Trust me you are gonna want to click on this one > Lefty says Tenkara is a fad.
A tip of the Stormy Kromer to Roderick Hawg Brown for getting the straight scoop and putting the Lefty “tenkantraversy” to rest!
fly fishing, conservation and politics.
By Tom Sadler
Trust me you are gonna want to click on this one > Lefty says Tenkara is a fad.
A tip of the Stormy Kromer to Roderick Hawg Brown for getting the straight scoop and putting the Lefty “tenkantraversy” to rest!
By Tom Sadler
Given how quickly Tenkara is rising in popularity I thought it was time to rework the Tenkara section of Dispatches, so I have created a stand alone Tenkara blog page.
For the moment it is called The Tenkara Guide blog, a play on the fact that I am a Tenkara Guide and that it will be used as a “guide” to the ever expanding Tenkara community. It will offer commentary and information both about Tenkara style fly-fishing.
If you are interest in how various furled leaders perform then take a look at A tail of three (furled) lines…., Teton Tenkara’s review of the Tenkara USA 3rd Generation Traditional line, the Cutthroat Leaders Tenkara line, and Streamside Hand Crafted Furled Leaders Tenkara. Tom’s review is an in depth look at these lines and how each performs on the water. You can see his field test on the Black Canyon section Bear River.
I am in process of testing some lines as well. More on that in future additions.
My friend Chris Stewart, aka Tenkara Bum, has a new favorite rod. Read about it in his review of Daiwa Tenkara Rods. His extensive review of the SF goes in to the details of his affection for these rods. Chris has decided to start importing them in the US. Be prepared for a little sticker shock. These are, as Chris notes, “these are truly premium rods, and they carry a premium price.”
Jason Klass had a chance to put Fountainhead’s rods to the test and offers his assessment in Fountainhead Stone Fly Tenkara Rods. Fountainhead rods are at the opposite end of the price spectrum from the Diawa rods. Jason’s reaction, “What you will find is a stripped down fishing tool that is more concerned about working than looking pretty.” He also notes they cast pretty well.
So there you have it, a look at some lines and rods. These guys have done their homework and offer up important info that you can use. Be sure to drop a comment on their blogs and tell them thanks for doing the research so we can all learn more.
By Tom Sadler
There has been a fair amount of discussion of late about whether tenkara is a fad. Labels are funny things, the minute you apply one someone wants to fight with you about the appropriateness of the label. Posts started flying on the blogs, questions popped up on Facebook and Twitter and a new tenkara controversy was born. Of course it has raised the profile of tenkara and in my book that is a good thing.
The fans of tenkara offered up some great commentary. Some of my favorites include: Field and Stream’s Fly Talk: Is Tenkara Fly Fishing a Fad?, Eat More Brook Trout: The Fad that’s Built to Last… Tenkara Bum: Is Tenkara a Fad?, Troutrageous! Enough ‘Tenkara Is A Fad’ Already… Unaccomplished Angler: Lefty Kreh declares “Tenkara is cool!”
When asked about tenkara my answer has been, “It is a fly-fishing technique that is very effective. It has pro’s and con’s like all techniques. Give it a try and see what you think.”
By the end of last weekend I was hoarse from repeating that response to curious anglers at the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset NJ. I spent time explaining tenkara in the Tenkara USA booth and selling rods at the Mossy Creek Fly Fishing booth.
Explanation was more important than labels. Folks wiggled the rod, saw you could cast with it, visualized the way it would drift a dry or nymph or twitch a streamer and often enough decided to buy one.
Is tenkara a fad? Who really cares? I am going to continue to fish and guide with my tenkara rods and enjoy my time on the water.
If you want to know more about tenkara check out the Fish Tenkara section.
If you have questions or want to fish tenkara, drop me a comment.
By Tom Sadler
One of the things I really like about the tenkara community is how creative it is. Here are three FOUR good examples (See below for a recent addition).
Check out the moose antler tenkara line holder at The North River: The Magnificent Moose. This little beauty holds the line and a fly and has the inherent rustic charm of the moose antler. Hopefully Kiwi will resume his carving hobby and put a few on the market.
The second example is from My Leaky Waders: Do it Yourself Tenkara Line and Case: Go Furl Yourself. David took the “roll you own” or in this case “furl your own” challenge and produced his own line. He really showed his creative chops with the line case! Check it out. I have been working on some level line ideas and I am going to try his idea out.
Last but not least is from Tenkara USA via Angling Trade: Tenkara USA Updates Product Line for 2012. There are four notable items.
First an expandable rod: “the Ito is a rod that can be fished as a 13ft long rod or a 14ft 7inches long.”
How about going in the other direction and shortening the rod? “We have decided to play a bit with the telescopic functionality of tenkara rods, where segments collapse into one another and can easily be removed or replaced. For 2012 we have decided to offer an add-on option to our customers looking for a shorter tenkara rod.”
They reworked the traditional tenkara furled line. “We have greatly improved our traditional tenkara lines for 2012, making them more supple, easier to cast and importantly tweaking their design so they don’t “recoil” back when freed from a snag.
The tenkara nets are wonders of craftmanship. “We have improved the design of our original tenkara nets and added a new size to the lineup: now available in 9inches or 10.5 inches diameter.”
NEW 02/16/12: Take a look at this exquisite Tenkara fly box that Joel from A Year On The Fly recently completed. Check it out at My New Tenkara Box and wish him luck on his tenkara adventures!
Tenkara is gaining a following because of things like this. There is a rich history of creation and innovation in the fly-fishing segment of fishing and Tenkara is part of that history. Now it is showing how it adds to the fly-fishing in the future.
By Tom Sadler
Last week I was thrilled to receive an email from Daniel Galhardo, owner of Tenkara USA, asking me if I would like to join the Tenkara Guide Network to be launched in 2012. According to Daniel the Tenkara Guide Network will be a directory of guides that teach and guide with tenkara as their preferred method of fishing. This is a great honor for me and I really appreciated the recognition from Tenkara USA!
By Tom Sadler