Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2012 14:13:43 GMT
Although I have been fly fishing for 30 years this is the first year I have used Tenkara. I thought I would share some of my thoughts on Tenkara fishing so far.
I have used a 12 ft Tenkara USA Iwana – this is a fabulous rod – looks good -good price- light -casts well and good back up from the company. Broke the tip of the rod through no fault of my own after about 100 hrs fishing. Received a new tip section almost by return of post for nominal cost- excellent. Just after replacing tip noticed a small spilt developing in the 4 th section of the rod– I believe this was due to my mishandling. Subsequently, fishing the Dove, I hooked and landed a very good Grayling 17 in and noticed the damaged 4 th section had completely split. Notified Tenkara USA and received a new rod for $US 20 by return and told to keep damaged rod as spare – excellent service.
Being retired I am lucky to have plenty of time and opportunity to fish. I mainly fish
small Cotswold streams and rivers and the Derbyshire Dove and Derwent. My first outing with the T was in April on the headwaters of a Scottish salmon river for trout when water too low for salmon fishing. This is ideal pocket water and the T performed well and I caught many trout - not all small!
Over the season, I have blanked only a few times out of approx 50 fishing visits. On most of my outings I have at least doubled my catch rate over that using western tackle.
I have enjoyed Tenkara a lot and reluctantly picked up western fly rod on only a few occasions but have quickly come back to the Tenkara.
One thing I have learnt by using Tenkara is that stalking is the best way to catch fish. With the western rod I had been casting further and further to put max distance between me and the fish but of course I overlooked the fact that I was lining and disturbing every fish between me and the distant fly and causing fish to panic for a distance up river. Short and lighter line casting with Tenkara panics far less fish especially in shallow, clear water.
Some other thoughts on Tenkara I hope you will find useful.
12 ft Iwana is a great rod - surprisingly it is longer than the max width of the river I fish. In some places the river is restricted to 2 to 3ft and the banks obstructed with reeds. The water is crystal clear and the small wild trout are easily spooked. With the rod I can stand or kneel way back from riverbank out of sight and cast a dry fly into stream holding most of line off water and the reeds. Never could do that even with 8 ft 2 wt western rod and line. The rivers I fish are heavily wooded in places and the temptation is to go for a short western or short Tenkara rods. I have resisted this temptation and I find the trees to be less a problem with Tenkara because length of line you are going to cast is fixed and you plan accordingly. I now snag less with a 12 ft Tenkara than with 7 ft brook rod and have the bonus of much more line control.
The only area where 12 ft Iwana has not performed well is Czech nymphing on the Derwent, where I felt the fish but could not hook securely. Also, on rivers where there are larger stockfish I find them hard to control especially in fast water.
I have recently purchased an Esoteric 13 ft 6in. in the hope that it overcomes these problems it being a beefier rod. I like this rod but blanked first time (not the rods fault!). Second outing caught 4 stockie browns best 3lbs rod handled them very well. Looks to be a great rod. Being a more powerful rod I am going to use it for NZ style nymphing. My Iwana struggles with the bushy indicator fly and the heavier nymph used.
Tenkara USA furled leader works very well. Have used furled leaders with western rods but their disadvantage is that some tangle badly when freeing from snag- Tenkara USA furled leaders do not tangle up after snag. I use mucilin to float leader as I cannot keep all of leader off the water. However, I have now stopped using furled leaders and now use flouro level line most of the time. These cast more delicately, are easier to keep off the water and cast well.
Tenkara Bum Hi vis shows up better than Tenkara USA level line. Question- if using level line does anyone apply floatant to line when dry fly fishing to avoid disturbance when lifting off. Flouro sinks and it is virtually impossible to keep all of line off surface without causing un natural movement of fly.
With regard to flies, I use the same as I did western style. Black Klinks, Orange Quills, CDC Deer Hair Sedges and Adams Parachutes mainly.
I am much more successful upstream nymphing with Tenkara now I can control fly and see the little dinks of the level line when fish is mouthing the Nymph. I have been particularly successful with a slim black and peacock with a silver tungsten bead head tied on jig hook. Although I have tried other nymphs I keep coming back to this nymph..
Despite the bad weather it has been a good season and using the T has given me renewed interest in fly fishing.
I hope you find this of use will post after my winter grayling fishing.
I have used a 12 ft Tenkara USA Iwana – this is a fabulous rod – looks good -good price- light -casts well and good back up from the company. Broke the tip of the rod through no fault of my own after about 100 hrs fishing. Received a new tip section almost by return of post for nominal cost- excellent. Just after replacing tip noticed a small spilt developing in the 4 th section of the rod– I believe this was due to my mishandling. Subsequently, fishing the Dove, I hooked and landed a very good Grayling 17 in and noticed the damaged 4 th section had completely split. Notified Tenkara USA and received a new rod for $US 20 by return and told to keep damaged rod as spare – excellent service.
Being retired I am lucky to have plenty of time and opportunity to fish. I mainly fish
small Cotswold streams and rivers and the Derbyshire Dove and Derwent. My first outing with the T was in April on the headwaters of a Scottish salmon river for trout when water too low for salmon fishing. This is ideal pocket water and the T performed well and I caught many trout - not all small!
Over the season, I have blanked only a few times out of approx 50 fishing visits. On most of my outings I have at least doubled my catch rate over that using western tackle.
I have enjoyed Tenkara a lot and reluctantly picked up western fly rod on only a few occasions but have quickly come back to the Tenkara.
One thing I have learnt by using Tenkara is that stalking is the best way to catch fish. With the western rod I had been casting further and further to put max distance between me and the fish but of course I overlooked the fact that I was lining and disturbing every fish between me and the distant fly and causing fish to panic for a distance up river. Short and lighter line casting with Tenkara panics far less fish especially in shallow, clear water.
Some other thoughts on Tenkara I hope you will find useful.
12 ft Iwana is a great rod - surprisingly it is longer than the max width of the river I fish. In some places the river is restricted to 2 to 3ft and the banks obstructed with reeds. The water is crystal clear and the small wild trout are easily spooked. With the rod I can stand or kneel way back from riverbank out of sight and cast a dry fly into stream holding most of line off water and the reeds. Never could do that even with 8 ft 2 wt western rod and line. The rivers I fish are heavily wooded in places and the temptation is to go for a short western or short Tenkara rods. I have resisted this temptation and I find the trees to be less a problem with Tenkara because length of line you are going to cast is fixed and you plan accordingly. I now snag less with a 12 ft Tenkara than with 7 ft brook rod and have the bonus of much more line control.
The only area where 12 ft Iwana has not performed well is Czech nymphing on the Derwent, where I felt the fish but could not hook securely. Also, on rivers where there are larger stockfish I find them hard to control especially in fast water.
I have recently purchased an Esoteric 13 ft 6in. in the hope that it overcomes these problems it being a beefier rod. I like this rod but blanked first time (not the rods fault!). Second outing caught 4 stockie browns best 3lbs rod handled them very well. Looks to be a great rod. Being a more powerful rod I am going to use it for NZ style nymphing. My Iwana struggles with the bushy indicator fly and the heavier nymph used.
Tenkara USA furled leader works very well. Have used furled leaders with western rods but their disadvantage is that some tangle badly when freeing from snag- Tenkara USA furled leaders do not tangle up after snag. I use mucilin to float leader as I cannot keep all of leader off the water. However, I have now stopped using furled leaders and now use flouro level line most of the time. These cast more delicately, are easier to keep off the water and cast well.
Tenkara Bum Hi vis shows up better than Tenkara USA level line. Question- if using level line does anyone apply floatant to line when dry fly fishing to avoid disturbance when lifting off. Flouro sinks and it is virtually impossible to keep all of line off surface without causing un natural movement of fly.
With regard to flies, I use the same as I did western style. Black Klinks, Orange Quills, CDC Deer Hair Sedges and Adams Parachutes mainly.
I am much more successful upstream nymphing with Tenkara now I can control fly and see the little dinks of the level line when fish is mouthing the Nymph. I have been particularly successful with a slim black and peacock with a silver tungsten bead head tied on jig hook. Although I have tried other nymphs I keep coming back to this nymph..
Despite the bad weather it has been a good season and using the T has given me renewed interest in fly fishing.
I hope you find this of use will post after my winter grayling fishing.
