Just wanted to give a huge shout out to the Tenkara anglers out there who left some really helpful comments/advice. Definitely makes me want to do more Tenkara videos in the future.
When I get a section stuck like you did I set the base on a rock or hard surface and kind of raise and tap it down a bit hard as straight as possible and it usually pops back in, I don't know if it's the right way but I havnt broken a rod yet.
Really liked this. Back in the 60's and 70's when I was a kid growing up we natives cut our own limber fishing poles and used a little cord from like an old window blind someone threw away and attached a leader to that because we were poor and couldn't afford a nice fly rod, but we still fly fished and caught plenty of trout. And yes we turned the little ones go to grow bigger. Still do. This brought back fond memories. God bless you and always tight lines. Tony
Oh my Good old friend, River cane! Make blown guns for squirrels and rabbits too. F*** I heard a dude took a coyote with one! Truly in all around hunting and fishing material.
I have fly fished since I was 15 years old and now 65. I discovered Tenkara in 2012. It is my most used method for small stream fishing. I love tenkara and have 3 different rods to cover situations form various stream types. The secret to landing effectively is not to have the line and leader more than 3 foot longer then the rod length used. (shorter if the vertical clearance is not there.) A net is also important. People tend to use a longer than recommended line because they want to reach further out rather than strategically approaching a hold or pool area for fish. With Tenkara it is about the hunt and presentation. The catch will just happen if all is done reasonably well. But the bottom line, as you say in the video, Tenkara is fun! I would recommend every fly fishermen have a basic Tenkara rod packed away in their bag for situations where traditional fly casting may not work. Still whatever your choice... Get out there and enjoy!
@@robertmcmanus5875 tenkara excels in tight spots with too much tree cover to adequately cast with a fly or spinning rod as you can bow and arrow cast. It's also good for people who don't have many hundreds of dollars to try out fly fishing as it is a big financial commitment and there's no guarantee that they're going to enjoy it. As others have stated, it's also just fun. Because of how responsive the rod tips are, even a half pound fish feels exciting.
@@AmongstTheCovers I guess I don't see why that would be true. Tenkara rods are generally pretty long, so tight quarters seems like it would be more of an issue. I have a 6'6" eagle claw fiberglass 3wt that cost $29 and is the perfect tight quarters setup IMO and being fiberglass a 13" fish feels like a mako shark. I see the value of tenkara rods, the connection to the fly is unparalleled when tight line nymphing and packability is a huge benefit too. I would always carry a tenkara rod when backpacking in the west, but when I see people lose 16"+ fish because they don't have a reel on my local creek, It seems like its the wrong tactic for most situations
You've got a point on rod length, which is why alot of people choose triple zooms (can be fished in 3 lengths) but youre absolutely correct that manuvering a 6'6" in tight brush is much easier, but to me, wrist casting a tenkara in tight quarters compared to properly casting any other type of rod has its advantages. This is just my personal opinion and not an absolute truth, but to me, I've never had as much fun fishing and felt as little shoulder, elbow and wrist pain as I have since starting tenkara fishing. I would say for people who started with western fly fishing, that would probably be the right choice for them, but for someone transitioning from spinning reel to flies, I love tenkara.
Thank you for not turning your nose up at tenkara and at least trying it and giving it an honest review. I love your channel, so it's awesome to see you trying out my preferred method of fishing. I started out Western style fly fishing and discovered tenkara about 5 years in. I almost only fish tenkara now. Granted, a huge part of that is I am chasing small brook trout in high mountain streams most of the time. When I fish rivers like the one you did in this video, with chunky stockers, I pull my Syndicate out for that. Tenkara just isn't as advantageous in those situations. But you can't beat being able to throw 2-3 tenkara rods (for multiple scenarios) in your pack and hike a few miles up the trail, carrying nothing but a little slingpack and wearing out some brookies all day long. The overhead cover doesn't bother me much. I have one rod that is only 6.6' at it's shortest length. Just do lots of bow & arrow casts and get creative with hooksets sometimes lol. In those tiny streams, a reel just overcomplicates things for me. But I totally agree with everything you said at the end. They are all just tools for specific situations. I fished a bass tournament with a friend a few weeks ago and I didn't use a tenkara rod or fly rod for that. I pulled out the spinning rod and baitcaster. And I just purchased an ultralight spinning setup, because I've gotten interested in some fishing that an ultralight is specifically suited for. When I lived in AK, I ice fished with ice rods. Bottom line I prefer tenkara, but ultimately I love catching fish more. So I will use whatever tool the situation calls for 😁 Thanks for all your awesome content! Keep it up!
Thank you so much for the comment!! I think the next video I use the tenkara rod for will be a brookie video. What you said makes a lot of sense. Thanks for watching and good luck out there on the water!
This was a fun one to watch, we always get a good laugh out of the Tenkara hate from fly fisherman. But also within Tenkara, there can be the similar type of people that think you have to do it a certain way or you're not doing it right.. Have fun with Tenkara in your own way, just like you're doing. We're subscribing and coming along for the ride. Good luck!
I started Tenkara fishing about a year ago and normally I also carry my western set up. I fish some very tight creeks with a ton of overhanging branches in upper east TN. I always carry 2 Tenkara rods and my western rig in my rod case slung over my shoulder. I'm on 2 wheels every time i go. It's rare for me to use my western rig anymore. I keep my line about the same length as the rod to the top fly and normally use a dry dropper or 2 nymph rig. Once you start getting used to it you won't be having any problems fishing tighter cover than what you think you can fish and it'll be easy to land fish. There's an art form to it that just takes practice and time to learn. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages but once your learn both you be able to fish in any situation with the best tool for that job. Don't worry about what any western style "snobs" have to say about it either. They exist in every hobby and it's normally either ego and/or ignorance on their part.
What’s a good Tenkara rod I can get im a beginner I’m gonna use it for bass fishing and also small streams with brook trout and some medium rivers for rainbows and brown trout what rod would you recommend
One other note for help in the small streams / tight spaces, with a rod-length line, the Tenkara cast is stopped a bit shorter on the back hand part compared to western style. More like 12 o’clock than 10 o’clock. The line actually doesn’t have to fly too far in back of you, but rather, just up (or up and a little diagonal in back of you). It really helps you get away with having way more cover in back of you than you’d expect. Thanks for your lovely vids - I appreciate that you show so much respect for the trout.
I’m happy to see you give tenkara a try - and that was quite a successful outing you had! I’ve been a fly fisher for over 60 years, and now have a little more than a decade experience in tenkara. Which is better? Both. 😊 I take at least one of each with me on each outing. After more than ten years fishing tenkara, I still regard myself a beginner - which is one reason I like it so much. There is always something new to learn. It looks simple - and is - but there are subtle new lessons in each trip. So, I say enjoy both styles of fly fishing and appreciate what each can teach you!
I did it backwards. To a benefit I believe. I tenkara fished before I fly fished... Tenkara casting help me transition into fly fish casting with ease.
Love your videos and happy to see you trying out Tenkara. I love tight lining and tenkara can be deadly when you combine the right rod and line. If you want a rod that can help solve some of the problems you mentioned (landing bigger fish, fishing with overhanging branches and tight canopy) I would highly recommend the Dragontail Mizuchi. It casts beautifully and is super sensitive but has a strong backbone ( with 5x tippet you can man handle 18 inch wild browns). It’s a “zoom” tenkara rod which means you can actually fish it at multiple lengths (8 feet, 9.5 feet, and 11 feet) by simply sliding the two butt sections in or out of the handle and snapping into o-rings in the butt tip. If I’m on a steam where I think I’ll sliding back and forth from 11 feet rod length to 9.5 foot length I’ll use an 8.5 foot line with about 3 feet of tippet. Generally speaking you should keep the total length of you rig (Lillian to fly) to no more than 1.5-2 feet longer than the length of your rod. This makes landing fish much easier without any “hand lining” necessary. Plenty of folks try to get more distance by “long lining” there rods but my experience is that landing is too sloppy and you’ll lose too many fish. Tight lining isn’t meant to be a long distance method! Lastly, I would recommend trying a rod like the Dragontail Mizuchi with an ultra light line combined with a bead head nymph ( similar to euro nymphing with a micro leader). I use .011 inch diameter Cortland tri-color sighter/indicator mono and when combined with a size 14 bead head pheasant tail…deadly. I’ll use 8.5 feet of this line with 3 feet of 5x tippet if I’m fishing small/medium streams and I’ll use a 10 foot length of the Cortland indicator mono with 3 feet of 4x tippet if I’m hunting for bigger fish in heavier water (eg Delaware West Branch). Have fun and keep up the great videos.
Great to see you try tenkara. I've been really enjoying your channel. I usually don't comment on videos, but feel like I need to:) I use both, a western fly rod and tenkara, but on small creeks in Colorado I only use the tenkara rod. I usually have one with a wet fly and one with a small dry, so I can quickly switch from one to the other. The accuracy, stealth, and drifts you can achieve with tenkara in creeks with small pockets and varying currents is hard to beat. At the same time, reaching across a large creek or river with a big hopper on a western rod and knowing you have a fighting chance is also hard to beat:) I still have so much more to learn with both methods.
Absolutely loved everything about this video. How does one so young have so much wisdom when it comes to a variety of fishing techniques? Jon you are blessed with great insights. Great adventure!
You guys continue to amaze me.Tenkara is as much philosophy as fishing. You've done a very nice job in the video as you have in the past videos. Enjoyed your bro's Colorado video last week. Keep up the curiosity! Cheers,Chet
respect for giving tenkara a go. the limitations you cited are easily remedied. i have a few rods that align to different situations. example: dragontail foxfire for tight overgrown smoky mountains streams. was able to easily make overhead casts in tight pocket water mountain streams. same afternoon caught a 15” smallmouth (with dragontail nirvana rod) in a mid-sized river. the limitations of tenkara are what make it interesting as well. as for big fish? flicky flies (here on youtube) caught a mess of big carp on his tenkara rod. worth checking out; can be done.
Yeah I think for big fish I’ll just need a different rod. Which is fine, I can deal with that. I’ll have to experiment and fish more with tenkara just to get a feel with what I need to do. Thanks for watching!
Multiple rods is a great way to go, some can even be fished at different lengths. For big fish I'm using the Rocky rod from Tenkara Rod Co, landed a bunch of 16"-20" fish out of the Salmon River this week. Line length is one of the biggest factors for landing the fish easily. Otherwise grabbing the line when netting is a must. I prefer not to when I can help it, some set ups just need to be long. Good luck! It gets easier and more fun as you progress with it
I like ultra light spinning , fly fishing. I'm looking forward to trying Tenkara this year in upper Michigan trout streams. Thanks for Your show. Blessings, and Respect
Thanks for trying it out and I’m glad you had fun. Try shortening your line/leader to have the fly even with the butt of the handle. It makes landing fish much easier. As you found out the rods are great for contact nymphing but the really shine with dries or wet flies. The contact nymphing cast is still a lob with tenkara rods. Casting lighter flies you can see the advantages better. You can float dries with good drifts in pocket water and across current streams. It’s lots of fun to catch them this way. The super light line doesn’t pull the fly back. Come to Pisgah and we go tenkara fishing.
My next trip will be a brookie trip with dry flies. I think that’s probably how I should have started. But live and learn I guess. Thanks for watching!
All in with a JDM rod! I have a Nissin Yuyuzan rod that is 20’ and is more for fishing with weight and bait or weighted nymphs. The fit and finish is superb compared to my American made tenkara rods, but replacement parts and warranties are more difficult. Tight lines!
G'Day, I enjoyed watching your first time tenkara video very much. You landed some decent chunky fish. I mostly fly fish ( western and tenkara style ) but will dunk a bait or chuck a lure at times. It's all fishing--if it's legal and it's fun then it's fine. Many fishermen impose rules and regulations on themselves and others--''''Tenkara is'nt REAL fly fishing!", "Dry fly or die!" or " Oh, you're a bait/lure fisher ( The horror, the horror ---!). I go fishing to get away from BS. Especially over the last 2 plus years where we have had enough of it in spades! Here in Victoria, Australia our trout streams are closed until September. Will enjoy your videos in the meantime. Cheers, Steve
I I'm a newcomer to tenkara and agree to everything you said, any type of fishing is a blast, when Im not fishing and need it, your video's take me there, keep it up. Thanks!
Kudos to you on your review of tenkara fishing. You forgot to mention portability as a definite plus. The good rods weigh less than 3 oz. and collapse to less than 24". I can backpack or put mine in my carry-on for easy travel. When you fish tenkara, you don't need but nippers, hemostat, tippet, and few flies in addition to the rod and line itself. It's simple, lightweight, and direct fishing, and a complete kit can be bought for less than $100.
i would love to see more tenkara from you :D, tenkara addict is a good youtuber who kinda shows how to use the rod and there are countless guides available on youtube
So far haven't even finished the video, I freaking love it I actually bought a tankara rod a few months back just to try and I still haven't taken it out, I think I'll be trying it soon.
I have a traditional bamboo Tenkara rod made by a master fishing rod builder in Tokyo. What I like about this method is the fact I can fish without hearing that mechanical sound of the reels. Being able to blend in with nature is the most relaxing moment .
Jon, if twist and push trick didn’t work for you, you can remove the cap on the bottom of the rod and pull all the sections out to see what is going on.
Great small stream option. I fish in north Georgia and North Carolina and typically use tenkara bc I feel my fly is in the water more. Its because I don't have to think if line management and can pick apart pockets and runs. Also I avoid drag which is important for spooky fish. Only other time I use my glass three weight is if I need to have distance. I would suggest to shorten up your leader system but keep a little more length on the tippet area. Would love to show u if your ever down in north Georgia again. Tenkara simplicity makes me more efficient. I go to uga and can easily get to the mountains whenever. Hit me up and I can help
Traditional fly fisherman for over 50 years here. Got my first beautiful Tenkara rod two weeks ago. I wanted to shake it up and try something different. I also wanted a quality pack able rod that I can easily carry on motorcycle trips. The premier San Juan River is three hours from my house. Took the new rod for a day trip and had a blast fishing for rainbows with a size 22 midge. I am going again this weekend and will stay overnight.
I have seen a lot of ads and videos on Tenkara fishing. Glad you tried it and let us know your thoughts. It looked kinda like the cane pole fishing I did as a kid. Tight lines my friend.
At least you got one of the greatest of not the greatest tenkara rod ever made! And if a tenkara rod is good enough for George Daniel is good for the rest of us! I only use mine for tight lining instead of the traditional Japanese method but fishing is fishing and everyone should do it however they find enjoyment in it. Tight lines and love the channel!
I started in a Tenkara rod but I often fish bass with the occasional catfish and the bigger fish can be caught but the fly rod works so much better in my opinion! The Tenkara rod is a lot of fun tho
For getting the fish in I do have a tip. I keep a fairly long line on a 12 foot tenkara. When I’m landing a fish I bring it high enough and back to grab the line with my free hand, then pull in the fish to net. Is it graceful? Nope. Does it work? Yup!
Most Tenkara rods you can adjust for length like say when you get into brush and over hanging trees take the 12 ft and pull sections to go down to 8-9ft to make casting/landing easier.
You definitely caught bigger fish than this other Tenkara fisherman that's on TH-cam. Regardless I love watching you fish and wouldn't matter if you were fishing with a Snoopy pole. Keep up the awesome work. Tight Lines Jeff
Really glad you took the leap, especially awesome to not fall for the dumb western marketing on those fake tenkara rods and get a real Japanese rod. That's a good one. I felt the hate on tenkara for a long time but at the end of the day, people are just afraid of what they don't know. Next time you come to colorado I can show you some great spots for this style and give you some tips. My suggestion is to just work on learning the Japanese techniques, and ignore 99.9% of americans/westerners on what they say tenkara is, including western "tenkara company" owners... tenkara is more about the techniques than the tackle. Also rigging your rod up with the line about a foot or two longer than the rod, and then another 3-4 feet of tippet will give you the best action for most styles of tenkara, IMHO. Fishing the right small streams with open banks and less trees, canyons etc is the ideal application. Manipulating the fly is important, dead drifting is only one of many techinques for the style. Would be down to see more videos as you figure it out.
I fish both traditional and Tenkara. It just depends on the situation. Tenkara makes sense on small streams where only short casting is possible and for hiking and mtb trips.
Interesting comments, the additional sensitivity is attractive, on the other hand, hand lining in a trout for the net is a pain but I have seen it done before especially in tight cover. although I have seen a couple tight stream situations that traditional rods didn't have space either and had to be hand lined in. I have thought about getting a Tenkara rod for my wife, the light rod weight might be easier on her bad back.
I got a 1.3 meter Tenkara for tiny mountain streams along the Appalachain trail. It doesn't have the cork handle, so it's very small to put in the backpack. First thing I did was scrape off the top string and put on a braided tippet with the standard loop. Next, and this took a lot of experimenting, I tried several braided leaders in different weights and lengths untill I finally found a perfect balance to "cast" a dry fly with a 6' tippet. I also set up a braided leader for the rod to "cast" a nymph. A couple of years ago I was with a friend who was fishing Tenkara. In the same pool wherever he cast to I did the same thing with my flyrod. What I saw was my flyrod with the reel and more importantly the ability to control the line by hand gave my fly way more reach and way more control once the fly was on the water.
Thanks for the video, nice to see you trying new things! I do about 50/50 traditional rod and reel vs tenkara on the streams I live by. First off that’s a pretty nice tenkara rod for your first one, and second that stream looks like a luxury to cast on compared to ones I’ve brought mine to. I don’t agree with your assessment of tenkara fishing being limited by low canopy and tight stream vegetation. I’d challenge you to try it in heavy covered areas, you may be surprised. I’ve had the luxury of tenkara fishing with someone that’s been doing it for 30+ years (still has no care to try traditional rod and reel) and he takes me to streams where you’re not granted a single roll or overhead cast. We catch fish in extremely tight quarters, figuring out how to play them is half the fun. Tenkara has def improved my euro nymphing game and has made me a better angler in general. Couldn’t agree more, if you want to be better try something you’re not good at 😉 btw if that rod starts to collect dust, I’ll buy it from ya! Take care!
Really cool to see you giving tenkara a fair shot. That direct connection to the fish is 100% one of my favorite things about fishing tenkara. On my channel I have a recent video where I target carp in the upper 20 inch range on a beefy tenkara rod and my dude, it’s the most insane feeling to be directly connected. If you’re ever in Colorado I’d love to take you out fishing.
Yo I just watched a few of your videos! They're really good. I will for sure be doing more Tenkara videos in the future, especially for the native brookies out east. My brother actually lives in Colorado and I'll be making a trip out there in a month or so. When I'm out there we'll try to link up!
Please make that video happen!! I'm a big fan of both your channels. @flickyflies which rod are you using for big fish? The Rocky from Tenkara Rod Co is my go to big fish rod. 20"+ fish have been no problem so far, but I'm on the hunt for a trophy brown this summer. Bit nervous bout it to be honest, but excited to push the rod!
@@climbingprophet I just got the rocky recently, so I haven't been able to get into anything that big with it yet, but it definitely seems capable. I use the Wasatch Tenkara Rodzilla for truly large fish like carp, but again, I think the Rocky could handle those within reason, and certainly some slightly smaller river carp.
If two rod pieces are stuck, try to work with temperature. If you put ice on the thin part it will just slitly shrink. If you warm up the thick part of the two it will get slihtly widen. In this way you might get them loose without breaking. It works for me.
Hardman!! Please do a video showing the flies you use and when to use them and also when to change flies when not getting any bites on the fly your currently using, also your rod and reel combo and what weight and how long the rod is, and what kind of knots you tie.
Reminds me of when I started fishing, by cutting a stick or reed for a fishing rod, attaching some line and a hook with maybe some polystyrene for a float. I would go as far as to say a lot of the nymphing you guys do, borders on this style of fishing. I must admit though, I still keep looking for the fly reel 🤣🤣
I think for someone who is not familiar with fly fishing and he feels casting an issue,tenkara looks simpliest and i feel is more handy in smaller creeks and streams, specially where there is no spase to place real fly fishing. Handling a big fish,is an issue and very sensitive rod tip another one!! Thank you anyway, awesome job!!
Good video, good fishing technique, and goo honest review. I agree with the sensitivity of nymphing with Tenkara rods. Try swinging streamers, too. This is a deadly technique and you can literally cover the entire area of a river. I have a Tenkara Hane, the small travel rod that opens to 10'10" and I easily handle 18" rainbows. I'll carry a 9' 3wt on small rivers in New Jersey and a 9' 5wt out west for bigger rivers, but I keep a Tenkara handy if there are no risers. Why not be proficient and enjoy both and increase chances to land some fish?
I agree 100%! And thanks for the kind words. I'm going to try to Catch a 20 inch trout on a tenkara rod in 2024 because I think it'll be a fun challenge. Thanks for watching
Hi, in my opinion, Tenkara is a great technique that goes back a long way in Japanese history!! It has its fly patterns and in my opinion is better than the France leader!!
Ah you have the American spirit in you. Love to see some pushback against the group think and ignore people trying to control you. Sometimes the group has it figured out but that has been a rare occurrence in my experience.
Pls remember that the technique was born from fishing high altitude mountain streams for smaller trout, that are free from the bush and foilage you are fishing in. It is the perfect tool for that enviroment and the trout that live there. Find such a location and you will have fun. Those fish come to net like a baseball to a back catcher.
For your rod getting stuck, and this goes for any multi-piece rod, try putting ice on it (especially if it was hot out side). I also like to grease the connection points every now and then.
I'm finding the anti-tenkara people hilarious! It's funny--I was always a double taper line man who loved casting and roll casting and roll cast pickups and Spey and Belgium casts. I detested casting weighted flies and despised tight lining nymphs! Now people who tightline weighted nymphs with their Western rods--are contemptuous of the Tankara rod which does that technique even more successfully! I'm new to Tenkara, but am already finding tight lining bead head nymphs less disgusting. It seems to fit the style of rod better. Mostly, I think that I will be using traditional Tenkara wet flies as I prefer the casting experience. I always enjoyed casting and fishing western traditional wet flies, soft hackles and so on--and enjoyed manipulating the flies. Before nymphing became a thing--Western wet fly fishing was very similar to traditional Japanese wet fly fishing. The major difference is that Japanese soft hackle wets are tied with the hackle bunched a bit forward, rather than a bit back. Looking forward to Spring!
I'm with you on the double taper, roll casting and spey casting. I also detested tight line nymphing--but I can see that it would be more natural with a Tenkara rod. I do have the issue with the overhead cover. (I live in Maine). I suspect that the Tenkara rod might be awesome on our trout ponds. A weight forward line makes a hell of a splash in the glassy surface of a trout pond. Tenkara presentation is so much more delicate.
I think its a logical next step for a fly fisherman. I have owned 6 or 7 rods. There are certain streams here in Virginia that it excels but anything with overhanging vegetation is an absolute waste of a trip in my opinion. I have found bluegill and other panfish during the spawn to be a fun time on Tenkara
I’m curious to know 🎉much more sensitive the tenkara pole is vs 12 ft little jewel bream buster is that I use to throw poppers with for bream in the river.
The remedy for a section not retracting is: unscrew the butt cap and remove all sections. Separate, then replace sections in butt' In assembly, the correct tension is to pull section one and two together, then gently pull and twist at the same time for a proper connection, Disassemble in reverse starting with section one, the tip. The operative word: gently.
Tenkara to me is just another tool I'll use it in small tight streams also I keep one in my truck with a basic pocket sized kit if I come across a creek in my travels
Also, I should give a shout-out to @tetontenkara. He actually helped design the Dragontail Mizuchi rod for the purpose of hooking and landing big wild trout in small streams with tight canopy. Check out his TH-cam channel if you wanna see some serious tenkara fishing.
Many tenkara fly fishermen, including me, never put a knot in their lillian. Two passes through the level line slip knot and it will never, ever pull out. The lack of a knot also facilitates disassembling the upper sections of the rod for cleaning/drying. Don't let the comments from the western fly rod snobs and their anonymous keyboard courage dissuade you.
Superbe vraiment. Je suis me suis mis au tenkara depuis deux et je me régale comme un gamin dans des torrents de haute montagne sur des petites truites, par contre je pêche qu'en sèche. Là vous pêchez en nymphe , vous en mettez une ou deux? Quelle est la longueur de votre canne ainsi que la longueur de votre level Line ainsi que de votre bas de ligne. Merci pour vos réponses 😉👍
When casting in heavy overhead cover I point rod in the spot I want fly and then grip hook with thumb and index finger and slingshot to the spot. I observed other Tenkara fishermen do this on ytube videos. Like you I'm new to Tenkara. Like your channel. 👍
100 percent agree. I find my 3wt fly rod is just so much more versatile then any of my tenkar rods. I find most of time I'm trying to untangle my line. With my fly rod I can rollcast, spey cast and switch my lures. I keep my tenkara rods in the trunk of car and mountain biking knapsack. If by chance I run tino a creek or river. Any other situation I prefer fly rods.
Some friends to shoot you down when you get excited to try something new. I love seeing western fly fishermen that have no idea where their sport came from. News flash, before the reel was invented, people fished with fixed line styles. Tenkara is incredibly fun, and I implore you to try other fixed line styles. I sling streamers on my larger Tenkara rods and it works quite well, I would argue better than with a reel. Just have fun and forget what others think!
@@hardmanfishing I'm on that hunt as well! Have had two missed opportunities, both my fault. Soon though... Have a trip planned next month that may do the trick...!!
Tenkara is an art. A beautiful way to fish , with a beautiful rod, on beautiful little creeks, catching beautiful little fish. Beautiful. Never mind them muggs that have no class, or appreciation for beauty.
Awesome Tenkara video / review. Mirrors my one time so far experience with it. Thinking it might be easier to just stick with a pack fly rod for small streams instead. Do you recall what fly / flies you used in the video?
Yes they do. Thats who I purchased my rod from. I believe you need to unscrew the cap on the grip and let the rod sections slide out. Then reinstall them in order. It’s fairly straightforward and easy to do.
Just wanted to give a huge shout out to the Tenkara anglers out there who left some really helpful comments/advice. Definitely makes me want to do more Tenkara videos in the future.
Yes I'd almost pay you to go back for Goliath with it! Lol
LETS GOOOO... I wanna see how you set up your rod what fly you were using. I think we need some more details!!!
We catch so much hate from the rest of the fly fishing world, it makes us extra nice to anyone who tries tenkara.
When I get a section stuck like you did I set the base on a rock or hard surface and kind of raise and tap it down a bit hard as straight as possible and it usually pops back in, I don't know if it's the right way but I havnt broken a rod yet.
Really liked this. Back in the 60's and 70's when I was a kid growing up we natives cut our own limber fishing poles and used a little cord from like an old window blind someone threw away and attached a leader to that because we were poor and couldn't afford a nice fly rod, but we still fly fished and caught plenty of trout. And yes we turned the little ones go to grow bigger. Still do. This brought back fond memories. God bless you and always tight lines. Tony
Scammers are back
Glad you enjoyed Tony!! Thanks for watching
@@leemowers9395 ?
@@thedestroyer3879 Hardman flushed the Text Me scammer from the comments.
Oh my Good old friend, River cane! Make blown guns for squirrels and rabbits too. F*** I heard a dude took a coyote with one! Truly in all around hunting and fishing material.
I have fly fished since I was 15 years old and now 65. I discovered Tenkara in 2012. It is my most used method for small stream fishing. I love tenkara and have 3 different rods to cover situations form various stream types. The secret to landing effectively is not to have the line and leader more than 3 foot longer then the rod length used. (shorter if the vertical clearance is not there.) A net is also important. People tend to use a longer than recommended line because they want to reach further out rather than strategically approaching a hold or pool area for fish. With Tenkara it is about the hunt and presentation. The catch will just happen if all is done reasonably well. But the bottom line, as you say in the video, Tenkara is fun! I would recommend every fly fishermen have a basic Tenkara rod packed away in their bag for situations where traditional fly casting may not work. Still whatever your choice... Get out there and enjoy!
Thanks for the advice!!
Could you describe a situation where traditional fly casting may not work where tenkara would?
@@robertmcmanus5875 tenkara excels in tight spots with too much tree cover to adequately cast with a fly or spinning rod as you can bow and arrow cast. It's also good for people who don't have many hundreds of dollars to try out fly fishing as it is a big financial commitment and there's no guarantee that they're going to enjoy it. As others have stated, it's also just fun. Because of how responsive the rod tips are, even a half pound fish feels exciting.
@@AmongstTheCovers I guess I don't see why that would be true. Tenkara rods are generally pretty long, so tight quarters seems like it would be more of an issue. I have a 6'6" eagle claw fiberglass 3wt that cost $29 and is the perfect tight quarters setup IMO and being fiberglass a 13" fish feels like a mako shark. I see the value of tenkara rods, the connection to the fly is unparalleled when tight line nymphing and packability is a huge benefit too.
I would always carry a tenkara rod when backpacking in the west, but when I see people lose 16"+ fish because they don't have a reel on my local creek, It seems like its the wrong tactic for most situations
You've got a point on rod length, which is why alot of people choose triple zooms (can be fished in 3 lengths) but youre absolutely correct that manuvering a 6'6" in tight brush is much easier, but to me, wrist casting a tenkara in tight quarters compared to properly casting any other type of rod has its advantages. This is just my personal opinion and not an absolute truth, but to me, I've never had as much fun fishing and felt as little shoulder, elbow and wrist pain as I have since starting tenkara fishing. I would say for people who started with western fly fishing, that would probably be the right choice for them, but for someone transitioning from spinning reel to flies, I love tenkara.
Thank you for not turning your nose up at tenkara and at least trying it and giving it an honest review. I love your channel, so it's awesome to see you trying out my preferred method of fishing. I started out Western style fly fishing and discovered tenkara about 5 years in. I almost only fish tenkara now. Granted, a huge part of that is I am chasing small brook trout in high mountain streams most of the time. When I fish rivers like the one you did in this video, with chunky stockers, I pull my Syndicate out for that. Tenkara just isn't as advantageous in those situations. But you can't beat being able to throw 2-3 tenkara rods (for multiple scenarios) in your pack and hike a few miles up the trail, carrying nothing but a little slingpack and wearing out some brookies all day long. The overhead cover doesn't bother me much. I have one rod that is only 6.6' at it's shortest length. Just do lots of bow & arrow casts and get creative with hooksets sometimes lol. In those tiny streams, a reel just overcomplicates things for me. But I totally agree with everything you said at the end. They are all just tools for specific situations. I fished a bass tournament with a friend a few weeks ago and I didn't use a tenkara rod or fly rod for that. I pulled out the spinning rod and baitcaster. And I just purchased an ultralight spinning setup, because I've gotten interested in some fishing that an ultralight is specifically suited for. When I lived in AK, I ice fished with ice rods. Bottom line I prefer tenkara, but ultimately I love catching fish more. So I will use whatever tool the situation calls for 😁 Thanks for all your awesome content! Keep it up!
Thank you so much for the comment!! I think the next video I use the tenkara rod for will be a brookie video. What you said makes a lot of sense. Thanks for watching and good luck out there on the water!
@@hardmanfishing Thanks! Good luck going after the brookies. These bendy tenkara rods really make those small specs a lot of fun!
This was a fun one to watch, we always get a good laugh out of the Tenkara hate from fly fisherman. But also within Tenkara, there can be the similar type of people that think you have to do it a certain way or you're not doing it right.. Have fun with Tenkara in your own way, just like you're doing. We're subscribing and coming along for the ride. Good luck!
I started Tenkara fishing about a year ago and normally I also carry my western set up. I fish some very tight creeks with a ton of overhanging branches in upper east TN. I always carry 2 Tenkara rods and my western rig in my rod case slung over my shoulder. I'm on 2 wheels every time i go. It's rare for me to use my western rig anymore. I keep my line about the same length as the rod to the top fly and normally use a dry dropper or 2 nymph rig. Once you start getting used to it you won't be having any problems fishing tighter cover than what you think you can fish and it'll be easy to land fish. There's an art form to it that just takes practice and time to learn. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages but once your learn both you be able to fish in any situation with the best tool for that job.
Don't worry about what any western style "snobs" have to say about it either. They exist in every hobby and it's normally either ego and/or ignorance on their part.
Good advice!! Thanks for watching
What’s a good Tenkara rod I can get im a beginner I’m gonna use it for bass fishing and also small streams with brook trout and some medium rivers for rainbows and brown trout what rod would you recommend
One other note for help in the small streams / tight spaces, with a rod-length line, the Tenkara cast is stopped a bit shorter on the back hand part compared to western style. More like 12 o’clock than 10 o’clock. The line actually doesn’t have to fly too far in back of you, but rather, just up (or up and a little diagonal in back of you). It really helps you get away with having way more cover in back of you than you’d expect. Thanks for your lovely vids - I appreciate that you show so much respect for the trout.
I’m happy to see you give tenkara a try - and that was quite a successful outing you had! I’ve been a fly fisher for over 60 years, and now have a little more than a decade experience in tenkara. Which is better? Both. 😊 I take at least one of each with me on each outing. After more than ten years fishing tenkara, I still regard myself a beginner - which is one reason I like it so much. There is always something new to learn. It looks simple - and is - but there are subtle new lessons in each trip. So, I say enjoy both styles of fly fishing and appreciate what each can teach you!
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That’s sort of why I wanted to try it. I look at tenkara as a new way to challenge myself. Thanks for watching!
I did it backwards. To a benefit I believe. I tenkara fished before I fly fished... Tenkara casting help me transition into fly fish casting with ease.
Love your videos and happy to see you trying out Tenkara. I love tight lining and tenkara can be deadly when you combine the right rod and line. If you want a rod that can help solve some of the problems you mentioned (landing bigger fish, fishing with overhanging branches and tight canopy) I would highly recommend the Dragontail Mizuchi. It casts beautifully and is super sensitive but has a strong backbone ( with 5x tippet you can man handle 18 inch wild browns). It’s a “zoom” tenkara rod which means you can actually fish it at multiple lengths (8 feet, 9.5 feet, and 11 feet) by simply sliding the two butt sections in or out of the handle and snapping into o-rings in the butt tip. If I’m on a steam where I think I’ll sliding back and forth from 11 feet rod length to 9.5 foot length I’ll use an 8.5 foot line with about 3 feet of tippet. Generally speaking you should keep the total length of you rig (Lillian to fly) to no more than 1.5-2 feet longer than the length of your rod. This makes landing fish much easier without any “hand lining” necessary. Plenty of folks try to get more distance by “long lining” there rods but my experience is that landing is too sloppy and you’ll lose too many fish. Tight lining isn’t meant to be a long distance method! Lastly, I would recommend trying a rod like the Dragontail Mizuchi with an ultra light line combined with a bead head nymph ( similar to euro nymphing with a micro leader). I use .011 inch diameter Cortland tri-color sighter/indicator mono and when combined with a size 14 bead head pheasant tail…deadly. I’ll use 8.5 feet of this line with 3 feet of 5x tippet if I’m fishing small/medium streams and I’ll use a 10 foot length of the Cortland indicator mono with 3 feet of 4x tippet if I’m hunting for bigger fish in heavier water (eg Delaware West Branch). Have fun and keep up the great videos.
Great to see you try tenkara. I've been really enjoying your channel. I usually don't comment on videos, but feel like I need to:) I use both, a western fly rod and tenkara, but on small creeks in Colorado I only use the tenkara rod. I usually have one with a wet fly and one with a small dry, so I can quickly switch from one to the other. The accuracy, stealth, and drifts you can achieve with tenkara in creeks with small pockets and varying currents is hard to beat. At the same time, reaching across a large creek or river with a big hopper on a western rod and knowing you have a fighting chance is also hard to beat:) I still have so much more to learn with both methods.
Absolutely loved everything about this video. How does one so young have so much wisdom when it comes to a variety of fishing techniques? Jon you are blessed with great insights. Great adventure!
Thanks David! Glad you enjoyed the video
You guys continue to amaze me.Tenkara is as much philosophy as fishing. You've done a very nice job in the video as you have in the past videos. Enjoyed your bro's Colorado video last week. Keep up the curiosity! Cheers,Chet
Thanks. An honest,insightful evaluation. Good work,as always. Rick
respect for giving tenkara a go. the limitations you cited are easily remedied. i have a few rods that align to different situations. example: dragontail foxfire for tight overgrown smoky mountains streams. was able to easily make overhead casts in tight pocket water mountain streams. same afternoon caught a 15” smallmouth (with dragontail nirvana rod) in a mid-sized river. the limitations of tenkara are what make it interesting as well. as for big fish? flicky flies (here on youtube) caught a mess of big carp on his tenkara rod. worth checking out; can be done.
Yeah I think for big fish I’ll just need a different rod. Which is fine, I can deal with that. I’ll have to experiment and fish more with tenkara just to get a feel with what I need to do. Thanks for watching!
Multiple rods is a great way to go, some can even be fished at different lengths. For big fish I'm using the Rocky rod from Tenkara Rod Co, landed a bunch of 16"-20" fish out of the Salmon River this week. Line length is one of the biggest factors for landing the fish easily. Otherwise grabbing the line when netting is a must. I prefer not to when I can help it, some set ups just need to be long. Good luck! It gets easier and more fun as you progress with it
I like ultra light spinning , fly fishing. I'm looking forward to trying Tenkara this year in upper Michigan trout streams. Thanks for Your show. Blessings, and Respect
Huge first fish! You're really testing that rod!
Thanks for trying it out and I’m glad you had fun. Try shortening your line/leader to have the fly even with the butt of the handle. It makes landing fish much easier.
As you found out the rods are great for contact nymphing but the really shine with dries or wet flies. The contact nymphing cast is still a lob with tenkara rods. Casting lighter flies you can see the advantages better. You can float dries with good drifts in pocket water and across current streams. It’s lots of fun to catch them this way. The super light line doesn’t pull the fly back.
Come to Pisgah and we go tenkara fishing.
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My next trip will be a brookie trip with dry flies. I think that’s probably how I should have started. But live and learn I guess. Thanks for watching!
All in with a JDM rod! I have a Nissin Yuyuzan rod that is 20’ and is more for fishing with weight and bait or weighted nymphs. The fit and finish is superb compared to my American made tenkara rods, but replacement parts and warranties are more difficult. Tight lines!
G'Day,
I enjoyed watching your first time tenkara video very much. You landed some decent chunky fish.
I mostly fly fish ( western and tenkara style ) but will dunk a bait or chuck a lure at times. It's all fishing--if it's legal and it's fun then it's fine. Many fishermen impose rules and regulations on themselves and others--''''Tenkara is'nt REAL fly fishing!", "Dry fly or die!" or " Oh, you're a bait/lure fisher ( The horror, the horror ---!). I go fishing to get away from BS. Especially over the last 2 plus years where we have had enough of it in spades! Here in Victoria, Australia our trout streams are closed until September. Will enjoy your videos in the meantime.
Cheers,
Steve
I couldn't agree more Steve. Thanks for watching the video!
Very helpful intro to Tenkara for an intermediate fisherman like myself.
Happy to see you giving tenkara a try. Really good video, looked like a lot of fun!
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed
I
I'm a newcomer to tenkara and agree to everything you said, any type of fishing is a blast, when Im not fishing and need it, your video's take me there, keep it up. Thanks!
Kudos to you on your review of tenkara fishing. You forgot to mention portability as a definite plus. The good rods weigh less than 3 oz. and collapse to less than 24". I can backpack or put mine in my carry-on for easy travel. When you fish tenkara, you don't need but nippers, hemostat, tippet, and few flies in addition to the rod and line itself. It's simple, lightweight, and direct fishing, and a complete kit can be bought for less than $100.
I kinda want to try this. Be perfect for small creek pools staying on the move catching dinks all day, pool hoping with nyphms. Thanks for the video.
i would love to see more tenkara from you :D, tenkara addict is a good youtuber who kinda shows how to use the rod and there are countless guides available on youtube
So far haven't even finished the video, I freaking love it I actually bought a tankara rod a few months back just to try and I still haven't taken it out, I think I'll be trying it soon.
Another awesome video well done some really nice fish
I have a traditional bamboo Tenkara rod made by a master fishing rod builder in Tokyo. What I like about this method is the fact I can fish without hearing that mechanical sound of the reels. Being able to blend in with nature is the most relaxing moment .
Great video. Always fancied trying Tenkara and want to even more now. Love the river too. Lovely place to fish
Jon, if twist and push trick didn’t work for you, you can remove the cap on the bottom of the rod and pull all the sections out to see what is going on.
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I’ll have to try this when I get home! I haven’t touched it since this video came out. Thanks for the advice
Great small stream option. I fish in north Georgia and North Carolina and typically use tenkara bc I feel my fly is in the water more. Its because I don't have to think if line management and can pick apart pockets and runs. Also I avoid drag which is important for spooky fish. Only other time I use my glass three weight is if I need to have distance. I would suggest to shorten up your leader system but keep a little more length on the tippet area. Would love to show u if your ever down in north Georgia again. Tenkara simplicity makes me more efficient. I go to uga and can easily get to the mountains whenever. Hit me up and I can help
I’ll definitely have to shorten my leader next trip. Thanks for the advice! I’m not entirely sure when I’ll be in north Georgia again honestly
Traditional fly fisherman for over 50 years here. Got my first beautiful Tenkara rod two weeks ago. I wanted to shake it up and try something different. I also wanted a quality pack able rod that I can easily carry on motorcycle trips. The premier San Juan River is three hours from my house. Took the new rod for a day trip and had a blast fishing for rainbows with a size 22 midge. I am going again this weekend and will stay overnight.
I have seen a lot of ads and videos on Tenkara fishing. Glad you tried it and let us know your thoughts. It looked kinda like the cane pole fishing I did as a kid.
Tight lines my friend.
Pretty much is honestly (but more advanced). Thanks for watching!
Keren sekali pemandangan dan spot mancing yang bikin seneng sekali.di tunggu video berikutnya boskuh.salam dari pemancing Indonesia.
I think I have now watched all your videos! ready for some More
I've got 2 more coming out this week!!
Very interesting. I agree the more ways You know how to fish the more success you will have. Nicely done. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed!
At least you got one of the greatest of not the greatest tenkara rod ever made!
And if a tenkara rod is good enough for George Daniel is good for the rest of us! I only use mine for tight lining instead of the traditional Japanese method but fishing is fishing and everyone should do it however they find enjoyment in it. Tight lines and love the channel!
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George Daniel knows what he’s doing! Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed
Yes sir! Good stuff! I am a tenkara content creator in east TN on FB and IG and love to see this! Awesome video!!!
Thank you! That’s not too far from me
Dude well said @ 21:45. Your videos continue to get better in different ways man. Keep doing you.
Thank you!
I started in a Tenkara rod but I often fish bass with the occasional catfish and the bigger fish can be caught but the fly rod works so much better in my opinion! The Tenkara rod is a lot of fun tho
your just a talented flyman. nice work. I enjoy the videos. please come to Oregon. please
For getting the fish in I do have a tip. I keep a fairly long line on a 12 foot tenkara. When I’m landing a fish I bring it high enough and back to grab the line with my free hand, then pull in the fish to net. Is it graceful? Nope. Does it work? Yup!
Most Tenkara rods you can adjust for length like say when you get into brush and over hanging trees take the 12 ft and pull sections to go down to 8-9ft to make casting/landing easier.
You definitely caught bigger fish than this other Tenkara fisherman that's on TH-cam. Regardless I love watching you fish and wouldn't matter if you were fishing with a Snoopy pole. Keep up the awesome work. Tight Lines Jeff
Really glad you took the leap, especially awesome to not fall for the dumb western marketing on those fake tenkara rods and get a real Japanese rod. That's a good one. I felt the hate on tenkara for a long time but at the end of the day, people are just afraid of what they don't know. Next time you come to colorado I can show you some great spots for this style and give you some tips. My suggestion is to just work on learning the Japanese techniques, and ignore 99.9% of americans/westerners on what they say tenkara is, including western "tenkara company" owners... tenkara is more about the techniques than the tackle. Also rigging your rod up with the line about a foot or two longer than the rod, and then another 3-4 feet of tippet will give you the best action for most styles of tenkara, IMHO. Fishing the right small streams with open banks and less trees, canyons etc is the ideal application. Manipulating the fly is important, dead drifting is only one of many techinques for the style. Would be down to see more videos as you figure it out.
I fish both traditional and Tenkara. It just depends on the situation. Tenkara makes sense on small streams where only short casting is possible and for hiking and mtb trips.
Loving the music choice and editing.
Glad you enjoyed!
Interesting comments, the additional sensitivity is attractive, on the other hand, hand lining in a trout for the net is a pain but I have seen it done before especially in tight cover. although I have seen a couple tight stream situations that traditional rods didn't have space either and had to be hand lined in. I have thought about getting a Tenkara rod for my wife, the light rod weight might be easier on her bad back.
Jon, Tenkara is great on certain streams in Randolph and Tucker counties with lots of Rhododendron on the banks. Good job.
I do love Randolph and tucker!
I got a 1.3 meter Tenkara for tiny mountain streams along the Appalachain trail. It doesn't have the cork handle, so it's very small to put in the backpack. First thing I did was scrape off the top string and put on a braided tippet with the standard loop. Next, and this took a lot of experimenting, I tried several braided leaders in different weights and lengths untill I finally found a perfect balance to "cast" a dry fly with a 6' tippet. I also set up a braided leader for the rod to "cast" a nymph. A couple of years ago I was with a friend who was fishing Tenkara. In the same pool wherever he cast to I did the same thing with my flyrod. What I saw was my flyrod with the reel and more importantly the ability to control the line by hand gave my fly way more reach and way more control once the fly was on the water.
That’s some good info! I may have to take a friend out and fish with him and see what I observe
Thanks for the video, nice to see you trying new things! I do about 50/50 traditional rod and reel vs tenkara on the streams I live by. First off that’s a pretty nice tenkara rod for your first one, and second that stream looks like a luxury to cast on compared to ones I’ve brought mine to. I don’t agree with your assessment of tenkara fishing being limited by low canopy and tight stream vegetation. I’d challenge you to try it in heavy covered areas, you may be surprised. I’ve had the luxury of tenkara fishing with someone that’s been doing it for 30+ years (still has no care to try traditional rod and reel) and he takes me to streams where you’re not granted a single roll or overhead cast. We catch fish in extremely tight quarters, figuring out how to play them is half the fun. Tenkara has def improved my euro nymphing game and has made me a better angler in general. Couldn’t agree more, if you want to be better try something you’re not good at 😉
btw if that rod starts to collect dust, I’ll buy it from ya! Take care!
Thanks for the advice! My next tenkara trip will be for brookies so I’ll be forced into some tricky situations. Thanks for watching!
Really cool to see you giving tenkara a fair shot. That direct connection to the fish is 100% one of my favorite things about fishing tenkara. On my channel I have a recent video where I target carp in the upper 20 inch range on a beefy tenkara rod and my dude, it’s the most insane feeling to be directly connected. If you’re ever in Colorado I’d love to take you out fishing.
Yo I just watched a few of your videos! They're really good. I will for sure be doing more Tenkara videos in the future, especially for the native brookies out east. My brother actually lives in Colorado and I'll be making a trip out there in a month or so. When I'm out there we'll try to link up!
@@hardmanfishing Sick! Yeah man let me know. I can show you around some of my spots, maybe even film something together.
Please make that video happen!! I'm a big fan of both your channels. @flickyflies which rod are you using for big fish? The Rocky from Tenkara Rod Co is my go to big fish rod. 20"+ fish have been no problem so far, but I'm on the hunt for a trophy brown this summer. Bit nervous bout it to be honest, but excited to push the rod!
@@climbingprophet I just got the rocky recently, so I haven't been able to get into anything that big with it yet, but it definitely seems capable. I use the Wasatch Tenkara Rodzilla for truly large fish like carp, but again, I think the Rocky could handle those within reason, and certainly some slightly smaller river carp.
If two rod pieces are stuck, try to work with temperature. If you put ice on the thin part it will just slitly shrink. If you warm up the thick part of the two it will get slihtly widen. In this way you might get them loose without breaking. It works for me.
Pro tip: grab the level line when they come up close and hand pull the line in to quickly get them in the net.
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Yeah I didn’t really know that was a thing until I read some of the comments!
Hardman!! Please do a video showing the flies you use and when to use them and also when to change flies when not getting any bites on the fly your currently using, also your rod and reel combo and what weight and how long the rod is, and what kind of knots you tie.
I like your Epilogue. its a different form of attack having reels all my life and I have most. If i get one a 12' would be the go.🐊
You should hold the sections close to the joints and gently twist and push closed. Never bang them closed into the handle.
This is sound advice
Thank you!!! I’ll try this later when I’m back home from work.
Tenkara is awesome and it IS fly fishing.
Great video! I fish both and love it!
Reminds me of when I started fishing, by cutting a stick or reed for a fishing rod, attaching some line and a hook with maybe some polystyrene for a float. I would go as far as to say a lot of the nymphing you guys do, borders on this style of fishing. I must admit though, I still keep looking for the fly reel 🤣🤣
I think for someone who is not familiar with fly fishing and he feels casting an issue,tenkara looks simpliest and i feel is more handy in smaller creeks and streams, specially where there is no spase to place real fly fishing. Handling a big fish,is an issue and very sensitive rod tip another one!! Thank you anyway, awesome job!!
Tenkara is great for backpacking when packable size and weight are a consideration.
Great video!
Those casts look cool 😎
Good video, good fishing technique, and goo honest review. I agree with the sensitivity of nymphing with Tenkara rods. Try swinging streamers, too. This is a deadly technique and you can literally cover the entire area of a river. I have a Tenkara Hane, the small travel rod that opens to 10'10" and I easily handle 18" rainbows. I'll carry a 9' 3wt on small rivers in New Jersey and a 9' 5wt out west for bigger rivers, but I keep a Tenkara handy if there are no risers. Why not be proficient and enjoy both and increase chances to land some fish?
I agree 100%! And thanks for the kind words. I'm going to try to Catch a 20 inch trout on a tenkara rod in 2024 because I think it'll be a fun challenge. Thanks for watching
Hi, in my opinion, Tenkara is a great technique that goes back a long way in Japanese history!! It has its fly patterns and in my opinion is better than the France leader!!
Ah you have the American spirit in you. Love to see some pushback against the group think and ignore people trying to control you. Sometimes the group has it figured out but that has been a rare occurrence in my experience.
Pls remember that the technique was born from fishing high altitude mountain streams for smaller trout, that are free from the bush and foilage you are fishing in. It is the perfect tool for that enviroment and the trout that live there. Find such a location and you will have fun. Those fish come to net like a baseball to a back catcher.
For your rod getting stuck, and this goes for any multi-piece rod, try putting ice on it (especially if it was hot out side). I also like to grease the connection points every now and then.
I'm finding the anti-tenkara people hilarious! It's funny--I was always a double taper line man who loved casting and roll casting and roll cast pickups and Spey and Belgium casts. I detested casting weighted flies and despised tight lining nymphs! Now people who tightline weighted nymphs with their Western rods--are contemptuous of the Tankara rod which does that technique even more successfully! I'm new to Tenkara, but am already finding tight lining bead head nymphs less disgusting. It seems to fit the style of rod better. Mostly, I think that I will be using traditional Tenkara wet flies as I prefer the casting experience. I always enjoyed casting and fishing western traditional wet flies, soft hackles and so on--and enjoyed manipulating the flies. Before nymphing became a thing--Western wet fly fishing was very similar to traditional Japanese wet fly fishing. The major difference is that Japanese soft hackle wets are tied with the hackle bunched a bit forward, rather than a bit back.
Looking forward to Spring!
I'm with you on the double taper, roll casting and spey casting. I also detested tight line nymphing--but I can see that it would be more natural with a Tenkara rod.
I do have the issue with the overhead cover. (I live in Maine). I suspect that the Tenkara rod might be awesome on our trout ponds. A weight forward line makes a hell of a splash in the glassy surface of a trout pond. Tenkara presentation is so much more delicate.
I think its a logical next step for a fly fisherman. I have owned 6 or 7 rods. There are certain streams here in Virginia that it excels but anything with overhanging vegetation is an absolute waste of a trip in my opinion. I have found bluegill and other panfish during the spawn to be a fun time on Tenkara
Nice vid, wanna try it out some day!
"(foreshadowing)" literally made me laugh out loud. 🤣
LOL glad you enjoyed it!!
What kind of fly did you use? It looks heavy. I have a Rocky rod, but haven't tried it yet. Hopefully next spring.
great vid thx
I watch some, Tenkara content, those fish you caught were some of the largest fish I have saw caught using Tenkara.
Yeah most people don't target fish of any real size
fantastic water!
I’m curious to know 🎉much more sensitive the tenkara pole is vs 12 ft little jewel bream buster is that I use to throw poppers with for bream in the river.
The remedy for a section not retracting is: unscrew the butt cap and remove all sections. Separate, then replace sections in butt'
In assembly, the correct tension is to pull section one and two together, then gently pull and twist at the same time for a proper connection, Disassemble in reverse starting with section one, the tip. The operative word: gently.
You should show a “backed up” shot of you landing the fish. How are you bringing them in? By lifting the rod higher?
It's all about Technique & Finesse..
Shorten line / leader to the Length of the rod and landing fish is in the net.. ✌️🤓
FYI, tenkara-rodding for bluegill is maybe the most fun way to catch bluegill.
Tenkara to me is just another tool I'll use it in small tight streams also I keep one in my truck with a basic pocket sized kit if I come across a creek in my travels
Fishing greetings 👍
Also, I should give a shout-out to @tetontenkara. He actually helped design the Dragontail Mizuchi rod for the purpose of hooking and landing big wild trout in small streams with tight canopy. Check out his TH-cam channel if you wanna see some serious tenkara fishing.
Many tenkara fly fishermen, including me, never put a knot in their lillian. Two passes through the level line slip knot and it will never, ever pull out. The lack of a knot also facilitates disassembling the upper sections of the rod for cleaning/drying. Don't let the comments from the western fly rod snobs and their anonymous keyboard courage dissuade you.
Superbe vraiment. Je suis me suis mis au tenkara depuis deux et je me régale comme un gamin dans des torrents de haute montagne sur des petites truites, par contre je pêche qu'en sèche. Là vous pêchez en nymphe , vous en mettez une ou deux? Quelle est la longueur de votre canne ainsi que la longueur de votre level Line ainsi que de votre bas de ligne.
Merci pour vos réponses 😉👍
You should do some fishing with dry dropper in some bigger rivers
When casting in heavy overhead cover I point rod in the spot I want fly and then grip hook with thumb and index finger and slingshot to the spot. I observed other Tenkara fishermen do this on ytube videos. Like you I'm new to Tenkara. Like your channel. 👍
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100 percent agree. I find my 3wt fly rod is just so much more versatile then any of my tenkar rods. I find most of time I'm trying to untangle my line. With my fly rod I can rollcast, spey cast and switch my lures. I keep my tenkara rods in the trunk of car and mountain biking knapsack. If by chance I run tino a creek or river. Any other situation I prefer fly rods.
Makes perfect sense to me!
OK.. well said Bro..
Some friends to shoot you down when you get excited to try something new. I love seeing western fly fishermen that have no idea where their sport came from. News flash, before the reel was invented, people fished with fixed line styles. Tenkara is incredibly fun, and I implore you to try other fixed line styles. I sling streamers on my larger Tenkara rods and it works quite well, I would argue better than with a reel. Just have fun and forget what others think!
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That’s the plan! I’d like to catch a 20 inch brown on one eventually. Thanks for watching
@@leemowers9395 what? Lol
@@hardmanfishing it's definitely possible. My biggest fish with a Tenkara rod was a 23" rainbow. You'd be surprised how much these rods can handle!
@@hardmanfishing I'm on that hunt as well! Have had two missed opportunities, both my fault. Soon though... Have a trip planned next month that may do the trick...!!
What rod did you get? You may have said it but I don’t remember.
I've been wanting to try it but without a indicator I can't see it plus it's gotta be cheep for a maybe maybe not.
Tenkara is an art. A beautiful way to fish , with a beautiful rod, on beautiful little creeks, catching
beautiful little fish. Beautiful. Never mind them muggs that have no class, or appreciation for beauty.
Awesome Tenkara video / review. Mirrors my one time so far experience with it. Thinking it might be easier to just stick with a pack fly rod for small streams instead. Do you recall what fly / flies you used in the video?
Yep! I had a size 12 tungsten pheasant tail as the point fly and a size 16 rainbow warrior for the tag
@@hardmanfishing Awesome, thanks!
About sections getting stuck: search TH-cam for Tenkara rubberband trick. Tenkara Rod Co, I think, has a video on how to fix the problem.
Yes they do. Thats who I purchased my rod from. I believe you need to unscrew the cap on the grip and let the rod sections slide out. Then reinstall them in order. It’s fairly straightforward and easy to do.
What's your action? I'm guessing 6:4?
What lure are you using?