May 2009

[LMarshall]

LMarshall,
I've tried tenkara once, but I soon moved to flyfishing. So I don't have much experience about it. I'm surprised about the fact that some people in the US are enjoying tenkara. I wonder it might be difficult to play a big fish with tenkara, because you don't use a reel for this fishing, which is no problem in Japan where you don't worry about hooking a very big fish. On the other hand, it is extremely effective in small streams of a certain size. I know a tenkara fisherman who always catch more fish than other fly fishers. Because tenkara rods are much longer than ordinary fly rods, it is easy to control the fly directly by the rod. But because the length of the line is fixed, and because the rod is long, you have difficulty in extremely small streams, or in large rivers. This is why I prefer fly fishing. It's far more flexible. While tenkara is principally a wet fly fishing, you can fish dries, wet flies, nymphs, streamers in fly fishing. You can cast long, or you can just dip your fly from your rod tip. So, if you just want to catch as many fish as possible, tenkara might be a better way at least in Japanese streams. But fly fishing is more appealing to me.

I found out about tenkara this summer and purchased a rod to give it a shot. I like it a lot for certain streams and fish. I'm not giving up my fly fishing rod for still-water and big rivers though! For me it's a fun way to fish small streams and pocket water. I especially enjoy fishing for for wild brook trout here in New England with tenkara, which I'd imagine is a lot like some of the fishing you have in Japan.

I think some American fly anglers are attracted to tenkara for a few reasons, chiefly it's simplicity and portability. It's easy to put a fishing kit for tenkara together that weighs under 200 grams, including the rod. So gram-conscious backpackers are really excited about it. Fishing with simple tackle like this puts a premium on skillful presentation, rather than all the equipment choices that a lot of people get bogged down in. So for those that don't find satisfaction in tools and equipment it's a way to simplify their fishing by shedding some gear; spend less time worrying about all that stuff and more time fishing.

A lot of US anglers trying out tenkara have found it suitable for fishing dry flies and nymphing, in addition to the traditional wet flies. I actually haven't fished any wet flies with it yet. I love it for dries though, the long rod and light line let you get some crazy drag free drifts in pocket water with current going every which way. I'm sure a lot of US anglers are doing some stuff with tenkara gear that looks pretty strange from the perspective of a Japanese fly fisher! Like bass fishing :?

[Mostyn]

I love the photos of your stream and the bright spotty fish!

Great stuff!!

[Satoshi]

Mostyn, thank you for your encouraging comment.


LMarshall,

I think some American fly anglers are attracted to tenkara for a few reasons, chiefly it's simplicity and portability. It's easy to put a fishing kit for tenkara together that weighs under 200 grams, including the rod. So gram-conscious backpackers are really excited about it. Fishing with simple tackle like this puts a premium on skillful presentation, rather than all the equipment choices that a lot of people get bogged down in. So for those that don't find satisfaction in tools and equipment it's a way to simplify their fishing by shedding some gear; spend less time worrying about all that stuff and more time fishing.

You are right. Light tackle is a very attractive point of tenkara.
By the way, when I decided to try flyfishing almost 30 years ago, I first put a dry fly that I tied by myself on a tenkara tackle. I learned how to tie flies by some books. There was nobody who were doing flyfishing around me at that time, and I felt a bit ashamed of swinging a strange short rod with a reel. After I confirmed that I could actually catch amago with a dry fly (Boy! What an exciting moment it was when I first saw a small amago snatched the dry fly I tied! ), I bought a true fly rod and a reel.

[rossa]

Those fish are amazing, can't wait for the yaname, don't think we seen those before?

[LMarshall]

You are right. Light tackle is a very attractive point of tenkara.
By the way, when I decided to try flyfishing almost 30 years ago, I first put a dry fly that I tied by myself on a tenkara tackle. I learned how to tie flies by some books. There was nobody who were doing flyfishing around me at that time, and I felt a bit ashamed of swinging a strange short rod with a reel. After I confirmed that I could actually catch amago with a dry fly (Boy! What an exciting moment it was when I first saw a small amago snatched the dry fly I tied! ), I bought a true fly rod and a reel.

I haven't tied any of my own flies yet, but I remember quite well the first trout I caught on a dry fly. Man that was a rush!

[Satoshi]

Those fish are amazing, can't wait for the yaname, don't think we seen those before?

rossa,
I haven't posted a picture of yamame, but don't expect too much. Yamame just looks like a orange-spotless version of amago. ;)

[papasequoia]

Beautiful fish and countryside; thanks for sharing! Jon

[Alpinefly]

Very beautiful pictures and fish !!! I am curious :think: , with all the overcast (rain), do you have a species of Blue Winged Olive Mayfly that hatches there in Japan ????

[BrkTrt]

My friend,

You have some very special water to fish.

Those fish are brilliant, natural art.

I enjoy your posts, its almost as if my fly were floating through a riffle.



Thank you,




- Brk Trt

[jmp]

Amazing creek. Amazing fish. Thanks!