20 ft. Furled Line & DIY Line Spool Mod
20 ft. tenkara furled Line
Today, I got my long awaited Nissin Prosquare tenkara rod in the mail (review coming soon). A friend in Japan who bought and sent the rod to me was kind enough to also include a 20 ft. furled line he made himself and one of his flies. Thanks Eiji! The line looks a lot like the horse hair tenkara lines I recently made, with different snoods knotted together. After reading Daniel’s article on long line tenkara, I am really excited to try it out. I was a little surprised to see that he sent it on the same Meiho mini line spool Tenkara Bum sells. But upon closer inspection, I noticed an even better surprise.
Read MoreHorse Hair Tenkara Lines
Two horse hair tenkara lines
For Christmas, my lovely wife got me a horse hair tenkara line kit from Tenkara Bum. I’ve always wanted to try to make my own horse hair line and since I have this whole week off for the holidays, I immediately started furling away. The results were very interesting.
Read MoreBi-vis Tenkara Line
That’s not a typo. We talk a lot about “Hi-vis” line in tenkara but this one really is a “Bi-vis” line because it’s actually two colors. The first two thirds are clear fluorocarbon while the last third is hi-vis fluorocarbon. It all started during a conversation with Karel from Tenkara on the Fly.
Read MoreA Line Clip for Your Tenkara Rod
Line clips for tenkara rods
Ever wonder what to do with your line when you’re moving from spot to spot? If you need to go through brush, the best thing to do is collapse the rod and either remove the line and wind it around a tenkara spool or around your EZ Keepers. But sometimes, you don’t need to collapse the rod and just want a way to hold your line while you scout out the next spot.
While at my local Bass Pro Shops, I discovered some pretty neat line clips that are really designed for baitcasting and spinning rods, but I think might be of some interest to tenkara anglers.
Read MoreAdjustable Tenkara Line
One of the things I love about my Tenkara USA Ito is the zoom feature which gives you the ability to instantly lengthen the rod when you need a little extra reach. But I’ve always dreamed of and adjustable line.
Wouldn’t it be nice to instantly change your line from a 10 ft. to a 15 ft. without having to tie one more line or use loop-to-loop connections? I’ve been experimenting but haven’t quite gotten it to work the way I’d like yet. The idea goes like this:
Read MoreTenkara Rod Rack
After reading Mike’s post about a tenkara rod rack over at Troutrageous!, I just had to drag myself over to Walmart to buy one (actually two). Using my iPhone level app and a cordless drill, I had both racks installed in a corner of my man cave in about 10 minutes.
Of course, these aren’t really “tenkara rod racks”. They’re actually pool cue racks from a company called Sportcraft. At about $9.50 a piece (including the mounting hardware) these make great wall mounted tenkara rod racks to display your tenkara arsenal.
Read MoreHow to Fix a Loose End Cap on Your Tenkara Rod
It hasn’t happened to me yet but I’ve heard some people complain that while fishing, the end cap on their tenkara rod loosens up and sometimes fall off. While they’re easily replaceable from Tenkara USA, the loss of the end cap could pose some problems in the field when you want to collapse your rod.
But have no fear. If you suffer from Chronic ELS (Endcap Loosening Syndrome), there is a cure. Simply head down to your local hardware store and ask for a small roll of 1/2″ thread seal tape.
1. Unscrew the endcap from your rod.
2. Wrap 3-4 fairly tight turns of thread tape around the threads of the male end and cut off excess.
3. Screw the end cap back into the rod.
The thread sealer should tighten up the threads enough to prevent the cap from coming loose. If it’s too loose or too tight, try more or fewer wraps. After a while, the tape will wear out. But luckily, it’s easy to replace and a couple of bucks will buy you a lifetime supply. Don’t be a victim of ELS! Fight back!
Have you ever lost a cap to ELS?
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A Simple Marking System for Identifying Tenkara Lines
I’ve been making a lot of my own Tenkara level lines lately and I’ve noticed small problem: they all look the same.
At first, I tried putting them on Tenkara USA blue spools and marking the spool with a Sharpie marker to indicate the line’s diameter and length. Of course, I ran out of spools pretty quickly and found that I didn’t like permanently marking the spools because I don’t want to dedicate one spool to a specific line.
I could use the usual small ziplock bag and slip in a card marked with the line’s info. but I often carry lines in the field without the bags so I wanted a system that would mark the line directly so it could always easily be identified.
Line Marking Solution
The system I came up with is pretty simple. It basically involves just marking the line with a Sharpie marker and using different colored dacron for the braided loop connector.
The different colors of dacron indicate the line’s weight/diameter as follows:
Yellow = Size 3 (0.285mm)*
Orange = Size 4 (0.330mm)*
White = Size 5 (0.370mm)*
This allows me to visually identify a line’s weight quickly.
* Note: there is some leeway on which size corresponds to which diameter. These diameters are based on the Tenkara Bum lines and other lines may vary. This is meant only as a rough guide and you can come up with your own marking system.
Next, using the Sharpie marker, I use a Morse Code-like system to indicate the line’s length. The marks are as follows:
Simply add up the marks (kind of like Roman numerals) to determine the line’s length. Here are some examples to show you what different line lengths would look like:
I find it’s best to mark the line where the marks will be visible while the line is coiled up or wound around a spool. Generally, this means on the braided loop since this is always sticking out when the line is stored. Of course, you could also mark the line at the end where the tippet connects but I find it’s easier to read on the braid.
Tip: Use an older, “dried out” Sharpie marker. The ink from new ones will run between the braids of the dacron and make it difficult to make make clear marks. Believe it or not, the lower ink flow of a well-used Sharpie will allow you to make more clearly delineated marks.
Here are two different lines that would normally look identical. Can you tell which different lengths and diameters they are using my marking system?
Now, I never have to worry about confusing lines again. Whether they’re wound up on a spool or simply coiled up in a pocket of my fishing pack, I will always be able to tell which line is which.
What system do you use for identifying your lines?
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Tenkara Level Line Experiments
Many people talk about high visibility fluorocarbon level lines for Tenkara fly fishing and I’ve recently gotten into them. As a predominantly dry fly fisher, I really don’t “see” (get it) the need for this. And, I think in certain situations, it’s best to have a line you can cast over the fish without scaring them. So I made some experimental level lines using clear fluorocarbon and the braided loop method I recently posted about.
How to make tenkara level line
Within 20 minutes I was able to produce 6 level lines with braided loops and using fluorocarbon from both Tenkara USA and Gander Mountain. Not bad. I made two 0.13″ lines in an 11′ length, two 0.11″ lines in a 12′ length, and two o.14″ lines in a 13′ length (for lake fishing).
Tenkara Level Lines - Clear Fluorocarbon (top) and Tenkara USA (bottom)
I have to admit, I’m getting hooked on making my own level lines and playing around with different materials and terminal tackle in combination with different rods. They’re more economical and versatile than furled lines in my opinion and I like the fact that they cast better in the wind (Of course, furled lines still make the most delicate presentation so I’m not totally abandoning them). I’m still developing my perfect line but in the meantime…
Have you ever used a clear Tenkara level line?
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How to Attach a Braided Loop to a Tenkara Level Line
If you’re like me, you dig level fluorocarbon lines for Tenkara fishing but miss the convenience of the girth hitch knot that the traditional furled lines offer. Luckily, there’s a simple technique you can use to get all the benefits of fishing a level line with the convenience of the braided loop connection. Here’s how…
Step 1
Grab the tag end of your level line and gently singe it with a lighter to form a small “ball” at the end. Be careful not to burn it too much.
What you’re doing in this step is creating a “stopper” that will butt up against the braided loop you’ll form later to keep it from slipping off the end of the line (you’ll see in a minute). It doesn’t have to be big. Even a very small stopper is enough to be effective:
Step 2
Next, cut off a piece of 30 lb. dacron backing and make a 1 1/2″ – 2″ loop by doubling it over itself and tying a simple overhand knot at the tag end. You can tie a Surgeon’s loop knot but it will be bulkier and is unnecessary. Leave a tag end of about 1/4″ or so because you will use that to detach the line and it’s easier if you have more line to grab.
Step 3
Lightly singe the tag ends of the dacron with your lighter just so it won’t fray:
Step 4
Now, attach the dacron loop to your level line behind the stopper knot using a Lark’s Head knot. It should look like this before you cinch it up:
Step 5
Now, tighten the dacron so it wraps around the level line:
Step 6
Finally, just slide the Dacron so that it butts up against the stopper “ball” you created in the level line and you’re done! Importatnt: add a small drop of superglue to the connection. This is not for strength but simply to prevent the Lark’s Head knot from slipping back and detaching from the line accidentally.
Now, you can easily attach and detach your level line!
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How to Make a “French Slinky” Strike Indicator
This easy-to-make strike indicator was invented by the French during an international fly fishing competition and was recently featured in Fly Fisherman Magazine. It’s basically a monofilament “spring” that is very sensitive and gives you a good visual indication of even the most subtle strikes. I don’t know if the French have a name for it, but I call it the French Slinky.
Why It’s Good
- Unlike hard-bodied strike indicators, it doesn’t affect your casting and is especially good for nymphing with Tenkara rods.
- They’re cheap and easy to make
- In a pinch, you could make one in the field on a backpacking trip by wrapping some thicker mono around a stick and boiling it in your cook pot
- Allows for a better dead drift by not creating extra drag on the line
What You’ll Need
- A pen case (be sure to remove the ink cartridge)
- Duct tape or rubber bands
- Hi-vis mono in 15 or 20 lb. test (your choice of color)
- A pot to boil water in
How To Make It
How to make the French Slinky Strike Indicator from Jason Klass on Vimeo.
Jason Klass on Vimeo.
How To Fish It
This type of strike indicator is intended for nymphing techniques similar to the French nymphing style which is essentially a kind of high sticking method done with longer rods. Using the loops your tied at each end, attach the indicator between the end of your leader and your tippet. On the cast, stop the rod short, let the weighted nymph drop into the water first and hold the rod high. The idea is to keep the indicator out of the water or just on the surface while following the drift with your rod. As soon as you see the “spring” twitch open, set the hook. It’s also a good idea to coat the French Slinky with some floatant. Keep in mind that the French Slinky doesn’t provide enough flotation for heavy nymphing in deep water or long casts. It’s better suited to close-in pocket water nymphing or when a subtle presentation is required in slower water to spooky fish. I’ve found it works well with Tenkara rods because of their extra length but will also work well with conventional rods in the right situations.
Read MoreAbout Me
Jason Klass is a former fly fishing guide who now exclusively fishes Tenkara for trout in the streams and lakes of Colorado...Read More Latest Video
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