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tenkara gear, techniques & philosophy

クラス

Tenkara USA

Sakasa Kebari Underwater Video

No matter how many times I see a sakasa kebari underwater, I’m always surprised on how alive they come underwater–with even the slightest twitch.  No wonder they’re such effective flies.  Here’s a quick video I shot today in both normal speed and slow motion to show how well the hackle moves in the water.

7 CommentsFly Tying
Oct92012

Tenkara no Oni

Have a Tenkara Question? Ask a Tenkara Master

I recently posted about Masami Sakakibara’s (AKA Tenkara no Oni) new English-language website and how it opened up a world of information to the western world.  Well now, I’m pleased to announce that Sakakibara-sensei has agreed to do an interview with me!  My first reaction was to send over a list of my own questions…

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12 CommentsInterviews
Oct72012

Nissin Tenkara Line Spool

Nissin Tenkara Line Spool

Tenkara line spools seem simple enough.  After all, they’re basically just spools.  And this might lead on to believe that they’re all pretty much the same.  But I’ve found that some actually better than others.  I’ve mostly been using spools from Tenkara USA and Leica and have been very happy with them but when I…

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20 CommentsLine Holders & Spools
Oct42012

Snatcher Flies for Tenkara

Snatcher Flies for Tenkara

I recently wrote that I’ve been tying and fishing palmered flies for tenkara lately.  My theory is that if the hackle is spread out over more of the body of the fly, it will give the pattern more movement and, thus, be more attractive to fish.  So I started tying flies with hackle palmered through…

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14 CommentsFlies, Fly Tying
Sep302012

Tenkara Times Try Rod

Tenkara Times 1st Step Rod

Tenkara Times is a relatively new player in the rapidly growing tenkara market and I recently had a chance to field test one of their rods.  Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly on it… Specs Length: 365 cm (12 ft.) Closed length: 56 cm (22 in.) Weight: 73 grams (3 oz.) Handle length:…

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13 CommentsTenkara Rods
Sep282012

Tenkara fly

Pheasant Palmered Kebari

While the majority of my tenkara fishing is done with a sakasa kebari, I’ve also been experimenting with some hybrid flies that combine the fish catching qualities borrowed from my days steelhead fishing and classic British palmered flies. “Palmered” just means that the hackle is wound through the body of the fly rather than just…

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12 CommentsFlies
Sep262012

Yamakawa’s Tenkara Line Furling Machine

I know this isn’t a great video but I’ve been getting a lot of interest in Eiji Yamakawa’s furled tenkara lines since my recent post.  This is footage I took at the 2012 Tenkara Summit and while it was difficult to get a good shot because of all the people crowded around and I’m not…

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2 CommentsDIY & Hacks
Sep242012

Ito-on-S.-Platte

Why Getting Skunked Makes you a Better Angler

It might sound strange, but I have come to believe that fishless days can actually be a good thing (well, every once in a while, that is).  And I’ll even take it a step further and add that ultimately, I think they make us better anglers and deepen our appreciation of the sport.  I’ve been…

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25 CommentsPhilosophy
Sep192012

Sempai Furled Tenkara Line

Sempai Furled Tenkara Line & Yamakawa’s Tenkara Line Formula

Over the weekend, I got a chance to field test a prototype line made by John Veterlli of Tenkara Guides.  It’s a hybrid line based off of a formula invented by master Japanese tenkara angler Eiji Yamakawa (a.k.a. “Eddie” on the Tenkara USA Forums).  While I’ve pretty much been fishing tenkara level lines exclusively over…

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14 CommentsTenkara Lines
Sep162012

Emma Klass with Tenara Gear

A Picnic, The World’s Youngest Tenkara Angler, & Dissing Conservation

My daughter Emma doesn’t know it yet, but she’s the world’s youngest tenkara angler.  I say this because even though she’s only four months old, she embodies the spirit of tenkara.  She takes pleasure in simple things, lives completely in the moment, and basically just takes a beginner’s mind approach to every experience.  My wife…

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11 CommentsTrip Reports
Sep152012

Recycling fly tying hooks tenkara

Recycling Fly Tying Hooks

Let’s face it.  Even the most expertly tied fly is not immortal.  Though it might have escaped the perils of underwater snags, tree branches lurking in our backcasts, or weak knots, it will eventually succumb to the merciless jaws of countless trout ripping it to shreds.  And at some point, it’s time to retire it.…

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12 CommentsFly Tying
Sep122012

Gyotaku Trout Print

Gyotaku Brook Trout Print

Today, I received my long awaited gyotaku print!  In Japanese, “gyo” means “fish” and “taku” roughly translates to “rubbing”, so “gyotaku” could be translated as “fish rubbing”.  Basically, the process involves painting a fish (literally), then laying a piece of washi paper over it, rubbing it to transfer the ink (or paint) to the paper,…

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17 CommentsArt
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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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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.

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