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Post by snipeandyellow on Nov 29, 2010 9:50:21 GMT
Hi guys,
As an avid light rod fly fisherman I'm pretty intrigued by this Tenkara business. I'm trying to decide what the best set up is for a go at the chalk streams or even some of the stocked lakes in the South East (I love to stalk the latter). I thought of an Ayu, but see the leaning here is for a 12' Iwana. I know nothing of the typical leaders used, but tried my hand at hand furling some Stroft mono last night and am amazed at the ease of it. What would you guys see as a basic but enjoyable start up kit? I see that ordering from the U.S. Tenkara site wouldn't incur a customs fee here because they ship from the U.K.. This is good because I've been nailed a couple of times by Parcel Farce.
Lastly: what's this I'm reading on the net about £10 telescopic roach whips being very similar? My gut tells me there's got to be a difference, but I have little knowledge of coarse match fishing (whilst I love catching chub on a fly).
Hans
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Post by Simon on Nov 29, 2010 18:06:05 GMT
Hi Again Hans.
I use the 12ft IWANA while Sonia uses a 12ft YAMAME. First thing you notice is the weight. They are very light but you will notice a difference, also the Iwana has a very soft action you can watch the tip bounce as the nymphs bump along the bottom, but they will handle a large fish I hooked and landed a salmon last year on 4lb tippet. Tenkara rods are designed to bend, believe me my rod was bent double with the salmon!even with grayling of 2lb the rod will bend in half. The first time you hook a fish on a Tenkara you WILL go for the reel! It's a natural reaction. If possible try a rod first? with so few in the UK this is going to be hard but worth it. As for the rest of the setup I always use a 10.5ft furled leader made with Uni thread, a natural colour for the dry fly and a tip indicator for up stream nymphing. If you are used to fishing Czech nymphs the same set up will work fine with Tenkara.
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Post by snipeandyellow on Nov 29, 2010 21:27:16 GMT
Hi Simon,
a Uni thread as in fly tying? Blimey that is interesting. Like a beige Uni 6/0 or something? What's the advantage over a furled nylon? Perhaps it would be more like the silk of old times. I'm assuming you're using a nylon tippet. Fluorocarbon or not fussed?
So I take it from what you're saying that the Tenkara rods are considerably different than a roach whip because of the flexibility and lightness of the construction.
You're right as to indicators when czech nymphing. I've used either a small spiral of nylon or a length of bright coloured backing as indicator for the czech nymphing.
Yes, I'd gathered it would be difficult to have a test run: I guess it's just worth getting one for the experience. Have you fished the longer rods at all like the Ayu? what would you say is the difference? I have an 11' 2 weight rod which I have used for czech nymphing and although using it to cast a fly line is terrible due to the resistance of the fly line through so many guides, for czech nymphing this rod is very cool.
BTW: compliments on the video footage both under and above water with the motorbike camera. Guess you must be wearing a helmet while fishing!
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Post by cm_stewart on Dec 5, 2010 1:21:46 GMT
I strongly suspect that anyone who says a roach whip is very similar to a tenkara rod has never handled a tenkara rod. We get that on our side of the pond all the time, although here it is crappie poles or cane poles. Tenkara rods have been developed over hundreds of years to cast an unweighted fly on a very light line - by a people who's motto seems to be "if it ain't broke, improve it anyway." The difference isn't just in flexibility or weight. In a tenkara rod, the upper sections in particular are very flexible - much more so than your 11' 2 wt.
The two longest rods are quite different from each other. The 13'6" Amago is a bit like a longer (and heavier) Iwana. The 13' Ayu is a very soft rod - much softer than the Iwana (more different from the Iwana than the Iwana is from the Yamame). Although I know people who fish Czech nymphs with one, I really think it is a bit too soft for that. If you will be fishing lakes, I think you would appreciate the extra length of the Amago. If you will be fishing weighted nymphs, you would appreciate it's backbone relative to the Ayu.
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