The word Tenkara originated in ancient Japan and literally means “from Heaven”; and it is still used in the high mountain streams of Japan. Tenkara is a simple approach yet it is very effective for brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. Since it was introduced in the USA in 2009, it has become one of the fastest trends in fly fishing.
The Japanese rods were simple bamboo rods made in sections unlike the complicated bamboo rods made today by splitting the bamboo and gluing them back together. Bamboo was used because it was readily available, light in weight and extremely strong. The Tenkara rods used today are made of carbon or fiberglass but they have the same great features. In addition today’s rods telescope down to less that 20 inches in length.
Why are the Tenkara rods so popular? Well, the advantages of these rods are many. First is their simplicity since only the rod, Tenkara line and a fly are necessary. There is on need for using a complicated and expensive reel. The long flexible rod normally ranges from 10 to about 15 feet in length and the line is only slightly shorter than the rod. When using the Tenkars system, there is no to feed out several feet of fly line and load the line and as done with the conventional rod and reels. As a result there is very little tangling of line and even a far lesser chance of snagging obstacles on the back swing. This allows the angler to focus only on the trout and not on the equipment and the dozens feet of line coming off the reel.
Anther advantage not to be overlooked, especially when fishing in the mountain streams, is the control offered by the Tenkara rod. The long rods, and light lines make delicate and precise presentations possible even to the smallest and most protected pools. When fishing on the other side of the current, there is no line to get caught in the current causing drag, so the fly can be held in the strike zone longer.
The Tenkara rod due to the simplicity is less intimidating and has become a favorite for teaching children how to fish. Some older anglers were at first not willing to try something as simple as Tenkara, but now many have succumbed to the simplicity as well as the ability to be in the water faster, not having equipment to set up. In addition, to converting some of the older anglers, the Tenkara rod is rapidly becoming a favorite among the lady anglers.
At Troutpro we offer the Zako Tenkara Fly Rods that are high performance rods manufactured by Zen Fly Fishing Gear of Loveland, Colorado. This rod telescopes out to 12 feet in length and has a 5.5 flex. The lines used with the Tenkara rods are usually tapered and sometimes hand woven in order to make more delicate presentations. We at Troutprostore offer the11 feet long hand woven tapered lines in light and in medium weights. We believe that these lines give an angler the maximum control and the ability to make delicate presentations.
Although there are flies on the market that are called Tenkara Flies, flies should imitate the real insects and other foods that the fish eat. Our Perfect Flies work far better than the traditional Japanese Tenkara flies because they are indeed exact imitations. You can fish both dry flies and sub-surface flies such as nymphs, larvae and crustaceans imitations.
Casting witth Tenkara is indeed simple as it is much like throwing a stick. The preferred location of your grip is at the end of the rod for more leverage, but if you prefer you can “choke up” on the rod like a baseball player. The best grip and since there is no reel, is to place the rod in your hand and extend the index finger along the top of the rod, much the same as if you were throwing a stick. When you swing the rod back to start the cast, the index finger on the top will act as a natural brake preventing the rod from going too far back. Now relax and keep your arm close to your body. Bring the rod up vertical and use your arm and wrist to swing the rod forward toward your trout. After the rod reaches a location that is about 9:00, stop the swing and relax. Just remember not to overpower the cast, relaxing is best.
Tenkara is a simple approach yet it is very effective for brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. and the student will be introduced to the equipment and how to use it. The system and the cast will be simple and enjoyable with little frustration.
Please go into the yard and practice the casting technique. All that is necessary is a rod without a reel to which you atach a short line and fly. You will quickly see just how simple the cast is to perform.
Review the Tenkara rod and line that is available at Troutprostore.