Tenkara

Has anyone ever tried Tenkara? I've recently stumbled upon it. It looks like it could be great to stuff in a backpack and tackle some tiny creeks with over a traditional setup. If anyone has tried it, let me know what you recommend.
 

Coenen

Senior Member
Haven't tried it, but seen it done. Watched a guy come up the Forsyth County side of Bowman's Island shoal on the Hooch Tailwater looking like a fish vacuum cleaner. He was wearing them out with that thing!
 

gobbleinwoods

Keeper of the Magic Word
I had the opportunity to borrow one for 30 minutes or so a year ago. It is on my wish list.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Fished Tenkara the whole time I was growing up. We would walk back in the mountains, carrying a piece of leader and some dry flies. When we got back to a litttle mountain creek, we would cut a birch pole, tie the leader and fly to it, and wear the specs out. It ain't nothing new.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Metro-sexuals of the inner city are gullible for fashion and fads with fancy names. As soon as I figure out how to rebrand chewing tobacco I'm going to make a fortune off of them. ::ke:::ke:
Natural Herbal Stimulant. Used by Native American shamans for thousands of years to boost energy and awareness. :)
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I could prolly rebrand that mint dip substitute as that and they'd be on it like moths to a flame. The stuff is nasty though. It's like dipping mint flavored sawdust.
Real shamans dip Red Seal fine cut natural. :)
 

Hillbilly stalker

Senior Member
Lots of info on "Bushcrat USA " forum about it. It's something to watch if the fellar knows what he's dong with it. Bout like seigning a creek tho. Better have deep pockets.
 

almoore

Senior Member
Justin,
My 30 year old son does exactly that. The rod collapses to 20 inches and there's no reel. Very light and easy to backpack. I've fished his rod. It's fun and effective if there's no chance of big fish. I don't know the reason for the talk above about cost and deep pockets. A tenkara outfit is much cheaper than a standard fly rod set-up that requires a rod, reel and line, although obviously not as cheap as using a stick you found in the woods. My son has more invested in his backpack than his tenkara set-up.
 

Nicodemus

The Recluse
Staff member
I grew up learnin Tenkara, accept we called em cane poles and they didn't cost obscene amounts of money. :bounce:


Yep. That`s exactly the way I use to flyfish when I was a youngun. Long rivercane, braided fishing line, and a bream popper.
 
From what I am gathering, it looks like a $10 bream buster, some old fly line, a bit of leader, and some flies is all that I need to start Tenkara rather than dishing out the cash.
 

Hillbilly stalker

Senior Member
There is a huge difference, we've all done the bream buster thang and cane poles. Check out Tenkara USA website. Most all quality roads I've seen were $200 and up. You can get the China rods on flea bay cheap. If you watch one of the Japanese instructors, you will see the difference. You can have fun either way. Good luck.
 

Caddisfly01

Senior Member
I don't judge anyone on their methods of fishing, as long as its legal, because being out on the water is a great thing...That being said, for me, if I'm going to fly fish, I prefer to fish the more traditional ways, learning how to cast and present a fly are pretty much at the top of that list..I understand there is always a desire to gravitate towards something new, and Tenkara in this country pretty much falls in that category (Japanese fisherman have been doing this for many years)..If being trendy is your thing, then by all means go for it..If learning and refining a real skill is more in line with your way of thinking, then just appreciate the posts we get from the new fashioned cane fisherman..
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I don't judge anyone on their methods of fishing, as long as its legal, because being out on the water is a great thing...That being said, for me, if I'm going to fly fish, I prefer to fish the more traditional ways, learning how to cast and present a fly are pretty much at the top of that list..I understand there is always a desire to gravitate towards something new, and Tenkara in this country pretty much falls in that category (Japanese fisherman have been doing this for many years)..If being trendy is your thing, then by all means go for it..If learning and refining a real skill is more in line with your way of thinking, then just appreciate the posts we get from the new fashioned cane fisherman..
Not only Japan, a very, very similar method was a common way of fishing right here in the southern Appalachians back in the late 1800s-early 1900s. It's re-inventing the wheel, really. Looks like fun on a small creek.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
I actually tie up some of those Tenkara flies and use them in small creeks and as a dropper under a dry fly with conventional fly gear. They are pretty effective. Takes awhile to get the hang of tying them, because they are tied backwards to our flies.
 

Bream Pole

Senior Member
Japanese developed Tenkara as a means adapted to the water they had available to fish. It is entirely different from fly fishing. It's what they do in Japan. It is not a better method just a different one. You can get a good rod for under $100. It is not the same as the above comments suggest as using a cut pole, cane pole, bream buster, etc. Those will never effectively enable you to do what tenkara fishing is. I have several tenkara rods I use at times bream and crappie fishing. Now I am using them in that fishing context as cut pole, cane pole, bream buster etc. They are more effective in presentation and bringing the fish in is a trip. Very sensitive rods. I much prefer them to bream busters etc. Plus changing line if need be is simple and they are very easy to carry because they telescope down to 12-20 inches. From what I've seen on youtube true tenkara fishing for trout is a true different method of fishing and not to be compared to fly fishing. I also like fly fishing for bream and crappie and have several fly rods of varying cost and quality. In both tenkara and fly fishing cheap is not good, but you don't have to spend a fortune either to have a good rod that will please.
 

ripplerider

Senior Member
I'm kind of interested in the Tenkara rods, mainly because they telescope down to such a short length. They come with a lifetime warranty. I just found a Sawtooth offered very slightly used for $90. Does that sound like a deal to yall? The rod alone sells for $129 new not sure yet if this used one is the package or just the rod. Need to make sure the warranty transfers when it sells. It's 20 inches long when closed which would be great on a tight speck stream. Everything I've read about them indicates that theyre very sensitive and tough as nails. I'm slowly putting together a light backpacking outfit I'm not capable of carrying 70 pound + loads for many miles like I did all the time when I was younger. There's plenty of ultralight gear out there now the only problem is that ultralight + durable= quite expensive. You can find some real deals on lightly used stuff though if you know where to look.
 
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