Tenkara vs. Western Fly Fishing

[adam]

I am pointing more Japanese friends and tenkara enthusiasts to this site. I do believe we can co-exsist nicely if we do not fall into the trap of this vs. that.

This site has always been about fishing small streams. Spin fishers are welcome here and they always have been if they practice and preach good fishing ethics.


The new tenkara fisher people for the most part have learned fishing with tenkara. They think they are experts at fly fishing and often they write from that stance. Their knowledge of the stream and fishing is full of holes, they are after instant credibility.

I have no time for that.

There are some tenkara teachers that will have you selling your fly fishing gear because tenkara is better...

I have not time for that either.

Tenkara is a great way to fish a small stream but it is only one way.

So please help me as we move forward to helping those that enjoy this site that are tenkara enthusiasts to feel welcome.

[Alpinefly]

I believe the Tenkara section to be a great addition to smallstreams. I have added this technique to my arsenal of styles, and have found it very useful when it comes to wilderness Fly Fishing. I agree with you Adam, as I have no time with sites that are using Tenkara to sell their products or as an argument.
I have learned much from the Tenkara Techniques (both fishing and tying) as well as from great friends like Misako Ishimura.

[Anthony]

Tenkara is a way to fly fish - I came to it after years of western fly fishing for many reasons. Is it better? Right now for me - the answer is yes. But that's a question and answer that is personal to everyone. I find myself reaching for the tenkara rod almost exclusively for my fishing. Perhaps it is "fixed-line fly fishing" that I do, and not always "tenkara" (I like weighted nymphs). I consider myself a fly fisher first and foremost - all the gear is just a away to deliver a fly and land a fish after all.
I happen to be enjoying the tenkara gear now. In my tenkara fishing I am employing most of what I learned as a western fly fisher - it's not an "either/or" thing. It's all fly fishing (except maybe to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission - but that's another story).

Small streams and tenkara are the perfect match, so smallstreams.com and tenkara ought to go along nicely.

[adam]

@Alpinefly, your friend is a part of the propoganda machine as far as I am concerned. That's about as kind as I can put it. Remember, I always have a reason and will prove anything I write or say. I won't write anything more on this subject because I think she is a nice person that is being directed by someone else. Let it go.

@Anthony, Gus and I discused this already. We had a forum for tenkara at smallstreams.com and it was moving but Gus and I decided to present the site as it ever was, small streams. Tenkara is just another way to fish, just like spin fishing and I wanted to keep the smallstream site pure. So if you fish Tenkara only, just like I do, participate here and write your stories and do what you do and integrate yourself into the site. smallstreams.com is not just a "fly fishing with a reel" site. It is much more than that and always has been. Just do what you do, don't worry about "Tenkara" or HYPE or anything. It's fishing and every single one of us can smell it if it isn't write. If you cook up a good meal, yummy for all of us. smallstreams.com is a really cool site based on a successful forumula.

[Zanko]

If you want to fish western style or Tenkara does it really matter as long as you are having a good time?

I actually like to fish both for the fact it's a good mix up on fly fishing trips.

Maybe I will buy a Tenkara rod one day, or maybe I will just steal Adam's "Green Hornet", "shrug".

Fish your style and have fun...

[adam]

Zanko is another reel angler that has been taught the way of Japanese fly fishing on a Sakura Seki Rei. I teach my best angling friends on this authentic equipment so that the Japanese master that designed the rod passes the lesson to them. I am simply the owner of the rod. He used my Seki Rei to catch its largest trout, a queen of 17"

S.Brooks is another.

There are more introductions with that rod.

Many more fine anglers have learned the way with that rod.

If you are an attuned Western fly angler, I suggest authentic equipment.

[adam]

@Anthony, my research into the history of tenkara from Soseki Yamamoto books has the definition much more broad than what has been presented to us in the media. Less of "pure tenkara" and more of "pure fishing" Remember, it was a form of commercial fishing, it was made into a package and presented to us by an American to sell rods. If you must let others define what you consider Tenkara is, don't. Research it for yourself . It just keeps getting better and better the more you look for definitions.

The more you know, the less you need.

Thats about the best American quote I have read.

[Alpinefly]

??? Sounds like a lot of people are being directed by someone else. Nuff said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!