This is a brilliant video. I love the new style and it’s good to see the struggle. As someone who began with a spinning reel, has been learning fly fishing for the last decade, and picked up tenkara from you (so still suck at that!) I love to see the progress. Your scenery is always amazing and thank you for putting in the work to show this!
Thanks so much Adam! Glad you noticed the new voiceover style! It was a ton of fun and I loved weaving the story together how I thought fit. Will definitely keep going with it. Also, I don't know if I realized you got into tenkara through me specifically, that's cool!
@@FlickyFlies I have fished just about every rod from Dragontail but own a 5 & 6WT Moksha, a 2wt glass Moonlit and a 4wt umbra. Big fan! Also great video 👍
Congratulations on trying something new! And I think you did just fine. Practice that good counsel you offer your son: “Practice makes _progress_.” The very best fly fishers I know are constantly trying new things and striving to improve their technique. Give yourself time to let your body learn the tempo of casting, and a bit more time still for left hand line management to become virtually unconscious. Improved accuracy comes with time, too; and someday you will simply look at where you want your fly to land, and lo and behold, it does! I’ve been a fly fisher for 65 years, as of this year, and a tenkara angler for ten. Love them both; most trips find me equipped with each. Each has its rewards. Enjoy your learning and savor your progress!
Thanks so much Michael! I had my ups and downs I think but I'm pretty pleased that I managed to catch a few fish. Learning, learning, learning ... it never ends, and I love that. Thanks for the thoughts my friend.
I started out tenkara a few years ago and love it. This summer though, I bought an Orvis Clearwater 9' 5wt setup. It's tough to get long casts unless I have a lot of weight. It's a bit clunky, line everywhere. But that said, I can still cast waaayyyyy further than with even my 15' tenkara rod. It's taken me some time and I'm still not quite used to it. One issue I have is keeping my line tight enough (there's so damn much of it) when using nymphs, so I decided to get some indicators to help with that and I will try it on my next time out. Mostly I just got it to try and go for some Steelhead here in WA during the winter months, so I'll be throwing some pretty heavy streamers. If I still need a bit more weight, I may throw on a big nymph or some shot in addition to streamers. May try changing up my line too. Anyway, have fun, you're already doing ok since you're at least catching some fish. Also, just pack a tenkara rod with you for when (if) it starts to get frustrating. I've been switching between the two to make sure I at least get some fish in the net one way or the other.
Hey Kevin, thanks for the thoughts! I'd like to get my hands on some other rods in the future ... maybe something a bit heavier and graphite. I love using really long tenkara rods as well (~15 feet) so it's cool to see you compare that Orvis to tenkara rods of that length. Hope you get into some steelhead man!
@@FlickyFlies Yeah I've been chasing some coastal cutthroat lately in a smaller river so the extra distance helps a little. Got a 15 incher the other day, just a beast of a sea-run cut! I was using the Wasatch Tenkara Daikyu T-Hunter. Seen a video where a couple guys were landing like 8-9 pound steelhead bucks on this rod.
@@kevinforlino5839 That's wild! I have the T-Hunter and it's a beast but I still would wager those 8 pound trout were borderline scary haha! I can feel my heart racing on the hookup right now!
The wind can be your friend in that it pushes the trout’s food against the windward shore and the splash back zone if there are ripples to wave action. So, you want to be casting into the wind and parallel to the shore where the trout will be patrolling looking for their next bite, often within inches of the shore line. It is often said that the difference between lakes and streams is that streams have current and lakes do not. But when the winds blow, lakes also have current. By casting into the wind, you can set yourself up to get drag free drifts of your fly pattern and imitate the direction the trout’s food will be moving naturally. In comparing Tenkara to fly fishing under windy conditions, like fly fishing Tenkara will do much better when PVC fly lines are cast on Tenkara rods. Of course you will loose a lot of the ability to hold the line up and off of the water in casting a PVC line but holding your line off of the water does not work all that well when it is windy anyway. On your casting problems, if you adopt the first finger on top casting hand position on the rod grip, that will stop you from breaking your wrist on the back casi, which causes the rod to move back farther than 90 degrees, causing the line to drop. Just as in Tenkara casting, more effort should be put into the back cast (with an abrupt stop in western fly casting) than is needed for the forward cast to load the rod for the forward cast. After you get the feel of loading the rod, you can go back to using the more powerful thump on top of the grip, grip for western tackle…Karl.
Damn this comment is packed full of useful takeaways, I really appreciate it Karl. The wind thing makes so much sense and it's something I'd never considered before. I don't fish stillwater that much, but you better believe I'm tucking that away in my brain! I have a light PVC line for tenkara but I never really took to it because it kind of eliminates the benefits of a tenkara rod. It definitely works alright in the wind, though! I'll try that modified grip! Thanks for the comment!
As your excellent video points out, golden trout living in lakes can be a daunting challenge. That is because their primary diet is made up of almost microscopic animals they filter feed on that are not big enough to imitate with fly patterns and fishing techniques. Stream dwelling golden trout behave pretty much the same as rainbows and cutthroat trout and are much easier to catch. Be that as it may, lake golden trout are very willing to take floating terrestrial patterns (ants, beetles, hopper patterns and such) under windy conditions. The Terrestrial Supply Chain: The high lakes run on a daily cycle. Before it gets light, the trout will be feeding on midge pupae until the warmth of the day or the wind shuts the midge activity off. Lake midges have 3 to 4 year life cycles and grow to be much bigger ( hook sizes 10 through 16s) than running water midges. A lake midge emergence looks like a light rain is falling on the water. Most anglers think Dry Fly action is at hand but nearly all the feeding is taking place subsurface. Once the midge action is over, it will take a while before the terrestrials start dropping in. During the lull, various subsurface patterns can be used in prospecting for takes until the land based bugs start dropping in. As the sun rises over the kinds of mountains shown in your video, the sun heats the rock. The rock heats the air above it and the warmed air will begin to rise. Cool air will rush in to fill the void made by the rising warm air creating up slope winds that transport tons of land based insects up from lower elevations. The cold water in the lakes acts as a heat sink that reduces the wind velocity over the water, causing the heavier bugs to fall on the lake water for the trout to eat. As a matter of fact, most of the high lakes could not support the trout populations that they do with out the up slope winds they get on an almost daily basis. This is not a hatch, and the trout are not usually selective or picky about what patterns they will take. They have to eat what ever the wind brings them. Since the heavier bugs fall out first, larger patterns tend to produce best and Splat Casts are also highly effective.
@@karlklavon1795 Can you comment on every one of my videos so that we can make my channel an encyclopedia of knowledge? I am your sponge, sir! Seriously, appreciate the info.
Some amazing information here! I had heard about the wind collecting food at the shoreline before, but being new to kayak fly fishing myself I had yet to take advantage of it or really understood how to fish it. I need to get a rudder on my yak so I can stay parallel to the shoreline. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing, Karl!
Your comment about "practice makes progress" rather than "practice makes perfect" hit home. First I thought of my daughter who is quite talented in many things. However, she is a perfectionist as you said your son is, and as a result she often gets frustrated and won't further engage in something simply because she's worried she can't achieve her level of perfection. In other words, if it doesn't come easy to her, then she doesn't want any part of it. As I thought about how maybe I could change my approach to parenting, I also was struck by a thought... are we all guilty of this in one way or another? I know I have been in regards to fly fishing... I have a fly rod and end up leaving it at home or back at my vehicle and instead fall back on using lures because I am most comfortable with that method. Thanks for your example of getting out of your comfort zone and trying something different from what you're used to and also finding the pros in the new skill you're practicing, rather than downplaying it so you can feel justified not pursuing the skill. I'd LOVE to see you catch a golden trout, so you have my support in making another attempt!
Our children sound very similar! I think the lifelong learning process of being a parent can be compared to fly fishing in a lot of ways. Patience, an open mind and a yearning to keep learning go a long ways. I'll get one of those goldens someday... I have a trip I'd love to do where big ones swim in (way) off trail alpine lakes. Thanks for commenting.
Fun! Kinda surprised at that fish are in that little “pool”. Kinda looks like it would completely freeze in the winter @ that elevation! Obviously not. No telling how many times we(I) overlook fishing holes! Fun video and congrats on your “walk on the wild side”(trying something different). Keep em coming & we’ll keep “liking & subscribing”! Neil.
Bunney, about the short room for back casts - If you change your casting plain from vertical to horizontal, it will really open things up. If you are right handed, you want to fish from right to left, so the rod and your line are cast parallel to the shore and out over the water, which is much easier than trying to thread your casts between the trees…Karl.
it didnt click at first for me either. i learned tenkara and then when i picked up a slightly better fly rod. the cast came more naturally, the muscle memory did transfer over. start with the line in front of you flick it backwards with a sort of tossing away an apple over your shoulder, except the rod is your hand and the line is the apple now, let the line load the rod, you'll feel it with practice, it will feel like an increase in pressure, not a tug when your rod is loaded with the weight of the line, start your forward cast gently with a forward push and gentle wrist rotation until you are sure the you've gathered all your tippet into moving the same direction as your main line (this is how you avoid whipping) Only when you are sure that your main line and tippet are moving toward you from the back, NOW you can cast, accelerate the forward and rotational pressure until rod is at stopping point and stop decisively. my visual for this is throwing darts. again, the rod is your hand allow the line to pass through your left fist as it shoots out. keep in mind that the timing of your cast will need to change as more line is in play
Just cast it exactly like you would a tenkara rod. The physics are the same. You don't need the exaggerated arm movement. Also, it will be easier if you use a fly that is less wind resistant. Finally, you can probably wait until day 2 to master a double haul! Have to say, though, tarn nation is beautiful ;-)
It really is isn't it! I had a small mole fly on at first before switching to that chubby and liked casting the little emerger much more! Something about all that line really made it feel so foreign! I'll keep practicing, thanks for the tips!
You did awesome for your first time and you caught some fish! That's a win in my book :) I have been fly-fishing for over 40 years and Tenkara for 4 and it takes practice and a lot of time on the water to get really good. Like you said practice makes progress. You never become an expert in fly-fishing, there is no such thing! There is always something new to learn and discover in this sport. It's a life long pursuit and passion. Keep practicing! When I first started I would cast on the lawn at a target and side arm cast so I could watch my loops. A phone helps now-a-days to see what you are doing right or wrong. Presentation is key in fly-fishing, above everything else. if you can cast accurately to a fish and present the fly in a natural way, you will catch fish! That matters so much more than fly selection. Unless you are high sticking with the rod, keep the rod tip low and line tight to the fly. It will help with your hook-ups. Good Luck!
Thanks so much Dave! What a beautiful sport. Anything that pushes you to learn throughout an entire lifetime is something to be cherished. We're lucky.
@@FlickyFlies You are very welcome! Yes we are lucky! You will never get bored, that is for sure. :) Always a new technique, species of fish, or type of fly fishing to pursue. For instance, I have yet to dip my toe into Saltwater fly fishing. That is a whole other world I need to try.
@@FlickyFlies That sounds like an awesome trip! Florida has so many species to pursue, plus you can do it year round. I just started kayak fly fishing myself about 4 years ago. It's a totally different ballgame from rivers. Stillwater has it's own techniques and challenges. Using sinking lines and finding fish. I mainly target warm water species like largemouth bass, pike, and panfish on both fly rod and Tenkara out of the yak. But we have some ponds here where they release salmon and large 3-6 pound brookies in the fall which are a lot of fun to go after.
I do love the simplicity and effectiveness of it, for sure! I'd put a long and beefy tenkara rod with some tight lined nymphs up against just about anything as far as the ability to catch fish, especially in complex currents or basically anything but stillwater or low and slow rivers. With that said, it was definitely fun to play around with something out of my comfort zone.
I wouldn't say Tenkara is better :) It's just different. They each have their pros and cons. I use both these days depending on the water type and species I am fishing. I do think Tenkara excels in the winter time. No ice in the guides or frozen hands. Plus Tenkara has a beautiful simplicity to it that you just don't get with a western fly rod.
@@FlickyFlies Yes it is and very effective! I can catch so many more fish on Tenkara than I can on a western rod usually, unless I am euro nymphing or using a mono rig. I would say it is a simpler form of that type of fly fishing style. Thin line, drag free drifts thru complex currents, gets the fly down to the fish faster. Plus with the tight line and long sensitive Tenkara rods, you feel everything and have that direct connection to the fly. No ice in the guides or frozen fingers. Stripping and mending fly line sucks in 34 degree water! :)
The mechanics of casting a fly rod vs a tenkara rod is similar but not the same. It is important with casting fly line to keep the tip of the rod moving in less of an arc than in a straight line, so rather than just hinging at the wrist or elbow as you’d do with a tenkara rod, it is more akin to throwing a dart, if that makes sense. Yes, you still have the hard start/stop at the beginning and end of the movement, with wrist snapping the rod from the 10 - 2 positions during the casts. There are many excellent yt vides that show and explain it better than I can verbally. I’ll include a link. th-cam.com/video/MvaTGTmbSUw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=0WP9EcoEnpXln32g And this one (casting instructions start at 4:52). th-cam.com/video/00Acb90Lq7c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vKZfxZaabw9sgMLj
Thanks so much for the video and commentary! I did watch a couple vids before going out but it seems to have all gone out the window as soon as I hit the water haha! I'll check this one out too :) Looking forward to spending the hours needed for it to become a bit more natural.
Some attention to your nomenclature might help your comparisons. Since when is a tenkara rod not a REAL fly rod? I don't think you'd call a tenkara rod a FAKE fly rod. I'm left with the perception you chose those words to stir emotions and get more clicks. If a rod is made to cast unweighted flies, it's a fly rod. Might I suggest "western fly rod" will better match the literature and help avoid sowing discord.
I always look forward to your comments, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I feel what you're saying, and honestly, guilty as charged my friend! To be frank, every single one of my titles is intended to get as many clicks as possible. I have aspirations of growing this channel to become something that can provide for me full time. With that in mind, trying to create clickable titles that will also potentially promote more engagement/discussion is critical. Overall, this was intended to be a bit of a light hearted thing with a few little jabs thrown in and I think the tone of the video portrays that. I think the discord take is a little harsh. The "western fly rod" thing is popular within the tenkara community but essentially no one with a "western fly rod" knows that terminology or can relate to it. Everyone that fishes a western fly rod just calls it a fly rod. Colloquially, they've claimed it. Us tenkara folks can take comfort in knowing that we fish a form of fly fishing, with a type of fly rod, but we tend to call them tenkara rods, and I think that's fine.
This is a brilliant video. I love the new style and it’s good to see the struggle. As someone who began with a spinning reel, has been learning fly fishing for the last decade, and picked up tenkara from you (so still suck at that!) I love to see the progress.
Your scenery is always amazing and thank you for putting in the work to show this!
Thanks so much Adam! Glad you noticed the new voiceover style! It was a ton of fun and I loved weaving the story together how I thought fit. Will definitely keep going with it. Also, I don't know if I realized you got into tenkara through me specifically, that's cool!
I have that same rod combo but in a 2wt. Love Moonlit and Nirvana rods in addition to Tenkara.
Right on, I really want to try more within their lineup!
@@FlickyFlies I have fished just about every rod from Dragontail but own a 5 & 6WT Moksha, a 2wt glass Moonlit and a 4wt umbra. Big fan!
Also great video 👍
Congratulations on trying something new! And I think you did just fine. Practice that good counsel you offer your son: “Practice makes _progress_.” The very best fly fishers I know are constantly trying new things and striving to improve their technique. Give yourself time to let your body learn the tempo of casting, and a bit more time still for left hand line management to become virtually unconscious. Improved accuracy comes with time, too; and someday you will simply look at where you want your fly to land, and lo and behold, it does! I’ve been a fly fisher for 65 years, as of this year, and a tenkara angler for ten. Love them both; most trips find me equipped with each. Each has its rewards. Enjoy your learning and savor your progress!
Thanks so much Michael! I had my ups and downs I think but I'm pretty pleased that I managed to catch a few fish. Learning, learning, learning ... it never ends, and I love that. Thanks for the thoughts my friend.
I love the scenery and the areas that you are fishing
Glad to hear it! That's my favorite part of fishing - the places it brings me.
i really like those rods. i’ve got the 5wt.
I have the 5wt also. It is a great rod! They are the sister company to Dragontail Tenkara. I was thinking of getting the 3wt to add to the collection.
@@davewebb68 i really like the reel he’s using in the vid. might buy it!
@@mvsc-k5e It's funny you say that cause I was eyeing it too :)
I'd love to add a couple more to my collection!
@@davewebb68 It felt really solid!
I started out tenkara a few years ago and love it. This summer though, I bought an Orvis Clearwater 9' 5wt setup. It's tough to get long casts unless I have a lot of weight. It's a bit clunky, line everywhere. But that said, I can still cast waaayyyyy further than with even my 15' tenkara rod. It's taken me some time and I'm still not quite used to it. One issue I have is keeping my line tight enough (there's so damn much of it) when using nymphs, so I decided to get some indicators to help with that and I will try it on my next time out. Mostly I just got it to try and go for some Steelhead here in WA during the winter months, so I'll be throwing some pretty heavy streamers. If I still need a bit more weight, I may throw on a big nymph or some shot in addition to streamers. May try changing up my line too. Anyway, have fun, you're already doing ok since you're at least catching some fish. Also, just pack a tenkara rod with you for when (if) it starts to get frustrating. I've been switching between the two to make sure I at least get some fish in the net one way or the other.
Hey Kevin, thanks for the thoughts! I'd like to get my hands on some other rods in the future ... maybe something a bit heavier and graphite. I love using really long tenkara rods as well (~15 feet) so it's cool to see you compare that Orvis to tenkara rods of that length. Hope you get into some steelhead man!
@@FlickyFlies Yeah I've been chasing some coastal cutthroat lately in a smaller river so the extra distance helps a little. Got a 15 incher the other day, just a beast of a sea-run cut! I was using the Wasatch Tenkara Daikyu T-Hunter. Seen a video where a couple guys were landing like 8-9 pound steelhead bucks on this rod.
@@kevinforlino5839 That's wild! I have the T-Hunter and it's a beast but I still would wager those 8 pound trout were borderline scary haha! I can feel my heart racing on the hookup right now!
The wind can be your friend in that it pushes the trout’s food against the windward shore and the splash back zone if there are ripples to wave action. So, you want to be casting into the wind and parallel to the shore where the trout will be patrolling looking for their next bite, often within inches of the shore line.
It is often said that the difference between lakes and streams is that streams have current and lakes do not. But when the winds blow, lakes also have current. By casting into the wind, you can set yourself up to get drag free drifts of your fly pattern and imitate the direction the trout’s food will be moving naturally.
In comparing Tenkara to fly fishing under windy conditions, like fly fishing Tenkara will do much better when PVC fly lines are cast on Tenkara rods. Of course you will loose a lot of the ability to hold the line up and off of the water in casting a PVC line but holding your line off of the water does not work all that well when it is windy anyway.
On your casting problems, if you adopt the first finger on top casting hand position on the rod grip, that will stop you from breaking your wrist on the back casi, which causes the rod to move back farther than 90 degrees, causing the line to drop. Just as in Tenkara casting, more effort should be put into the back cast (with an abrupt stop in western fly casting) than is needed for the forward cast to load the rod for the forward cast. After you get the feel of loading the rod, you can go back to using the more powerful thump on top of the grip, grip for western tackle…Karl.
Damn this comment is packed full of useful takeaways, I really appreciate it Karl. The wind thing makes so much sense and it's something I'd never considered before. I don't fish stillwater that much, but you better believe I'm tucking that away in my brain! I have a light PVC line for tenkara but I never really took to it because it kind of eliminates the benefits of a tenkara rod. It definitely works alright in the wind, though! I'll try that modified grip! Thanks for the comment!
As your excellent video points out, golden trout living in lakes can be a daunting challenge. That is because their primary diet is made up of almost microscopic animals they filter feed on that are not big enough to imitate with fly patterns and fishing techniques. Stream dwelling golden trout behave pretty much the same as rainbows and cutthroat trout and are much easier to catch. Be that as it may, lake golden trout are very willing to take floating terrestrial patterns (ants, beetles, hopper patterns and such) under windy conditions.
The Terrestrial Supply Chain: The high lakes run on a daily cycle. Before it gets light, the trout will be feeding on midge pupae until the warmth of the day or the wind shuts the midge activity off. Lake midges have 3 to 4 year life cycles and grow to be much bigger ( hook sizes 10 through 16s) than running water midges. A lake midge emergence looks like a light rain is falling on the water. Most anglers think Dry Fly action is at hand but nearly all the feeding is taking place subsurface.
Once the midge action is over, it will take a while before the terrestrials start dropping in. During the lull, various subsurface patterns can be used in prospecting for takes until the land based bugs start dropping in.
As the sun rises over the kinds of mountains shown in your video, the sun heats the rock. The rock heats the air above it and the warmed air will begin to rise. Cool air will rush in to fill the void made by the rising warm air creating up slope winds that transport tons of land based insects up from lower elevations. The cold water in the lakes acts as a heat sink that reduces the wind velocity over the water, causing the heavier bugs to fall on the lake water for the trout to eat. As a matter of fact, most of the high lakes could not support the trout populations that they do with out the up slope winds they get on an almost daily basis.
This is not a hatch, and the trout are not usually selective or picky about what patterns they will take. They have to eat what ever the wind brings them. Since the heavier bugs fall out first, larger patterns tend to produce best and Splat Casts are also highly effective.
@@karlklavon1795 Can you comment on every one of my videos so that we can make my channel an encyclopedia of knowledge? I am your sponge, sir! Seriously, appreciate the info.
Some amazing information here! I had heard about the wind collecting food at the shoreline before, but being new to kayak fly fishing myself I had yet to take advantage of it or really understood how to fish it. I need to get a rudder on my yak so I can stay parallel to the shoreline. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing, Karl!
Fishing that range also made me want a regular fly rod to reach out into the lakes
For sure! I've fished it tenkara and actually caught more fish that time but I really enjoyed casting the fly rod out a ways!
Your comment about "practice makes progress" rather than "practice makes perfect" hit home. First I thought of my daughter who is quite talented in many things. However, she is a perfectionist as you said your son is, and as a result she often gets frustrated and won't further engage in something simply because she's worried she can't achieve her level of perfection. In other words, if it doesn't come easy to her, then she doesn't want any part of it. As I thought about how maybe I could change my approach to parenting, I also was struck by a thought... are we all guilty of this in one way or another? I know I have been in regards to fly fishing... I have a fly rod and end up leaving it at home or back at my vehicle and instead fall back on using lures because I am most comfortable with that method. Thanks for your example of getting out of your comfort zone and trying something different from what you're used to and also finding the pros in the new skill you're practicing, rather than downplaying it so you can feel justified not pursuing the skill.
I'd LOVE to see you catch a golden trout, so you have my support in making another attempt!
Our children sound very similar! I think the lifelong learning process of being a parent can be compared to fly fishing in a lot of ways. Patience, an open mind and a yearning to keep learning go a long ways. I'll get one of those goldens someday... I have a trip I'd love to do where big ones swim in (way) off trail alpine lakes. Thanks for commenting.
Fun! Kinda surprised at that fish are in that little “pool”. Kinda looks like it would completely freeze in the winter @ that elevation! Obviously not. No telling how many times we(I) overlook fishing holes! Fun video and congrats on your “walk on the wild side”(trying something different). Keep em coming & we’ll keep “liking & subscribing”! Neil.
For real! Thanks for the words of encouragement Neil!
fly fishing alpine lakes is hard! there's always a hea
d wind, very little space for the back cast...it just takes time! you did great.
Appreciate the kind words! In hindsight even though many of my casts were ugly as can be I guess I am quite happy to have caught a few fish!
Bunney, about the short room for back casts - If you change your casting plain from vertical to horizontal, it will really open things up. If you are right handed, you want to fish from right to left, so the rod and your line are cast parallel to the shore and out over the water, which is much easier than trying to thread your casts between the trees…Karl.
it didnt click at first for me either. i learned tenkara and then when i picked up a slightly better fly rod. the cast came more naturally, the muscle memory did transfer over.
start with the line in front of you
flick it backwards with a sort of tossing away an apple over your shoulder, except the rod is your hand and the line is the apple
now, let the line load the rod, you'll feel it with practice, it will feel like an increase in pressure, not a tug
when your rod is loaded with the weight of the line, start your forward cast gently with a forward push and gentle wrist rotation until you are sure the you've gathered all your tippet into moving the same direction as your main line (this is how you avoid whipping)
Only when you are sure that your main line and tippet are moving toward you from the back, NOW you can cast, accelerate the forward and rotational pressure until rod is at stopping point and stop decisively.
my visual for this is throwing darts. again, the rod is your hand
allow the line to pass through your left fist as it shoots out.
keep in mind that the timing of your cast will need to change as more line is in play
I like the throwing darts visual - hadn't heard that one before. Thanks so much for all the tips!
Just cast it exactly like you would a tenkara rod. The physics are the same. You don't need the exaggerated arm movement. Also, it will be easier if you use a fly that is less wind resistant. Finally, you can probably wait until day 2 to master a double haul! Have to say, though, tarn nation is beautiful ;-)
umm not really
It really is isn't it! I had a small mole fly on at first before switching to that chubby and liked casting the little emerger much more! Something about all that line really made it feel so foreign! I'll keep practicing, thanks for the tips!
You did awesome for your first time and you caught some fish! That's a win in my book :) I have been fly-fishing for over 40 years and Tenkara for 4 and it takes practice and a lot of time on the water to get really good. Like you said practice makes progress. You never become an expert in fly-fishing, there is no such thing! There is always something new to learn and discover in this sport. It's a life long pursuit and passion. Keep practicing! When I first started I would cast on the lawn at a target and side arm cast so I could watch my loops. A phone helps now-a-days to see what you are doing right or wrong. Presentation is key in fly-fishing, above everything else. if you can cast accurately to a fish and present the fly in a natural way, you will catch fish! That matters so much more than fly selection. Unless you are high sticking with the rod, keep the rod tip low and line tight to the fly. It will help with your hook-ups. Good Luck!
Thanks so much Dave! What a beautiful sport. Anything that pushes you to learn throughout an entire lifetime is something to be cherished. We're lucky.
@@FlickyFlies You are very welcome! Yes we are lucky! You will never get bored, that is for sure. :) Always a new technique, species of fish, or type of fly fishing to pursue. For instance, I have yet to dip my toe into Saltwater fly fishing. That is a whole other world I need to try.
@@davewebb68 Same man! I really want to do a combo saltwater / cypress swamp kayak trip to Florida and catch some new species.
@@FlickyFlies That sounds like an awesome trip! Florida has so many species to pursue, plus you can do it year round. I just started kayak fly fishing myself about 4 years ago. It's a totally different ballgame from rivers. Stillwater has it's own techniques and challenges. Using sinking lines and finding fish. I mainly target warm water species like largemouth bass, pike, and panfish on both fly rod and Tenkara out of the yak. But we have some ponds here where they release salmon and large 3-6 pound brookies in the fall which are a lot of fun to go after.
I was a fly reel fisherman for YEARS! Stick to tenkara. It’s so much better! Good video again.
I do love the simplicity and effectiveness of it, for sure! I'd put a long and beefy tenkara rod with some tight lined nymphs up against just about anything as far as the ability to catch fish, especially in complex currents or basically anything but stillwater or low and slow rivers. With that said, it was definitely fun to play around with something out of my comfort zone.
I wouldn't say Tenkara is better :) It's just different. They each have their pros and cons. I use both these days depending on the water type and species I am fishing. I do think Tenkara excels in the winter time. No ice in the guides or frozen hands. Plus Tenkara has a beautiful simplicity to it that you just don't get with a western fly rod.
@@davewebb68 Tenkara in the winter is magical. My buddy fishes a regular fly rod and his guides are always iced up.
@@FlickyFlies Yes it is and very effective! I can catch so many more fish on Tenkara than I can on a western rod usually, unless I am euro nymphing or using a mono rig. I would say it is a simpler form of that type of fly fishing style. Thin line, drag free drifts thru complex currents, gets the fly down to the fish faster. Plus with the tight line and long sensitive Tenkara rods, you feel everything and have that direct connection to the fly. No ice in the guides or frozen fingers. Stripping and mending fly line sucks in 34 degree water! :)
Ya stick to the stick with liine lol nice videos!
We can't all be as good as you were when you first picked up a fly rod!
The mechanics of casting a fly rod vs a tenkara rod is similar but not the same. It is important with casting fly line to keep the tip of the rod moving in less of an arc than in a straight line, so rather than just hinging at the wrist or elbow as you’d do with a tenkara rod, it is more akin to throwing a dart, if that makes sense. Yes, you still have the hard start/stop at the beginning and end of the movement, with wrist snapping the rod from the 10 - 2 positions during the casts.
There are many excellent yt vides that show and explain it better than I can verbally.
I’ll include a link.
th-cam.com/video/MvaTGTmbSUw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=0WP9EcoEnpXln32g
And this one (casting instructions start at 4:52). th-cam.com/video/00Acb90Lq7c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vKZfxZaabw9sgMLj
Thanks so much for the video and commentary! I did watch a couple vids before going out but it seems to have all gone out the window as soon as I hit the water haha! I'll check this one out too :) Looking forward to spending the hours needed for it to become a bit more natural.
Some attention to your nomenclature might help your comparisons. Since when is a tenkara rod not a REAL fly rod? I don't think you'd call a tenkara rod a FAKE fly rod. I'm left with the perception you chose those words to stir emotions and get more clicks. If a rod is made to cast unweighted flies, it's a fly rod. Might I suggest "western fly rod" will better match the literature and help avoid sowing discord.
I always look forward to your comments, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I feel what you're saying, and honestly, guilty as charged my friend! To be frank, every single one of my titles is intended to get as many clicks as possible. I have aspirations of growing this channel to become something that can provide for me full time. With that in mind, trying to create clickable titles that will also potentially promote more engagement/discussion is critical. Overall, this was intended to be a bit of a light hearted thing with a few little jabs thrown in and I think the tone of the video portrays that. I think the discord take is a little harsh.
The "western fly rod" thing is popular within the tenkara community but essentially no one with a "western fly rod" knows that terminology or can relate to it. Everyone that fishes a western fly rod just calls it a fly rod. Colloquially, they've claimed it. Us tenkara folks can take comfort in knowing that we fish a form of fly fishing, with a type of fly rod, but we tend to call them tenkara rods, and I think that's fine.