Let me start by saying I dislike plastic fly boxes. They’re ugly. They’re garish. They have no souls. They’re not things of beauty that will be admired and prized as heirlooms or collectables like Wheatleys. But, they’re not supposed to be. They’re creatures of utter utility whose only purpose in life is to store and…
My favorite tenkara rod and the one I use the most also happens to have the least ergonomically designed handle possible. It’s perfectly straight with no taper whatsoever. It’s an Oni Type I–an old one–back before they were mass produced like they are today. The originals were literally hand assembled by Oni himself in his…
Not too long ago, I was sent a card of Italian Mohair by Don Lux, prominent tenkara angler and the organizer of the recent tenkara fly swap. He wanted to see what I could come up with. Mohair is a notoriously difficult material to work with. It’s slippery and doesn’t dub very well, but what…
Every year, I look forward to the Denver Flyfishing Show as eagerly as an impatient kid awaits Christmas. I usually go every year but missed the last two years so I was especially excited to return and see what’s new. And I’ll spoil the ending by telling you there wasn’t much. As usual, there were…
Most of my flies tend toward darker or bolder colors: bright red, dark browns, peacock herl, etc.. And I typically tie them on black nickel hooks. I imagine it’s my subconscious clinging to an old rule I learned as a young angler: “Murky water, dark flies. Clear water, bright flies” Of course, this is true.…
If you were to put together a lineup of flies that iconically represented modern tenkara, the Amano kebari would be a sure candidate. It was invented by legendary Japanese tenkara angler Katsutoshi Amano and is the only fly he ties! Read a little more about Amano-san here. He ties it in a few different sizes,…
I love winter fishing. For the same reasons the warm-blooded amongst us do: fewer crowds, less pressure on the fish, no biting insects, and just overall quiet solitude–serenity amidst a white, Norman Rockwell blanket of snow. Of course, there are also downsides to winter fishing. Here in Colorado, many of the smaller streams get completely…
Giveaway Ends Tuesday, February 28th 2023 This contest has ended Countdown Last month I wrote an article on one of my favorite little gadgets: the Higonokami Knife. Well this month, I’m giving away one brand new, authentic 100mm brass Higonokami! To enter, click below & “follow” the Tenkara Talk Facebook page (if you already follow…
Making your own dubbing blends is not only simple and fun, but also opens up a vast realm of new creative possibilities for your flies. And you can get started today with things you probably already have! How-to segment starts at 04:23
When I got my new tamo (net) from Tenkara no Oni a couple of days ago, he slipped a few of his flies in the box (as he usually does). I already had some I got professionally framed several years ago that hang right above my fly tying desk. Two of the flies this time…
If put to a vote, I’d bet the majority of fly tyers would elect scissors as the most important tool on their desks. There are a lot of other tools you could easily go without, but scissors are essential for sculpting a tidy, respectable fly. As you might imagine, I’ve tried dozens of types of…
Sometimes, I find overlaps between tools I use at the tying desk and tools I could (and should) also use afield. Case in point: scissors. I used to trim materials from my flies on-stream to better suit the situation at hand using my tippet clippers. But I found that a small pair of tying…
Many years ago, I was gifted a small bag of dubbing from an English acquaintance of mine. I had no idea what I was holding in my hand at the time and little did I know that it would eventually fuel a minor obsession that countless others had fallen into before me. He told me…
If you visit my tying desk, you’ll notice two gadgets that have taken up permanent residence on the base of my vise: my scissors, and a Higonokami knife. The former would certainly make sense at a tying desk. The latter might seem a little odd, yet it’s nonetheless just as utilitarian (and certainly more storied).…