Try tenkara, it’s unreel!
I am a dedicated tenkara fisherman and offer fly-fishing instruction and mountain fly-fishing adventures, specializing in tenkara fishing.
I guide for Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg, VA. Please contact them here to book a tenkara trip!
Read about my tenkara adventures in “Whisper Fishing” by Donovan Webster in the August/September 2011 edition of Garden & Gun (click here).
See Michael JN Bowles’ wonderful photos, “Fly Fishing Without a Reel”, in the August/September 2011 edition of Garden & Gun (click here).
I gave a presentation on tenkara guiding at the Tenkara Summit in August in West Yellowstone, MT. You can read about it by clicking here.
What is tenkara fishing?
For those unfamiliar with tenkara, it is a traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing. It reduces fly-fishing to three basic elements, a rod, a line and a fly. It has been used for centuries in Japan’s high mountain streams. Tenkara is all about simplicity. You focus on the fishing rather than the gear. Tenkara is fishing in a basic form, not a better way just a different way. Appropriate technology. Simplicity. A rod, a line, a fly.
To learn about the traditional “one fly” tenkara techniques read How to Fish with One Fly Pattern.
For trout in the mountains I love fishing tenkara!
Here are my suggestions for a good, basic outfit for someone starting down the tenkara path:
If you are mostly fishing mountain streams:
- Tenkara USA Iwana rod either 11’ or 12’
- 10’6” Tenkara USA traditional line
- one spool each of 4x, 5x and 6x tippet
Nice to have
- Tenkara line holder
- Tenkara USA Iwana 10’ handle
- Spare tip set
- Level line: 12-16 pound test mono or floro
If you are fishing rivers and for larger (16”-24+”) fish:
Option 1
- Tenkara USA Ito rod
- 13’ Tenkara USA traditional line
- one spool each of 3x, 4x and 5x tippet
Option 2
- Tenkara USA Amago rod
- 13’ Tenkara USA traditional line
- one spool each of 3x, 4x and 5x tippet
Nice to have
- Tenkara line holder
- Spare tip set
- Level line: 12-16 pound test mono or floro
Set Up
Attach the line to the tip of the rod with a simple girth hitch. There should be about 6″ of 3x tippet at the end of the tenkara line, add about 12-48″ of 5x tippet to that depending on the conditions.
Because it flexes so much in the upper section especially at the tip, tenkara rods readily protect light tippets. While the rod appears delicate, it has held up exceptionally well under the rigors of fishing, traveling, bush whacking and teaching.
As you will quickly discover, tenkara style fishing gives you incredible drag free drifts. Often 3 and 4 times as long as you might get with a conventional outfit. And those drag-free drifts are one of the most important elements for fishing success.
A great teaching tool
Tenkara makes teaching the basics very easy, getting the student on the water and fishing sooner. It allows the teacher and student to focus more on fishing technique and not have to work so much on line management and casting skills.
Tenkara doesn’t replace conventional fly-fishing, however. There are fishing situations where long casts and heavier lines are required.
Where to get the gear
You can buy rods, lines, flies and accessories at Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg, VA. They are a full service fly shop. Tell them I sent you.
Learn more
Tenkara: Radically Simple, Ultralight Fly Fishing
The Tenkara USA’s website, has a wealth of information. There you can find information on the origins and history of tenkara, video’s and diagrams of casting techniques.
Wikipedia: tenkara
For more information, articles and video check out the Tenkara Resources page.
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