collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Tenkara  (Read 2112 times)

Offline jeepster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2010
  • Posts: 1343
  • Location: anacortes wa
Tenkara
« on: June 10, 2015, 05:58:33 PM »
I want a tankara rod really bad. It just looks amazingly simple, elegant, and zen, it has zen mentality just written all over it.

I don't have 200+$ for anything right now.

What I do have time for is some tinkering a few hours after work.

Who is to say I couldn't build a telescoping tenkara rod out of unsplit bamboo? It is sure cheap enough...

I figure I would do three 3 foot sections of bamboo, and snag the 4 foot tip out of my telescoping crappie rod....

Anybody ever try this?
catch it. kill it. cook it. eat it.
Forget the bear spray, use wasp killer. Concentrated delivery stream, 10X the product, and only $3.00 on sale.

I smoke two fish in the morning, I smoke two fish at night, I smoke two fish in de afternoon makes me feel alright

Offline Bullkllr

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2007
  • Posts: 4923
  • Location: Graham
Re: Tenkara
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2015, 07:50:06 PM »
I haven't tried it, but have read quite a bit on Tenkara style fishing and I agree it sounds so appealing I want to try it.

I also think $200 + for a rod seems a little crazy. Are they that expensive because of the telescoping feature?

I think about it this way: when I fish small water with a short line off a standard fly rod & reel, aren't I doing basically the same thing? Yeah, it would be nice to have a few more feet of reach I guess. I could lose the reel and wrap the line around some kind of holder to make it more authentic.

If portability is important- I'm just getting a pack rod.
A Man's Gotta Eat

Offline pd

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2012
  • Posts: 2533
  • Location: Seattle?
Re: Tenkara
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2015, 08:56:38 PM »
Jeepster, I have one, and fished it a bit when I lived in Japan.  Although you would think Tenkara and traditional fly fishing are very similar, in my opinion they are not.  Firstly, Tenkara fishermen use bait a lot more than you would expect.  Secondly, the use of flies is mainly sub-surface (like a lure, or a nymph, even though they are tied like flies).  Thirdly, not only is the casting technique completely different, the approach to a pool or your targeted water is much more "vertical" than "horizontal" as it is in fly fishing.

Could you make a Tenkara rod from bamboo???  Sure, anything is possible.  But Tenkara rods (basically, just a telescoping rod) are not that expensive.

The 2 really great things about a Tenkara rod are the simply nature of the line, and the fact that they are extremely portable.  (No reel is also a plus.)
Si vis pacem, para bellum

Offline fly-by

  • Forum Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2011
  • Posts: 563
  • Location: Snoqualmie, WA
Re: Tenkara
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2015, 05:03:05 PM »
Jeepster-

One of the biggest appeals of Tenakara is the simplicity.  You definitely don't need to drop $200 on a rod that you will use to cast 20 feet.  3 feet of reach, an 11 foot rod, a 10 foot line, and some leader will cover a surprising amount of water.   I spent a semester in Japan and had some exposure to Tenkara.  I use it for small creeks and to teach my kids the basics of flyfishing.
   
I would recommend the Caddis 330 from these guys:  http://tenkaraflyfish.webs.com/tenkararods.htm.  I own a couple of them.  Nice slow action, durable, and inexpensive. 

Attached is a photo of my daughter with a Daiwa Iwana. These are so light they don't even have a cork grip. Just a textured area on the butt section.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2015, 05:10:44 PM by fly-by »

Offline Bmcox86

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2012
  • Posts: 1136
  • Location: Seward, AK
  • One in hand is better than two in the bush
    • Setter Stickers
Re: Tenkara
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2015, 05:35:21 PM »
Jeepster I just picked up a tenkara set up on backcountry.com for 103. Made by wetfly, seems solid but I won't get to use it till next week. I will report back when I try it, I figured I'd pick one up so I didn't have a reason to not have a rod on any given hike. To be honest though it's pretty similar to the bream buster I had when I lived in the south that you can pick up for $5
Semper Paratus

Beretta White Wing 12ga Approx 20k rounds and still going strong!
Tikka t3 light 300wm


http://likeablaze.wordpress.com

Offline pd

  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2012
  • Posts: 2533
  • Location: Seattle?
Re: Tenkara
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2015, 09:02:19 PM »
Jeepster, see this article.
http://www.journalofmountainhunting.com/mountain-life---tenkara.html

The author captures well the modern Tenkara scene in Japan.  It truly is a combination of waterfall climbing, pool swimming, and brush busting.
Si vis pacem, para bellum

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Son drawn - Silver Dollar Youth Any Elk - Help? by VickGar
[Today at 04:54:03 PM]


Nevada bull hunt 2025 by Karl Blanchard
[Today at 03:20:09 PM]


Accura MR-X 45 load development by Karl Blanchard
[Today at 01:32:20 PM]


I'm Going To Need Karl To Come up With That 290 Muley Sunscreen Bug Spray Combo by highside74
[Today at 01:27:51 PM]


Toutle Quality Bull - Rifle by lonedave
[Today at 12:58:20 PM]


49 Degrees North Early Bull Moose by washingtonmuley
[Today at 12:00:55 PM]


MA 6 EAST fishing report? by washingtonmuley
[Today at 11:56:01 AM]


Kings by Gentrys
[Today at 11:05:40 AM]


2025 Crab! by ghosthunter
[Today at 09:43:49 AM]


AUCTION: SE Idaho DIY Deer or Deer/Elk Hunt by Dan-o
[Today at 09:26:43 AM]


Survey in ? by hdshot
[Today at 09:20:27 AM]


Bear behavior by brew
[Today at 08:40:20 AM]


Bearpaw Outfitters Annual July 4th Hunt Sale by bearpaw
[Today at 07:57:12 AM]


A lonely Job... by Loup Loup
[Today at 07:47:41 AM]


2025 Montana alternate list by bear
[Today at 06:06:48 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal