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Post by northcountryangler on Apr 18, 2015 18:52:13 GMT
So I finally got out onto the Eden today - a favourite venue of mine and an ideal place to continue my testing of the limits of tenkara. The Eden is home to big, wild fish and trout and grayling of 2lb plus are commonplace. For this reason alone it isn't really what you would call ideal tenkara water and I don't see myself deploying the method too often up there......but I saw it as a good chance to hopefully connect with a few larger fish and see how the setup coped.
Observations from the day then:
Proper hatch of grannom - blizzard style - gave me the chance to get amongst fish well and truly on the fin. They weren't bothering themselves with the emergers, rather hawking about sub surface in the pool heads, mopping up the ascending pupae. A French leader and brace of nymphs did damage initially before I popped up the tenkara rod and started my compare and contrast exercise.
Obviously the presentation afforded was exceptional, so no problem getting offers, but in a half hour spell I found that 6 takes resulted in only one landed. Four were bumped off straightaway, one decent fish was lost after a couple of minutes...I thought I had it under control, before it shot off down and across and I didn't move my feet quick enough, it straightlined and the hook pulled. Concerned about the dropped fish though - could it be the softness of the rod results in a struggle to positively hook larger fish? Last week on the Ribble, the only pound plus fish I contacted dropped off similarly after a few seconds. Maybe I need to give a bit more welly on the initial lift.
Anyway, my one moment of success came when I contacted a decent fish in a small pool which has a proven track record for producing fish in the 2-3lb class. I knew I was taking a risk tenkara-ing this pool, but reasoned that the tight confines would give me a fighting chance of landing a good fish should I be lucky enough to contact one....which is exactly what happened. Not a massive fish at a shade under 2lb, but the result was never in any doubt and by following PG's guidance and regularly switching angles (although this in itself makes me nervous as fishing western style I've found changing direction of sidestrain can lever the hook out quickstyle), the fish came to the net without too much fuss. An Eden bruiser in the making and the best fish of the session. Once again, a tenkara interlude has enhanced the experience of the day and left me grinning like an idiot!
 '>![]()
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Post by Paul G on Apr 18, 2015 21:00:54 GMT
Nice job. A couple of things that might possibly enhance future excursions for you and other readers: We often teach something that is probably best described as a "double strike" - especially when you contact a take as you are manipulating a fly or just about to lift off (I can show you this next time we get together if we are onstream). This is a big help with reducing missed/bumped/dropped fish The Hayase is a nice delicate rod and has handled fish on my rivers in the 2lb class well so far; but if I was routinely going after fish closer to 3lb than 2lb I would opt for a slightly beefier rod. Again, with larger fish and possibly especially "boney-mouthed" bruisers, a slightly meatier rod can help with setting the hook too (although some days it is possible to manipulate the fly in such a way that you are likely to hook them in the scissors rather than in the harder parts of the mouth). Some days the fish just seem to take the fly in ways that are difficult to hook - full stop (however, given your success on French nymphing gear, this probably wasn't the case for you today  ) All the best and that is an absolutely beautiful looking fish - I'm "pleasantly jealous" Paul |
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Post by paul1966 on Apr 18, 2015 23:24:50 GMT
I'm jealous too, great fish and picture!
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Post by daves on Apr 19, 2015 17:00:52 GMT
As you note unless you make a firm strike fish are often hooked lightly as the hook does't penetrate fully. I find a smooth sideways sweep in which I get the mid sections of the rod bent helps considerably.
A problem when big fish are hooked is the need for heavier tippets than would be ideal when using small flies, remembering that 5x is the maximum tippet recommended. Although I love the presentation that Tenkara offers I'd not consider it on the Eden system with the size & power of some of the fish. Also as Paul says the Hayase is quite a light actioned Tenkara rod. The Hamon, Tenkara USA Amago or Tenkara Times Motive are better rods when big fish are expected or for driving home big hooks.
Cracking fish!
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Post by northcountryangler on Apr 21, 2015 15:19:03 GMT
Paul,
Thanks for your reply and yes I did wonder about whether a stiffer rod might be an answer. The Hayase is my first tenkara rod and as such I've nothing to compare it to, but I have heard the Motive mentioned in several places as a good rod for where bigger fish can be expected. One for the Christmas list perhaps!
That said - and as Dave alludes to - I haven't really got plans to deploy tenkara on my Eden sessions for the most part and that session was more an exercise in proving to myself what is and isn't viable. I'm sure I could make it work on a consistent basis, but then a lot of the fishing I do on the Eden is stalked up dry fly fishing to individual, large rising trout. The normal western tactics work fine in that application and of course there isn't the question mark over how likely it is I can land a two, three or even four pounder. If it ain't broke etc.
Interesting stuff though and I love the way I can just bung the rod in my pack and unleash it as and when the fancy takes. It's definitely added another dimension to my fishing days, despite the fact that I'm still far from proficient in its use.
Next project is wild upland stillwaters and dribbling small wets and dries about on the edge of the marginal shelf. I bet that's an interesting diversion! A morning on the Upper Tees, followed by an afternoon on Cow Green reservoir anyone?
M
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Post by custheyder on Apr 21, 2015 15:50:27 GMT
Don't forget the ESO-Tenkara 410cm 7:3 if you're looking into big fish rods.
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Post by Paul G on Apr 21, 2015 17:52:52 GMT
Paul, Thanks for your reply and yes I did wonder about whether a stiffer rod might be an answer. The Hayase is my first tenkara rod and as such I've nothing to compare it to, but I have heard the Motive mentioned in several places as a good rod for where bigger fish can be expected. One for the Christmas list perhaps! That said - and as Dave alludes to - I haven't really got plans to deploy tenkara on my Eden sessions for the most part and that session was more an exercise in proving to myself what is and isn't viable. I'm sure I could make it work on a consistent basis, but then a lot of the fishing I do on the Eden is stalked up dry fly fishing to individual, large rising trout. The normal western tactics work fine in that application and of course there isn't the question mark over how likely it is I can land a two, three or even four pounder. If it ain't broke etc. Interesting stuff though and I love the way I can just bung the rod in my pack and unleash it as and when the fancy takes. It's definitely added another dimension to my fishing days, despite the fact that I'm still far from proficient in its use. Next project is wild upland stillwaters and dribbling small wets and dries about on the edge of the marginal shelf. I bet that's an interesting diversion! A morning on the Upper Tees, followed by an afternoon on Cow Green reservoir anyone? M Sign me up :-) |
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Post by daves on Apr 24, 2015 15:18:40 GMT
Yes! Sorry I forgot to mention the ESO 410 7:3 which is the rod I use most for big fish (grayling over 3lb & trout to nearly 4lb have come to my ESO 410, 7:3) using 5x tippet.
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Post by ray4570 on Apr 25, 2015 14:05:42 GMT
Paul, Thanks for your reply and yes I did wonder about whether a stiffer rod might be an answer. The Hayase is my first tenkara rod and as such I've nothing to compare it to, but I have heard the Motive mentioned in several places as a good rod for where bigger fish can be expected. One for the Christmas list perhaps! That said - and as Dave alludes to - I haven't really got plans to deploy tenkara on my Eden sessions for the most part and that session was more an exercise in proving to myself what is and isn't viable. I'm sure I could make it work on a consistent basis, but then a lot of the fishing I do on the Eden is stalked up dry fly fishing to individual, large rising trout. The normal western tactics work fine in that application and of course there isn't the question mark over how likely it is I can land a two, three or even four pounder. If it ain't broke etc. Interesting stuff though and I love the way I can just bung the rod in my pack and unleash it as and when the fancy takes. It's definitely added another dimension to my fishing days, despite the fact that I'm still far from proficient in its use. Next project is wild upland stillwaters and dribbling small wets and dries about on the edge of the marginal shelf. I bet that's an interesting diversion! A morning on the Upper Tees, followed by an afternoon on Cow Green reservoir anyone? M |
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Post by ray4570 on Apr 25, 2015 14:22:27 GMT
Hi Mat, I would be well up for upper Tees and Cow Green.
I have never fished the upper Tees even though I am only an hour or so drive away. I have fished Cow Green on lots of occasions and always enjoyed the day. Tenkara should be really effective on the reservoir but it would need a relatively calm day.
Ray
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Post by belgiumcast on May 1, 2015 12:10:18 GMT
Thanks for that Matt, really enjoyed the post. Not had much chance to get out with the Tenkara (or any other) rod recently but hope to be on the Eden sometime this long week-end. If you ended up grinning like an idiot that says it was worth it and this will be very much my experimental year on decent trout waters.
Mick
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Post by springerman on May 1, 2015 17:01:45 GMT
Can recommend the ESO 410 7:3. I have had one or two good fish, not Eden fish, on this rod.
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