations are new “gadgets”, some of them are just adopted or repurposed from other industries (think fly-tying materials) or from other countries (think spey, tenkara, and, oh!, fly-fishing).
Thank you.
Daniel W. Galhardo
Paflyfish Interview
Pennsylvania Fly Fishing (www.paflyfish.com) recently conducted an interview with Tenkara USA founder and CEO, Daniel W. Galhardo. The interview helps shed some light on what tenkara is, how Tenkara USA came about and where it is heading. You can read the whole interview at Paflyfish.com
Excerpts:
Dave: What was one of the most interesting or surprising things that you learned when traveling in Japan about tenkara?
Daniel: Two days before departing for our trip to Japan I learned about a region in Japan where fly-tying and rod-making are designated as official traditional crafts. In the city of Kanazawa we visited a family that has been tying flies for 20 generations – over 430 years – from the same shop. They started as needle makers and soon were making flies for Samurai to go fishing. Later I learned those rods and flies are actually for “Ayu fishing” not tenkara. Nevertheless, this was still extremely impressive. Japan has many very narrowly defined methods of fishing, and though some are very similar at a first glance they have important distinctions. Ayu fishing for example, uses flies and long telescopic rods, but is not really considered fly-fishing as casting is not required to get the fly to the fish, it’s a bit more like dapping. They also have cane-pole fishing with telescopic rods for carp, and stream fishing with telescopic rods and bait. All rods and equipment are very different and highly specialized. Among all these methods, tenkara is the only real fly-fishing.
Dave: What makes tenkara so appealing to someone already fly fishing in the traditional [western] style?
Daniel: In May of this year, Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, one of the leading authorities in tenkara fly-fishing in Japan, came to give a presentation and demonstration in the Catskills, at an event hosted by the Catskills Fly Fishing Center and Museum. We spent a lot of time together, and the two reasons he says he likes tenkara are: 1st simplicity, 2nd it’s about focusing on your technique and presentation not the gear, and whether you catch fish or not is up to you. For what I see simplicity is drawing most people to try it, and the technique is making sure people stick with it. I would also add it’s a very effective way of fishing, and in Japan it’s commonly said that tenkara outfishes western fly-fishing 5-1. Lastly, tenkara provides the most direct connection between fisherman and fishing; though he’s not talking about tenkara, to borrow the words from angler and writer Ed Engle, “What I like most is catching a trout in the most direct way possible. My most memorable fish have been the ones where there was as little between me and the trout as possible.”
Dave: Tell me where do you see the future of tenkara going?
Daniel: In these first few months in business we have seen a very large and growing following despite our “zero-marketing-budget”. I wanted to see the interest for tenkara growing in a completely organic way, where anglers learned from other anglers about its simplicity, effectiveness and other reasons to do tenkara fishing. I believe anything good is spread by word of mouth. I didn’t want ads to convince anyone to do it and have it become a fad. Tenkara is nothing new, it has been around for hundreds of years and is still practiced in Japan for a reason. It is always going to be a small-stream fly-fishing niche. But, much like Spey casting was introduced for anglers pursuing large fish in large rivers, tenkara deserves its place for anglers pursuing a different angling experience in small streams. There is a very passionate group of people that got into tenkara in the past few months and I believe may soon retire their reels; I expect that number will continue to grow with people who will find the tenkara simplicity, “refreshing”.
"From Barbed Wire to Barbed Hooks"
About a month ago I learned about a project called “Manzanar: “From Barbed Wire to Barbed Hooks”…fishing stories from Manzanar”. As mentioned on their site, the project is “documenting the history of Manzanar [internment camp in the Eastern Sierra Nevada] internees who snuck out of the Internment camp under the noses of armed military guards to go trout fishing. I want to tell the story of the Japanese American internees… who sought to experience a feeling of freedom, however brief, as they matched wits with the wily trout of the famed Eastern Sierra fishing grounds.”
"Japanese Golden Trout Angler - was it caught using tenkara techniques?"
Learning about the project, which is currently being undertaken by Mr. Cory Shiozaki, reminded me how fishing is not only a sport, but a way of life and a vital part of many people’s lives. It’s also a very important part of the Japanese culture, maybe a reason why tenkara originated and thrived in Japan.
This project is still in the works, and I wanted to let you know about it in case you’d like to support the project with sponsorships or donations to make sure it comes to fruition (more information can be seen on their website: http://fearnotrout.com/). Also, a walking tour of the fishing spots frequented by the internment camp anglers will be held on Labor Day weekend at the Manzanar camp area.
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Tenkara Video, Get Into It
We just posted our first video introducing the effective art of tenkara fly-fishing.
We hope you’ll enjoy it. We are also working on more videos to be posted in upcoming weeks.
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5382068&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=1&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1
Ten reasons to Tenkara
1. Fly-fishing Simplicity. Using the fewest elements necessary to achieve what is desired and having few elements to worry about or to distract one from the pleasures of fishing is something many strive for. The simplicity of tenkara fly-fishing goes way beyond the idea of using only a rod, line and fly, it’s a philosophy that is embraced by many who try to get away from the superfluous or encumbering nature of multiple options and the ever heavier fishing vest.
2. Effectiveness. In Japan it’s said that tenkara outfishes western fly-fishing 5-1. We have found this to be true on any small-mountain stream we have fished, and would like to leave the verdict open for your judgment. Just think about all the situations where you wish you could control the fly a bit better, or reach a bit further, or simply not spook the wary fish…There are many places where you’ll find tenkara will certainly outfish western fly-fishing 5-1.
3. Reach with no mending. With a tenkara rod, anglers can do what no western fly-rod allows – keep a fly on that pool right on the other side of a current…drag free. Using a rod 3 – 5 ft longer gives anglers a lot of control over the fly. In many streams it’s a nice feature, in many others it’s a necessity. Longer rods provide much more versatility and less problems than one may think. Historian and author Andrew Herd writes about tenkara, and then about fixed-line fishing which is still practiced in many countries in his book “The Fly”, “The long rod brings several advantages which are sacrificed by those using shorter ones: much better line control and the lack of any need to false cast being but two. An anglers with a long rod can laugh at cross currents, since he can lift the fly across them and with practice it is possible to drop the fly right on the head of the fish in a way which can’t be managed with a shorter rod. … the long trout rod was a clear favourite for many centuries; while it may look odd to our eyes, our forefathers had very good reasons for sticking with it.”
4. Reach without spooking. Tenkara is the method that allows you to get closest to the fish without spooking them. Perhaps because a tenkara angler will be more aware of his surrounding and focused on not spooking the fish, or perhaps because there is no false-casting shadows, no dropping a heavy line on the water, no noisy pick-up, no spray…. It does put a premium on the angler’s stalking ability, but allows the angler to get closer than ever.
5. Sensitivity. The fly is connected to you. Line attached directly to the tip of the rod, no guides to pass through, not even a loop at the tip of the rod, combined with high-grade carbon fibers, ensures every vibration goes right to your sensory nerves. The subtlest fish takes, the rocks on the river bottom, and the struggling vibrations of a 6 incher all mean a more exciting fishing experience.
6. Ultra-light weight. The ultra-light weight is not all tenkara is about, but it sure is nice. Adding to the idea of simplicity, tenkara allows an angler to remove the reel and fly-line, put the rod on his backpack and … go further. It weighs very little and removes the heavier and very often unecessary elements – the reel, and large amount of fly-line.
7. Portability. No need for a case, tip protected inside the rod, 12 ft rod that collapses down to a mere 20 inches. It’s hard to beat that. Many have tried, 7-piece rods abound, none has reached the uncompromising and effective design of a tenkara rod. This portability and protection of the rod tip are nothing new, but in a time when we need or simply want to go further, this sure comes in handy.
8. Easy to do, and a lifetime to master. Focused on technique, not as much on gear, tenkara is the perfect way to pay attention to what really matters: fishing, and master the most essential part of fly-fishing: presentation. Tenkara gives anglers an easy way to enjoy the sport of fly-fishing, while also giving them something to truly enjoy and work on for years to come.
9. Specialized small-stream angling. Tenkara is THE method for fly-fishing small streams. Particularly in small mountain streams with faster water and pools. Tenkara is nothing new and it is not a new “00-wt rod”, which is fundamentally little different from a soft 4-wt rod. It’s made for small streams: it allows you to reach further and close it when bush-wacking, cast precisely and without spooking fish, get closer and hike further, sense more and carry less, and catch more fish.
10. Why not? Before I tried a fishing lure for the first time I scoffed at friends who used them and wondered why I would try it, my bait worked well. Before I tried fly-fishing for the first time I thought, “why would I try this? It looks too complicated and my lure works well”. Every step of the way in my fishing years I have hesitated and later switched with no regret, and I finally fell comfortable with a fishing style that really suits me and is all that I have ever looked for.
What reasons have you found? What has appealed to you the most?
"The New Period": fly fishing simplicity
One of the main reasons most anglers are attracted to tenkara fly-fishing – whether a tenkara veteran such as Dr. Ishigaki, or any of the recent adopters of tenkara – is, simply put, simplicity. That draws some to add it to their repertoire, and makes others leave their reels behind permanently. That is also the reason we have fallen in love with tenkara fly-fishing to begin with.
In his column“Gazing into the future of angling in America”, writer Mr. Gordon Wickstrom defines the two most current eras of fly-fishing: “The Trout Unlimited” period, and now, “The New Period“:
Now the fishing that remains to us– I’m going to call it “The New Period”– will be marked, I think, by greater simplicity of gear, technique, style and purpose. It will be done closer to home, more impromptu and with less media attention. It will be gentler, more elegant, and less aggressive — in some ways more old fashioned…
There’s my new friend in San Francisco who is introducing the tackle and practice of Tenkara, an ancient Japanese method of fishing the fly with a long, reel-less rod and short line.
It is a method of the same values as we envision for our new national life … For me, Tenkara is a sign of the times.
From the beginning, the vision behind Tenkara USA has been to show the simplicity inherent – although long forgotten – in the art of fly-fishing. We have not yet ellaborated much on our philosophy, but, in sum, it is:
-
“fly-fishing is simple”
…..don’t let them fool you.
World's tenkara authority in the Catskills
This weekend, the world’s foremost authority on tenkara fishing, Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, came to the Catskills and gave a fascinating presentation at the Catskills Fly-Fishing Center and Museum (CFFCM). Dr. Ishigaki gave a thorough lecture on tenkara’s history and technique and a fly-tying demonstration that taught something unique to even the most experienced fly-tiers. He also gave an on-stream demonstration that awed close to 50 participants, including one of the most recognized names of fly-casting, Joan Wulff.
Dr. Ishigaki in the Catskills
Dr. Ishigaki is the most recognized name in tenkara fishing in Japan. He is the author of 5 books on tenkara and numerous articles for Japanese fishing magazines. He also advises a major internationally recognized Japanese tackle manufacturer on the design of its tenkara rods. Dr. Ishigaki is a professor at the Aichi Institute of Technology, in Japan, and tenkara fishing is a great passion of his, from which he makes no money.
East meets West in fly-fishing
Saturday’s event was a day when “East met West”, as participants witnessed the meeting of two giants in the world of fly-fishing, Dr. Ishigaki and Ms. Joan Wulff. Joan Wulff, one of the most recognized names in Western fly-fishing, tried her hand at casting with a tenkara rod, showing at once that tenkara fishing is no “cane-pole fishing”. She quickly adjusted to casting with a tenkara rod and formed a nice and tight loop, turning the line and fly over.
Joan Wulff getting a lesson in tenkara casting
One fly pattern
Before his presentation and on-stream demonstration, Dr. Ishigaki gave a fly-tying demonstration that mesmerized people for its simplicity and pragmatic approach. For many years, Dr. Ishigaki has only been using ONE fly pattern, a very simple traditional tenkara pattern with sparse hackle. Some of the participants could not grasp the concept of only using one pattern for all situations.
As Dr. Ishigaki tells the story, many years ago, he too was concerned with fly patterns and matching the hatch, until he walked into a store and saw an extremelly simple tenkara pattern. He tried it and caught as many fish by using only this one pattern as he ever has. He used it again, and continued catching as many fish. Then, he was given a white fly that he thought would never catch fish, and was hesitant to even tie it on, but on one occasion was forced to use it as he had no more flies left; again, he caught as many fish with it as he ever had.
He formed the hypothesis that it did not matter what shape, color or perhaps even what size the fly was. Then, he conducted scientific studies to prove that, and he concluded that fish’s vision is relatively poor and their instinct will make them go for anything moving underwater. It should be noted that Dr. Ishigaki is a leading specialist in the field of “Visual Training”, which is used regularly by different groups of individuals, including professional athletes, and he used that to study the vision of fish, particularly mountain trout. Ever since then, he’s been tying one fly pattern, which takes seconds to tie, and many times is tied using only black thread from a $1 store, and some rooster hackle.
Tying Sakasa tenkara fly
Traditional tenkara fly
Participants also drooled over Dr. Ishigaki's beautiful fly box and other accessories
Fishing with Tenkara USA
Daniel W. Galhardo, founder of Tenkara USA, got a chance to spend a considerable amount of time with Dr. Ishigaki over the weekend, soon taking the liberty of calling him “tenkara no oto-san” (tenkara father), and being called “tenkara no musuko” (tenkara son).
On Friday, the day before the event, Daniel and Dr. Ishigaki discussed the design of tenkara rods and the beginnings of tenkara in the US. Dr. Ishigaki also carefully reviewed each of the rods we offer or plan to offer in the near future, giving them very high-praise for their action and high quality. This did not surprise us, but was indeed a real honor coming from someone of his caliber.
Dr. Ishigaki reviews and approves our rods
On Sunday we spent time fishing with, filming and interviewing Dr. Ishigaki, Ms. Misako Ishimura, the organizer of the event and the exhibit at the CFFCM on fly-fishing “Made in Japan”, and Mr. Chris Stewart, one of the earliest adopters of tenkara fishing in the USA, who is from New York and was also present for the weekend’s event. We also got a unique chance to see Dr. Ishigaki fishing very tight streams with his 15ft. rod, and saw him skillfully fighting and landing trout 16 – 18 inches, while using 30ft of level line.
After filming and lunch, Daniel and his wife Margaret went fishing with Dr. Ishigaki. They found a small stream with moss-covered boulders and small pools, which made Dr. Ishigaki feel right at home for its similarities to streams in Japan. There were mayflies and small yellow stoneflies hatching, but they sticked to the simple tenkara motto of simplicity and never tied anything on but a simple tenkara fly, the only fly pattern Dr. Ishigaki ever uses. They fished the stream until past sunset with the master of tenkara fishing, and are extremely honored to have had the opportunity.
More coming soon on the techniques we learned, including tying, using level lines, knots, and handling fish.
*Note: The presentation on tenkara fishing was sponsored and organized by the Catskills Fly Fishing Center and Museum, not by Tenkara USA. We’d like to thank Ms. Misako Ishimura for organizing the event and serving as the translator.
Tenkara VIDEO, in English
A new video of tenkara fishing has just been posted by Cork Graham in Corks Outdoors . Check it out!
http://corksoutdoors.com/
The video is very well put together by Cork and his crew, and shows some larger trout being caught (I lost mine 
Cork landed a beautiful 15 incher, as seen on a post below.
Keep checking our site, Tenkara USA will have a new video coming out in about 4 weeks!!!
Tenkara in the New York Daily Gazette, by Morgan Lyle
Writer Morgan Lyle wrote a nice article about the introduction of tenkara in the US for the New York based newspaper, The Daily Gazette. The article can be seen here: Daily Gazette – Tenkara Article
Mr. Lyle pulled a very relevant quote from Izaak Walton’s book The Compleat Angler, “You must be sure not to cumber yourself with too long a line, as most do.”, which somehow we missed, but is most relevant for tenkara and a good reminder to most anglers.
The article also mentions the event that is happening next week in the Catskills.
The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in Livingston Manor will host a talk on tenkara by Dr. Hisao Ishigaki at 1 p.m. May 23 as part of the opening of the museum’s new exhibit, “Made in Japan.” Ishigaki will also demonstrate tenkara on the Willowemoc Creek in the center’s front yard.
We’ll also be present with tenkara rods for guests to try.
Tenkara event in the Catskills! May 23rd, '09
On May 23rd, renowned tenkara fisherman, Dr. Hisao Ishigaki, will be in the Catskills, NY, for the Catskills Fly Fishing Center and Museum annual dinner and a special lecture and demonstration about tenkara. Approximately 175 people are expected to attend. Tenkara USA will be bringing demo rods so attendants can learn first hand what tenkara is all about.
As posted on the CFFCM website’s newsletter:
“ To tie in with our Made in Japan Exhibit, our CFFCM coordinator and liaison, Misako Ishimura, has invited Japan’s foremost traditional Tenkara fisherman and historian, Dr. Hisao Ishigaki to attend. Dr. Ishigaki has agreed to have a PowerPoint presentation in the museum on the culture and tradition of Tenkara Fishing before going to the river for a live demonstration. Fly fishing historian and author, Andrew Herd, recognizes Dr. Ishigaki as the authority in the traditional art of Tenkara Fishing in his book The Fly, which is a world history of fly fishing. Some fly fishermen on the West Coast [Tenkara USA included] got wind of this and will be coming in for the program and staying for dinner. It should be noted that Dr. Ishigaki is a leading specialist in the field of “Visual Training”, which is used regularly by different groups of individuals, including professional athletes. Born in Shizuoka, Japan, Dr Hisao Ishigaki is a professor of the Faculty of Management and Information Sciences at the Aichi Institute of Technology “.
This should be a fantastic event, and we can’t wait for it.
Can Tenkara revolutionize U.S. fly-fishing?
Tenkara was recently featured in Midcurrent as leading fly-fishing online resource.
In the article, the author poses the question of whether tenkara “has a chance of revolutionizing U.S. fly fishing the way two-handed techniques did thirty years ago, but there’s no question that it provides an interesting, simpler alternative to fly fishing formulas that seem only to get more complex.”
We believe it does indeed. Tenkara is a specialized segment of fly-fishing. Two handed rods are the special niche for big rivers, and until tenkara found its way to the US there was not a specialty type of fishing for small streams. Of course, there are 1-wt rods, and even 00-wt rods. However, these are just lighter variations of any fly rods. Tenkara offers a new system that is highly effective for small stream angling, and is truly ultra-light. Further, fly manipulation and control, important things in small stream fishing, are made easier with 11 – 13 ft long tenkara rods, as opposed to short fly-rods.
Fishing with Cork Graham
Yesterday, Tenkara USA went tenkara fishing with outdoor columnist and outdoor show host Cork Graham. Cork is the author of best selling book The Bamboo Chest, and is currently conducting a donation campaign to help US war veterans.
We went up to the Sierras for a day trip, and settled to fish on a beautiful creek. We had heard the creek had some larger fish, and were a bit hesitant…
Though tenkara is really a style of fishing for smaller fish, Cork hooked and landed a beautiful 15 inch rainbow trout using our Yamame rod and a Sakasa, reverse hackle fly. It was a beautiful fight, and Cork landed the fish without a problem.
Field & Stream
The tenkara community is growing fast. Several people have already started enjoying fishing small streams with this simple method of fly-fishing.
Today tenkara and Tenkara USA were featured in the Field & Stream magazine “Fly-Talk” blog. The blog can be found in the Field & Stream homepage and can also be seen here: http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/how-fish/2009/04/tenkara-fly-fishing-heaven#comment-296634
The blog’s author poses the question: “What do you think, new form of small creek fishing that’s here to stay or just another fad that’s here today and gone tomorrow? Considering it’s been around in Japan since the 8th or 9th centuries BC it might be worth giving a whirl.”
We’d love to hear your comments.
Fly-fishing simplicity
An article recently published by Mr. Gordon Wickstrom, “Grave and great: Fly fishing for our time” deeply resonated with what I have always been seeking in fly-fishing: a simplicity that may have been lost as the industry pushed for more and more layers of complexity. I found this simplicity in tenkara, and it was beautifully put in words by Wickstrom, where he says, “The idea is to live — and fish — more modestly and honestly, more simply, more economically, more personally and dynamically, yet, transparently.”
In the article, Wickstrom refers to an article by Ed Engle, a fly-fishing and outdoor writer, where Engle says, “What I like most is catching a trout in the most direct way possible. My most memorable fish have been the ones where there was as little between me and the trout as possible. That mean’s a single small unweighted fly that I’ve tied myself and the application of a no-nonsense, aesthetically pleasing, but practical, cast.”
This struck a chord with the idea behind tenkara fishing, which aims at getting away from all the gear and complexities of fly-fishing, and I just had to share it with you.
You may find Wickstrom’s article here: “Grave and great: Fly fishing for our time”
Environmental conservation
Tenkara USA is devoted to the environment and commited to the planet through the 1% For the Planet network. We will donate at least 1% of our sales to environmental conservation and protection agencies.
We are currently looking for organizations that help support and protect the environment. We are particularly interested in those that focus on small-stream conservation efforts, as we believe small-streams are a fundamental part of an Eco-system.
If you know any organizations that we should consider donating 1% of our sales to, please add comments below or send us an email: info@tenkarausa.com
Spey and Tenkara
This weekend Tenkara USA was present at the Spey-O-Rama event at the pools of the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club.
The event attracted a large crowd. When stopping by our table and learning about tenkara, most people quickly exclaimed the, “this would be great for backpacking”, and “I know some streams where this would be just perfect!”.
Guests got to try several different tenkara rods and quickly learned the way of casting with a tenkara rod – just a bit slower and with a shorter stroke, many likened it to casting with a bamboo rod and a shorter stroke. Most people were amazed with the lighteness of the rods and the fact that they are telescopic.
Welcome and enjoy the tenkara journey!
Welcome to Tenkara USA.
The journey began for us several months ago when we realized it was not possible to find tenkara gear or much information here in the US. How could such an effective and gentle art form and sport have not been brought to America yet? Shortly after asking that question, and having no good answer for it, Tenkara USA was conceived and work began .
For months we have been testing numerous tenkara rods, lines and flies to bring you only the best, even if that meant hours and hours fishing our favorite streams (someone just had to do it). We have also been translating and developing content about tenkara and a site that we hope you can enjoy. Of course, and all the good start-up business stuff.
We’ll continue building the site, bringing you good content, videos, gear and updates. As the old cliché goes, tenkara ”is not a sprint, it’s a marathon…”
- “Tight lines”
As a Tenkara enthusiast in New York recently told us, “tight line” actually refers to the fixed-line fishing method (such as tenkara) vs. “running line”. So, when using it, make sure you are referring to tenkara, not western fly-fishing
