Tenkara USA 3rd Generation Traditional Line
Tenkara USA has just updated their traditional furled tenkara lines and I recently got mine and had a chance to do some test casting with my 13 footer. Here are my thoughts comparing it to the 1st generation monofilament lines and 2nd generation spectra lines.
Read MoreTenkara USA Yamame – Initial Review
I just got my Tenkara USA Yamame and wanted to share my initial impressions. Keep in mind, I haven’t fished with this rod yet but I’ve cast it and gone over every detail of its workmanship. I will have more info. after I’ve had it on the water but from what I can tell so far, the Yamame is a winner.
Read MoreFishpond San Juan Chest Pack Review
I have been using the Fishpond San Juan chest pack for a while now on a variety of streams and really like it for tenkara fishing. I couldn’t find one locally, but luckily, Colorado Skies Outfitters (my local fly shop here in Parker) was cool enough to pick one up from their distributor and got me one within 24 hours. That was great customer service! Here’s a video of what I like and don’t like about the pack.
What do you use to carry your tenkara tackle?
Read MoreTenkara USA Ito Review
Tenkara USA Ito
I recently broke down and bought a Tenkara USA Ito after hearing a lot of buzz and positive reviews on it. To be honest, my first experience with the Ito didn’t make a great impression on me. I had cast one a few times and thought it was too slow and longer than I really needed. But what I didn’t realize was that the Ito grows on you and once you fish it a few times and drop some preconceived notions, you finally realize it’s full potential and advantages.
Read MoreDaiwa Tenkara Line
I got my Daiwa fluorocarbon Plasma Line from Japan today. While I’m completely happy with my Tenkara Bum and Tenkara USA level lines, I Just wanted to try something a little different.
The diameter is 0.310 mm (0.012″) and is marked as a #3.5 line. This is a just little thinner than the Tenkara USA #3.5 level line, yet right in between the #3 and #4 Tenkara Bum lines. It might prove to be an interesting compromise of delicacy and castability in wind.
The color is pink and at first glance, doesn’t seem like it will be as visible as the Tenkara Bum Orange line.
I haven’t fished this line yet, but the first thing I did tonight was to make this 13 ft. line. I specifically tied a perfection loop at the end rather than a tippet ring so I have the flexibility to cut it down without having to worry about losing the ring on my upcoming backpacking trip.
I’m heading on a week long trip to Mt. Whitney Sunday and there’s a small lake on the way to the summit that made a fool of me last time I was there for not having a rod with me. There were dozens of trout cruising the surface with impunity just a few feet from shore and I was powerless. Not this time. I’m going fully armed with a Tenkara USA 12′ Iwana, a fully stocked fly box, and this line. Details to follow…
Read MoreTenkara Bum Line Spools
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?
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My Tenkara Fly Box
Today, I received my long awaited custom tenkara fly box made by Rick Setina. It’s even more beautiful in person than the pictures he sent me in advance lead on. The lid is Maple and has my name in Japanese (katakana alphabet) burned into the lower right corner.
The bottom is Cherry which contrasts nicely with the lighter color of the lid for a unique look.
Another unique feature is the wooden hinge. It takes a lot of skill to get the tolerances of a wooden hinge right and Rick did a fantastic job of making it tight, yet still easy to open.
Four magnets secure the lid when closed to prevent accidental openings.
There are four compartments that are much deeper than I had expected. This not only gives more capacity, but also helps prevent flies from blowing away in the wind. I can easily carry a large variety of different flies yet still easily identify and access them.
All in all, I’m ecstatic with my custom fly box. Rick’s workmanship is impressive and I look forward to having this work of art as my streamside companion for many years to come. After bearing witness to many Tenkara fly fishing memories, I’m sure I’ll be handing this heirloom quality fly box down to my grand kids who will hopefully appreciate its beauty, history, and uniqueness as much as I do.
If you’re interested in a wooden fly box like like this, email Rick here
What is your “prized” fly box?
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Nets for Tenkara Fishing
Tenkara Net
After many years of going “netless” I have recently become a strong advocate for using nets. I used to use a net when I fished for larger browns and rainbows back east. But for the small fish I was mostly catching since I moved to the Rockies, I always thought a net wasn’t really necessary and was just one more piece of gear to add to the “clutter” of all the other western gear I was bringing along.
But now that I’ve been using a net again, I’ve rediscovered it’s many advantages for both fish and fisher.
Advantages of using a landing net
- Provided you have fish-friendly mesh (i.e. fine enough not to snag fins or gills), a net is much gentler on the fish than hand landing. In the safety of the net, the fish is much less likely to injure itself by thrashing around on the rocks.
- The net allows you to keep the fish in the water, giving them the vital oxygen they need after the struggle. Imagine running a race, then immediately plunging your head in a bucket of water for 45 seconds when your still trying to catch your breath! That’s the way the fish feels when you take them out of the water to remove the hook.
- Keeping the fish in the net (and in the water) while removing the hook with hemostats means less contact with the fish’s skin which can remove their protective slime and invite diseases after being released.
- The net is an excellent picture taking tool. Since you can keep the fish in the water, you don’t have to rush to get your camera out and will have more time to get the perfect shot. The fish isn’t going anywhere and can breath so that gives you enough time to get a great photo.
- Nets that have a fine enough mesh can double as an insect net. Simply hold your net on the stream bottom for a few minutes to catch all kinds on nymphs and larvae that will give you better insight into what the fish might be feeding on. Another technique is to position the net just downstream of a rock, lift the rock up, and catch any insects that might be dislodged. I’ve even caught flying adult mayflies and caddis mid-air to identify them–like a miniature butterfly net.
- Nets improve your landing rate. A high percentage of break offs occur just as your bringing the fish to your hand. A net takes all the stress off the tippet sooner and reduces the chance of the fish breaking off.
Types of nets for Tenkara
Many years before I ever even heard of Tenkara, I carried an Orvis Stretch & Release net. It was a great net but because it’s long and shallow, it’s more difficult to keep the fish in the water because you have to almost keep the handle right on the water’s surface. And there was always the risk of the fish jumping out.
Orvis Stretch and Release Net
While it’s probably fair to say that any net will “work” with Tenkara, there is a certain style to the nets traditionally used in Japan. They tend to have round hoops, not rectangular like the net above. They’re usually deeper which makes it easier to keep the fish in the water and prevent them from jumping out of the net.
They also tend to have angled handles that allow you to tuck the net in your wader belt and carry it against your back. This keeps the net out of the way while still providing easy access. Here are a some examples of Tenkara style nets.
Tenkara USA Net
This is a gorgeous wooden net that is modeled after the traditional style of Tenkara nets, or, tamo. Traditional tamo are made from a single Y-shaped branch that is trained into shape through a fairly involved process. This particular net is actually made of two pieces of wood but still has a look and feel of heirloom quality. It would be difficult for most people to tell it’s a production model.
Tenkara USA Net
The mesh is a fine 2mm that will do double duty as an insect net as mentioned above. If you carry any Tenkara net, a good investment is a net leash. This allows you to attach one end to the net and the other to a belt loop or other piece of clothing to give you an insurance policy against loss on the stream:
Tenkara USA Net Leash
I like this net a lot because the handle is very ergonomic and the hoop size if just right for the size of trout I typically catch. I also like the fact that the mesh is a light color which allows me to better see nymphs or larvae I catch while using it as an insect net. For the quality, the price tag is hard to beat. Get more information at Tenkara USA.
TrailLite Designs Ti Tenkara Net
Tenkara has become very popular with ultralight backpackers and for good reason. The rods are about as light and compact as you can get, making them ideal for packing into the backcountry. To meet the demands of the gram counting backpacker, TrailLite Designs has created a Tenkara-style net that gives you all the convenience and function in a mere 2.5 oz. net.
TrailLite Designs Ti Tenkara Net
The hoop is titanium while the handle is carbon for an incredibly light, yet incredibly strong net. It comes in two versions–one with an angled handle more like traditional Tenkara nets, and the other, straight to make it more compact for packing in a backpack.
I’ve always given up the convenience of nets while fly fishing on backpacking trips, but with this net, there’s no reason to. The mesh is the same 2mm mesh used on the Tenkara USA nets giving backpackers the multi-use feature of doubling as an insect net. For more information, visit TrailLite Designs. You can also read my review of the TrailLite Designs Ti Tenkara Net here.
DIY Tenkara Nets
If you’re slightly ambitions and a bit of a tinkerer, you can make your own Tenkara net. You don’t have to be an expert woodworker, but there is a bit of luck involved in finding just the right Y-shaped branch (in just the right type of wood) to start your project.
A DIY Tenkara net in progress by Dennis McGraw
A small, subculture has sprung up around DIY Tenkara net making. Perhaps it’s the lack of options available in the U.S. right now, or just the fact that it’s fun and rewarding to fish with a unique net you made yourself, but it seems to have already become a passion among many Tenkara Anglers.
The best resource right now for aspiring net builders is the Tenkara USA Net Forum. There, you will find many tips and advice for building your own nets as well as lots of examples of all the beautiful variations different types of wood and techniques can produce. It is truly a form of art.
Do you use a net for Tenkara? Which kind?
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Titanium Tenkara Net
Thom Darrah from TrailLite Designs has hit another home run for ultralight tenkara anglers and backpacking fly fishers. You may know Thom as the inventor of the Ebira Rod Quiver. Now, Thom has set his sites on nets and has designed what might just be the lightest fly fishing net in the world.
The Ti Tenkara Net features a titanium hoop attached to a carbon handle. When I first put it in my hand, I had about 5 minutes of disbelief that a net could be so light. According to TrailLite Designs, the net is 3 oz.; however, on my scale, it weighs in at 2.7 oz. My scale is pretty reliable so I’m inclined to lean toward the lower weight. BTW, the 12 inch carbon handle is absolutely gorgeous in person. The pictures really don’t do it justice. And in case you’re wondering, no, the handle doesn’t get slippery when wet.
While the titanium hoop is very thin, it’s incredibly strong. I thought I would be able to bend it easily but it was surprisingly resilient and would easily hold the weight of any fish that would fit into the net. The opening is 10 inches wide.
The hoop is attached to the handle with a very secure connection that enters the sides of the handle and then bends down into it and is reinforced with a graphite plug insert.
The net bag itself has a generous depth of about 9 inches which is perfect for most of the fishing I do. It’s not a “big fish” net but you could probably get a 16-incher in there if you had to. Bonus: the mesh is fine enough to use as a bug net! It won’t catch midges, but I put it on the bottom of the stream bed in a nice run for a minute or so and was able to catch a variety of PMD nymphs and caddis larvae. I’m pretty impressed that a net so light could also be multi-purpose.
Keeping the fish in the water while you fumble with your camera is a great way to get a picture without harming your catch.
For those of you who prefer a more traditional tenkara-style angled net, TrailLite Designs also offers an angled version. I prefer the “flat” model since it’s easier to pack while backpacking.
Overall, this net design exceeded my expectations. I can’t think of one design change I would make. As a fly fisher who does a lot of backpacking, I no longer have an excuse to ditch my net because it weighs too much. This is the holy grail of ultralight nets.
My one nitpick (and it is a nitpick) is that the net doesn’t float. That would be a good feature but I’m probably asking too much given all of the other virtues of the Tenkara Ti Net.
I will be bringing this net with me on every trip now since the convenience factor far outweighs the weight penalty (get it?). If you want one, the nets are available here.
Read MoreSuzumi Custom 32 Tenkara Rod
A friend of mine recently returned from Japan with a nice surprise for me: a Suzumi Tenkara rod!
The 10.5 foot (3.2 m) rod feels incredibly light in the hand despite the slightly heavy weight of 2.7 oz. weight. I think this is because the rod is slightly stiffer than what I’m used to fishing with. I normally fish a 6:4 action rod and this one feels more like a 7:3 (but I need to get someone who speaks Japanese to confirm it). The action is extremely crisp and and can make dead accurate presentations–a nice dry fly rod for pocket water!
Read MoreTenkara USA Line Holder Review
Tenkara USA Line Holder
If you’ve been following this blog, you might know that I’ve been playing around with some different methods of line management for Tenkara lines. I’ve tried more traditional gadgets such as aged bamboo line holders, cheaper solutions like foam spools, and even some outside-of-the-box ideas like adapting add-ons from the spinning and bait casting realm. They all have merit to some degree but I have recently decided that the “blue spools” from Tenkara USA are the most practical. Here’s why…
Read MoreThe Ebira Rod Quiver
The Ebira is a rod quiver for tenkara fly rods such as Tenkara USA rods and the Backpacking Light Hane. It features a removable pocket to hold a fly box and tippet spools that can be accessed without taking the quiver off. “Ebira” means “quiver” in Japanese and while they were traditionally worn over the left shoulder, this Ebira can be converted to both right and left handed use. To learn more about the Ebira, visit the Ebira page in the gear store.
Read a review of the Ebira at Tenkara Bum.
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About 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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