It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Tanuki rods. They’ve become an icon in the tenkara industry and I own several, including a Pocket Ninja, Snow 325, and Ninja. Their rods are known for being incredibly light, sensitive, and visually unique–instantly recognizable from afar. I’m also a good friend of the owner, Luong Tam,…
If you read my recap of the 2023 Denver Fly Fishing Show, you may recall that I discovered a company called ESZ. If you’ve never heard of them, don’t worry. Neither had I! Naturally, I had to investigate. I ended up talking quite extensively with the owner Ziye Zhang (who goes by Ethan). It turns…
Over the last few years, it’s been rare for Tenkara USA to release a new rod. For a decade, they relied on their same tried-but-true rods like the Iwana, Ito, etc. to carry their lineup and built a following around it without really developing new rods or innovating their existing ones. But all that changed…
There’s a long running joke in tenkara about losing your rod plug or end cap. Most rod plugs are either black or wood colored making them the perfect chameleon when dropped on the forest floor or river bank. And it’s not always easy to find a replacement. But Minimalist Gear Co. has come up with…
My experience with fly fishing gear (and gear in general) is that whenever something tries to be two things at once, it’s usually not good at either of them. Think fly/spin combos. I’ve never seen one that was both a good fly rod AND a good spin rod. It seems that there is always some…
At the 2019 Tenkara Summit today, Tenkara USA made a pretty big announcement: the reissue and redesign of their discontinued Ebisu rod. The Ebisu was a favorite among many early adopters of tenkara in the West because of its soft 5:5 action and many lamented its demise. But I think many will be glad to…
When my friend Luong Tam of Tenkara Tanuki first told me he was designing a new rod called the “Ninja”, I have to admit I wasn’t exactly excited. I was already a fan of his Snow 325 and other rods I had cast at trade shows and didn’t see how he could really improve on…
I remember back in maybe 2011 or 2012, there was a quite lengthy debate online regarding tenkara rod handles. It started when people began using fixed-line rods such as Keiryu and Seiryu rods for tenkara. Many of those rods didn’t have what would be considered a “grip” (the handle of the rod was just the…
If you follow this blog or my tenkara Facebook page, you’ve probably seen pictures of me holding one of four rods in my trip reports: The Oni Type I, the Tenkara USA Ito, the Oni Type III, and more recently, the Tanuki Snow 325. That’s because these are my four favorites–each with its own unique…
In an industry full of “me too” companies, Zen Tenkara has always stood out in my mind as one that isn’t afraid to stray from the pack, break with convention, and do their own thing. Owner Karin Miller’s tagline is “Defining American Tenkara”, and whichever side of the whole “what is and isn’t tenkara” debate…
For those of you who are familiar with so-called “universal rod caps”, you know they’re worth having a few on hand for when you inevitably lose your rod plugs to the same vortex that also devours guitar picks and socks. If you’re not, then you’ll be happy you read this. “Universal rod caps” are exactly…
Ever since the 2017 Denver Fly Fishing Show when I first cast a Tanuki rod, I’ve wanted one. Though I had corresponded with the company’s owner, Luong Tam, over the years, it was the first time we’d met in person and I got a glimpse into his unique and sharply honed tenkara rod design theory.…
I recently had a chance to try out the newly designed NIRVANA 400 tenkara rod from DRAGONtail Tenkara and have nothing but good things to say about it. I’ve known the company and its owner, Brent Auger, for several years now and have always been impressed by how they’ve consistently put out tenkara gear that…
I’ll admit it. I’ve been keeping a secret from you. I’ve had this rod for several months and am just now getting around to writing a review of it. It wasn’t on purpose. Life just gets in the way sometimes. But if anything, it’s give me a chance to really put through its paces and…