Tenkara Bum Line Spools

Posted by Jason Klass on Jul 28, 2011 in Tenkara Fly Lines, Tenkara Gear, Tenkara Gear Sellers, Tenkara Line Spools | 5 comments

Tenkara Bum is now offering their own line spools and I got my order for 3 of them today.  They’re essentially identical to the Meiho blue spools sold by Tenkara USA but are a shrunken down version.

Tenkara USA spool (left) is 2.73". Tenkara Bum spool (right) is 2.25"

The smaller diameter would be good for a tenkara minimalist or the backpacker who wants the convenience of a spool with the absolute minimum in weight and bulk.

Left: Tenkara USA Spools, Right: Tenkara Bum Spools

While the outer diameter of the spool might be smaller, the inside diameter of the hole is the same as its larger cousin, meaning that you can still carry the spool by slipping it over the blank and handle of most tenkara fly rods:

Tenkara Bum Spool on a Tenkara USA Iwana 12 ft. Rod

And, as an added bonus, the Tenkara Bum spools come with stickers to help you keep track of line lengths and weights:

While both spools are good, as a backpacker, I can see the niche appeal for this smaller and lighter convenience item.  If you’d like to try the smaller spools, you can get them here.

And, oh…you might be wondering if the smaller diameter of the spool increases coils and line memory on level lines.  Well, not any more than on the larger T-USA spools.  You still have to stretch out your line either way so I don’t see it as a problem.  Think of it more as a pre-fishing ritual you have to go through anyway than a chore.

 How do you store and transport your tenkara line?

About Jason Klass

Jason is an avid fly angler and backpacker. As a former fly fishing guide originally from Western New York, he moved to Colorado and soon became an early adopter of tenkara which perfectly suited the small, high altitude streams and lakes there. He has not fished a Western-style fly rod for trout since. Jason is also the author of Gear Talk--a blog about ultralight and DIY backpacking gear.

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