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Category Archives: Philosophy

Tenkara in Retail

Why Tenkara Fails in Retail

For years, I’ve dreamt about walking into my local fly shop one day and seeing a section specifically dedicated to tenkara gear–they way they do in Japan. Well, it’s been well over a decade now and it still hasn’t happened. Buying a rod (especially if it’s a first rod) is a big decision for most…

April 5, 20229 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Is Tenkara Getting too Complicated?

Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion online about using data to choose a tenkara rod. This is driven by the fact that someone new to tenkara can’t walk into their local fly shop and test cast a variety of brands like they can with conventional fly rods–they just don’t stock them. In fact, you’d…

March 14, 202212 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Fly Tying Robot

Why Robots Can’t Tie Flies

I often see advertising for “hand-tied flies”. This makes me laugh because ALL FLIES ARE HAND TIED! As a marketer by trade and a fly tyer by passion, I find this deceptive and insulting. Who do they think they’re fooling with this messaging? In reality, the majority of commercially available flies are tied (by humans)…

February 9, 20224 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Scratch the Hatch

Changing Flies vs. Changing Tactics

I recently read an article by one of my favorite fly fishing authors, Dave Hughes, in which he wrote something that gave me pause for thought … Had I read this quote in my pre-tenkara days, I would have agreed 100%. “Match the hatch” was my mantra and I thought the essence of fly fishing…

January 30, 202211 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

FBSetImage

The Answer to Every Question in Fly Fishing

“It depends”. That’s it. In the fly shop, I probably get 100 technical questions every day. “Which size tippet should I use?” “Should I get a 5 wt. or a 6 wt.?” “What are the best flies to use right now?” And my answer is always the same: “It depends.” Because it does depend. On…

July 24, 20191 CommentPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Felt vs. Rubber Wading Boots

Why I’m Pro-Felt

Over the last several years, a debate has been raging in the fly fishing world that comes up so frequently, I thought it better to write out my position on it so I can link to it rather than explaining myself time after time. The debate centers around felt-soled wading boots vs. rubber, with the…

February 9, 201917 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Tenkara Civil War

Let’s End the Tenkara Civil War!

I’ve had a good talk with several veteran tenkara anglers and here are some of my thoughts on the current state of the tenkaraverse. I think we all really need to stick together and realize that even though the sport has grown, we’re still a niche within a niche, within a niche. We should all…

August 12, 201719 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Okuma Fly Box

Not all “good” fly fishing gear is expensive and not all expensive fly fishing gear is “good”

Lately, I’ve been flipping through the pages of some recent fly fishing catalogs and have been shocked by the prices. $800 for a rod? $500 for waders? $750 for a reel? I was disgusted by what companies were charging these days for gear that is slightly better than (or in some cases worse than) their…

August 16, 201613 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Tenkara Gear

Hoarders: The Tenkara Edition

I recently had to send a tenkara care package to a friend and thought it might be a good opportunity to clean up and organize some of my gear while I sifted through what to send–kill two birds with one stone. By the time I emptied the first bag (of several bins, bags, boxes and…

June 3, 201610 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Daniel Galhardo on Tenkara in 2016

Daniel Galhardo of Tenkara USA swung by my new house today and gave a great forecast of the future of tenkara. Let’s listen …

May 15, 201610 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Ignoring Local Advice

My friend Randy and I worked together in the same fly shop in Western New York for several years and we had kind of a running joke between us. Customers would always make comments like, “I wish I could work in a fly shop. You guys must get to go fishing all the time.” The…

September 12, 2015Leave a commentPhilosophyBy Jason Klass

Tenkara Techniques

Tenkara: Then, Now & Next

The nice thing about being an early adopter of a newly introduced niche sport is that you get to observe its evolution—kind of like watching a child grow up and witnessing all of the “firsts”. You get to see the first smile, hear the first words, record the first time they walk on their own.…

September 9, 201524 CommentsPhilosophyBy Jason Klass
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About Me

Jason Klass is a former fly fishing guide & casting instructor based in Colorado. He was an early adopter of tenkara in the West and has been fishing the method for a variety of species since 2009. Read more >>

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Tenkara + Backpacking!
Is there any other sport that goes better with tenkara than hiking and backpacking? Be sure to also check out my ultralight and DIY backpacking gear blog.

Tenkara and Backpacking
Latest Posts
  • Wader Bag
    How I Pack My Wading Gear (+2 Tips)
    May 15, 2022
  • Tenkara Strike Indicator
    New Tenkara Line Sighters (Strike Indicators)
    April 23, 2022
  • The Junk Drawer Fly Box
    The Junk Drawer Fly Box
    April 21, 2022
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