Western Fly Fishing and Tenkara

[Ramahs]

I used to enjoy fishing when I was a younger man, but I haven't fished in over a decade. However, I've recently moved to Oregon from Texas, so I have much more options to fish in this area, and I've been recently thinking of getting some equipment and getting back into fishing.

That being said, in the Toad Thread yesterday, @Dan Morrison mentioned that he was interested in learning Tenkara fishing. It's a fishing style that originated in Japan, and is very minimalist. There is no reel. Just a long pole (10-14 ft), and the affixed line at the end with a fly on the end of the line. That's it.

Well, now I've been watching videos and reading articles on Tenkara Fly Fishing for the last day and a half, looking at gear prices, etc. And I am very interested in giving the hobby a shot.

Anyone else here have any experience with Tenkara Fly Fishing? Any gear recommendations, tips, information resources you suggest, etc? I believe that @FlyingLow has some experience here as well, if they wouldn't mind sharing.

 

[Dan Morrison]

I'd be very interested as well. How funny would it be to organize an FC fly fish n' get fried trip.

 

[Ramahs]

I'd be very interested as well. How funny would it be to organize an FC fly fish n' get fried trip.

Hell yeah. I need to look around for a local group in my area that's into this.
I could see combining hiking, tekara fly fishing, and mushroom foraging all together on my trips out.

 

[shredder]

In my area the best fly fishing places get hammered pretty hard, so it would tough to get close enough.

Maybe in a driftboat,, or a small creek where fish lay next to the bank, if you can be quiet enough to sneak up on them. Hard to be sneaky with a long ass pole though, lol.

Maybe if your fishing our famous hex hatch at night. Then it wouldn't make a difference of whatever your using if you hit it right.

Experience the Hex Hatch in Northern Michigan—It's Epic

No showers. No cooking. When the mayflies hatch, it's all about the trout.

mynorth.com

Hexin' - Gates Au Sable Lodge

Sometimes, in conversations about the hex hatch, one tends toward the bleak apocalyptic prose of the infamous War of the Worlds broadcast i.e. major hatches

gateslodge.com

 

[FlyingLow]

Love this! Tenkara is all about the zen of fishing, and it is one of the most effective ways to catch fish!

You don't need a big bag or to pack in a lot of gear- you will need to carry tippet (various sizes for different conditions/fish), hemostats (to assist with adding weights or removing hooks), flies, and nippers (for cutting tags off the end of your knots). All of this can fit in a chest pocket.

It is fly fishing in its simplest form. For those who want to give it a go, the most important advice I could give you is to DEAD DRIFT. Your fly should float/sink/drift as if it is in the current like a dead leaf. Do not try to fish a fly like you would a corn or a worm with a spinning rod- embrace being still, the fish will generally take your fly so long as it does not see your fly line move in the water.


Fishers are generally activists, protecting our waters and fisheries. Not surprising, there is a lot of crossover with the glass industry and heady folks- look no further than big game fly fisher @durin_glass or @trapperstudio.


I won't kid, my heart is with a traditional fly setup but I appreciate tenkara. I more often find myself in situations where to reach fish, I need distance and different techniques to shoot the line out. If I am camped out at the bottom of a waterfall or damn, I may choose tenkara. But most my time I want more versatility. With a traditional setup, I can fish the closest water first, and also cast from cover/distance to stay out of sight and not spook fish.

Each rod/technique has it's benefit. Like vapes, you gotta find what works for you. I spend a lot of time in a drift boat now, my last 4 times out (my best friend bought a Stealthcraft), and I tend to fish a lot of 5-7wt rods.



This reminds me of the Get Bent general fishing thread, but it has not been updated it in months.

 

[Dan Morrison]

@FlyingLow , Great info! Thanks!

Where I live there are a lot of shallow, narrow, rocky or grassy streams with lots of canopy overhead. There is a rocky creek within walking distance that has brook trout. I imagine tenkara would be better for these types of areas... but could be wrong, I have no idea! haha

In any case, I feel like tenkara is my gateway into fly fishing in general. I've done a lot of 'standard' fishing, for bass, pike, etc.. But never with a fly.

Like you said, the whole fly tying aspect of it looks right up my alley.

I also saw some photos of handmade pocketable wooden boxes made to hold about 2 dozen flies, so neat.

I like the compact nature of tenkara. I'm working on a wood frame backpack dedicated to holding everything you'd need for an epic day hike/picnic. Purely for aesthetic tea/coffee/vape/meal time in the woods. I need to have a rod in there, obviously!

 

[Razhumikin]

That sounds super cool, please post pics of the backpack when youre done!

 

[Dan Morrison]

That sounds super cool, please post pics of the backpack when youre done!

Will do! This project has been 'in the works' for years, so don't hold your breath, hahaha. It only exists in my head.

 

[FlyingLow]

Sounds awesome! I imagine a backpack from you is going be a bit like a Roentgen/ Craig Thibodeau creation with a number of tricked out secrets! (@ctfinefurniture)

Not tenkara specific, but for inspiration... there are a few artisans that Ive come across in the industry, like Luca Braschi. He has taken his engraving skills to some fantastic antique (fully functional) reels. Friend him on FB, I think you would appreciate his work. On the more casual side, I love the engraving Casey Underwood is laying on Abel reels.

On the nets/fly boxes, there are a few more players in the game... bitterroot nets seems to spend the most on marketing, I see them everywhere but not to bash, I do think their products look pretty cool. I also like @waywardwoodshop. I find many old timers and Europeans seem to favor metal fly boxes. Wheatley seems to hold the market in metal fly boxes and I cant help but be drawn to them myself.

I was going to encourage you to find a tenkara blank to make your first rod, but it appears TenkaraUSA has cornered the market and does not make any available. With your skillset, I think you would have no problem harvesting and creating your own bamboo rod... does any bamboo grow near you?

I so look forward to following everyone's journey!

 

[Ramahs]

Just like @Dan Morrison , I've fished in the past, but I never fly fished. It was always fishing in a lake or pond with either a bobber & worm that you just drop in and wait for, or dragging spin lures and the like...but I've never learned anything about fly fishing. And, I am attracted to the simplicity of the kit and focus on technique.

Though, admittedly, I'm still worried that I will not like it as much as I think I will, and just end up wanting a fly pole with a reel very soon down the road. I hope not though. I can't afford both.

 

[FlyingLow]

If I could only have one rod (which is touch as each has a different purpose) it would be 9' rod in a 5 weight. It is sensitive enough to feel a two inch minnow strike, and strong enough to haul in a 30" trout.

 

[Ramahs]

This seems to be a good educational series. In addition to talking about kit and technique, they also hit on the history of Tenkara.

 

[shredder]

If I could only have one rod (which is touch as each has a different purpose) it would be 9' rod in a 5 weight. It is sensitive enough to feel a two inch minnow strike, and strong enough to haul in a 30" trout.

I have a 8 and a half foot Thomas and Thomas bamboo in 5 weight, I use a hardy reel with it. It's heavy compared to a graphite 5 weight, but the more you use it, the more you like it. You can place a tiny fly in a tight spot with real grace with it.
(I won it in a contest from trout unlimited in 1986.) Then I go back to a graphite and I'm pounding the water, lol.

My first fly rod was a fiberglass 8 foot blank I bought and put it together from a kit sold by Art Neuman, a founding member of trout unlimited. That was in the early 70's his shop was in his garage.

In the 80's I spent most of my off time camped at a river fishing for whatever hatch was going on. I had a pop up camper that i left in the area for trout season. Then after the big hex hatch around July 4th give or take a week, then my season was pretty much over. The trout get picky, canoes all over and the big trout become scarce.

I fished the AuSable river and it's branches and the Manistee river in Michigan.

Now I have an artificial hip and don't fish much unless it's in a boat .

 

[Ramahs]

Here's a fun quote I just came across

"There is a school of thought that believes it is human nature to make things more complicated than they really are. Among fishermen, it’s called tenkara."

 

[Ramahs]

Well shit...The more reading, and video watching, and talking to others I do, I am fearing that I am starting to lean toward getting a western fly-rod/reel for my first fly-fishing setup now. As much as I love the simplistic minimalism of tenkara...I'm feeling like I should get the western setup first. And then, down the road, get a tenkara pole just for the smaller streams and other tight areas that it excels in.


Could it end up being more minimalistic to only have one more versatile rig, instead of two? I'm also worried about being limited to only smaller fish because, though I keep hearing how fishing the streams for those fast little trout is really fun, I may sometimes want to focus on something bigger.

I just keep seeing it repeated that "a western fly rig can do everything a tenkara rig can, but a tenkara rig cannot do as much as a western rig can", and it keeps making me worried that I may regret going the tenkara route because it sounded more attractive to me in theory than in practice.

Shit. I'm all kinds of confused now on which way I should go for my first foray into not bait-fishing.

 

[FlyingLow]

Tenkara is specialized, and perhaps not as widely used, but honestly I would not overthink it- you will find success and zen any way you roll.
There is a beauty to being out of your car and fishing in moments. No sling bags, nor tackle boxes, and having everything you need in a pocket.


Whichever style you find suits you, I HIGHLY recommend connecting with a local fly shop for additional guidance and in-person learning. There is no substitute. Most all fly shops will offer lessons related to casting, knots and fly tying. Many offer some sort of free introductory lesson- like Orvis with an hour of 1-on-1 to learn basic casting techniques and knots. Don't hesitate if you think there is no water nearby, they can teach you in a parking lot.


For cheap setups I started and found many fish with my dad's economical WhiteWater 6wt, then got the 5'6" 3wt (I do not recommend this one for beginners as it casts poorly without proper technique). WhiteWater is an economical starter brand with many all-in-one packages. Once I realized my heart was into this, I got a few other nicer rods/reels along the way. When checking their website now, I was pleased to see White Water is bringing economical Tenkara to the US market and competing with Tenkara USA. Looks like their offerings start at $100, but I would not recommend the 6' option. For cast-ability, go no shorter than 8'.


For more artistic inspiration, check out PJsFineBamboo.com... lots of burls and exotics.

 

[Ramahs]

Tenkara is specialized, and perhaps not as widely used, but honestly I would not overthink it- you will find success and zen any way you roll.
There is a beauty to being out of your car and fishing in moments. No sling bags, nor tackle boxes, and having everything you need in a pocket.


Whichever style you find suits you, I HIGHLY recommend connecting with a local fly shop for additional guidance and in-person learning. There is no substitute. Most all fly shops will offer lessons related to casting, knots and fly tying. Many offer some sort of free introductory lesson- like Orvis with an hour of 1-on-1 to learn basic casting techniques and knots. Don't hesitate if you think there is no water nearby, they can teach you in a parking lot.


For cheap setups I started and found many fish with my dad's economical WhiteWater 6wt, then got the 5'6" 3wt (I do not recommend this one for beginners as it casts poorly without proper technique). WhiteWater is an economical starter brand with many all-in-one packages. Once I realized my heart was into this, I got a few other nicer rods/reels along the way. When checking their website now, I was pleased to see White Water is bringing economical Tenkara to the US market and competing with Tenkara USA. Looks like their offerings start at $100, but I would not recommend the 6' option. For cast-ability, go no shorter than 8'.


For more artistic inspiration, check out PJsFineBamboo.com... lots of burls and exotics.

Yeah, that's why I'm now leaning towards getting the more versatile fly rod first, and then get the Tenkara rod and kit a bit later.

I think I was convinced by too many people, who professed to like both styles, but pretty much all agreed that if they only had one kind, it would be the western rod/reel kit.

Though, when I was convinced I was going the Tenkara direction first, I was leaning towards this one as a first pole:

Shadowfire 365 Tenkara Rod 12ftHard Tube & Sock (+$15) / Level Line Starter Kit (+$20) / NONE

Although the Shadowfire 365 model is priced comparatively to entry level rods it is a high performance rod that will out perform many other Tenkara rods within $70 of it’s price range. 12 foot (365cm) 6:4 soft action rod. This rod has a light balanced feel and a soft action for an amazing...

dragontailtenkara.com

 

[FlyingLow]

You can't go wrong either way, just good therapeutic fun being on the water... My next purchases will be a nice rotary vice for tying flies, and in March I am going to treat myself to a custom reel.

 

[Ramahs]

You can't go wrong either way, just good therapeutic fun being on the water... My next purchases will be a nice rotary vice for tying flies, and in March I am going to treat myself to a custom reel.

Hell yeah. Getting out is the main point.

Now that I'm looking toward a western fly kit, i was leaning toward this budget kit:

Redington Path Fly Rod Outfits | Mad River Outfitters

Redington Path outfits are great for beginning casters or those with a relaxed stroke. Get your own 4-piece Redington medium fast action rod today!

www.madriveroutfitters.com

But this one was highly recommended as a higher end option that one may be happier with for longer before feeling the need to upgrade, and I'm eyeing it now. Everything in the kit seems to be much more premium:

Redington Trout Field Kit - 4 Piece Combo | Mad River Outfitters

The Redington Trout field kit is a medium-fast action rod ideal for novice anglers. Purchase this fly rod online at Mad River Outfitters today!

www.madriveroutfitters.com

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

I wish I could go out fly fishing more often that I do. I have a couple older Orvis Battenkill reels and I like them. They say the older ones that were made in England have better innerds that the new models, so I went that route on ebay compared to new stuff at the same price. Although, they say that a fly reel is not much more than a holding tank for your line.

As was said, I think the western method allows for more versatility compared to using less line.

A cartridge pen with live resin works excellent when knee deep in waders.

 

[Ramahs]

I wish I could go out fly fishing more often that I do. I have a couple older Orvis Battenkill reels and I like them. They say the older ones that were made in England have better innerds that the new models, so I went that route on ebay compared to new stuff at the same price. Although, they say that a fly reel is not much more than a holding tank for your line.

Yeah, I could probably skimp out and settle for the lower cost of the two I linked to above. The biggest difference on those is the reel (and more premium line, etc in the kit it comes with), so I could go with the lower cost set and upgrade the reel later.

This discount deal might be a good idea as a low cost option with plans to upgrade the reel later. I just wish it wasn't limited too an 8wt rod, because I'm fairly convinced that I'd really want a 5wt or 6wt:

Encounter® Fly Rod Outfit

Experience unmatched performance and affordability with the Encounter® Fly Rod Outfit.

www.orvis.com

^But that doesn't have a warranty like the ones priced just a little more.

A cartridge pen with live resin works excellent when knee deep in waders.

Indeed, or maybe a good reason for me to order one of those cheap thirty dollar Boundless Terp Pens for such use


P.S. - I think I need to ask the mods to change the name of this thread from "Tenkara Fly Fishing" to "Western Fly fishing and Tenkara", since it's clear we will be talking about both. And I plan on continuing to talk about both here, since I know I'll want to get a Tenkara rod and dip my feet in that not too far in the future because it's aesthetic (and it's accompanying "philosophy") still really appeals to me.

 

[FlyingLow]

Yeah, I could probably skimp out and settle for the lower cost of the two I linked to above. The biggest difference on those is the reel (and more premium line, etc in the kit it comes with), so I could go with the lower cost set and upgrade the reel later.

This discount deal might be a good idea as a low cost option with plans to upgrade the reel later. I just wish it wasn't limited too an 8wt rod, because I'm fairly convinced that I'd really want a 5wt or 6wt:

Encounter® Fly Rod Outfit

Experience unmatched performance and affordability with the Encounter® Fly Rod Outfit.

www.orvis.com

^But that doesn't have a warranty like the ones priced just a little more.




Indeed, or maybe a good reason for me to order one of those cheap thirty dollar Boundless Terp Pens for such use


P.S. - I think I need to ask the mods to change the name of this thread from "Tenkara Fly Fishing" to "Western Fly fishing and Tenkara", since it's clear we will be talking about both. And I plan on continuing to talk about both here, since I know I'll want to get a Tenkara rod and dip my feet in that not too far in the future because it's aesthetic (and it's accompanying "philosophy") still really appeals to me.

The encounter combo is pretty shitty.... my buddy who works at Orvis keeps steering me away every time it is on sale.

Stay cheap though. This is not marlin fishing and even the most inexpensive equipment will hold up to most size fish you come across.


I'm not sure if it is an option for many of you, but you may consider going out with a guide before investing in equipment. It is going to cost you about as much as a nice round of golf (for a half day), but they will provide all equipment, tie knots, teach, and most importantly- put you on a fish. It will give you a taste to see if it really is something you want to invest in, and they can give you equipment suggestions based on your local waters.


Mods may as well also merge this with Get Bent!!!!... the fishing thread. Lots of overlap.

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

I'm not sure if it is an option for many of you, but you may consider going out with a guide before investing in equipment. It is going to cost you about as much as a nice round of golf (for a half day), but they will provide all equipment, tie knots, teach, and most importantly- put you on a fish. It will give you a taste to see if it really is something you want to invest in, and they can give you equipment suggestions based on your local waters.

I did this and also recommend it. I was lucky to find a guide that was just starting out and offered a day for a reasonable cost. The info and technique practice you get is invaluable. I also recommend finding someone who would take you to a region you might frequent in the future. You might not get all his favorite spots, but you could pull out a regional map and let him give you some ideas.

@Ramahs IDK if you were thinking 8-14in trout or going for steelhead in some of those great Oregon rivers. Whichever type of fly fishing you think you'll be doing most often would guide you to the size of your line and rod. I like a 81/2ft, 5 weight for 8-12in brookies in moderate sized rivers and ponds.

 

[FlyingLow]

this video popped into my feed today:

When thinking about rod/line weight, it is also just as important to think about what flies you want to throw. Are you throwing streamers? They can get BIG and heavy fast! I have a few large ones that really cant be fished properly without a 6wt or 7wt setup.

 

[Ramahs]

Gonna run around town today and check out a few new and used sporting goods stores, and local fly shops, to see what's available locally.
See if they've got anything I want at a reasonable price so I don't have to order it.