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Thread: Tenkara - designed for bushcrafting ?

  1. #1

    Tenkara - designed for bushcrafting ?

    I used to be a keen fly fisherman, but haven't fished for years. However, I have been recently taken with the idea of Tenkara.

    For those not familiar with Tenkara, the best starting point is the commercial site http://www.tenkarausa.com/. There are other sites and it has developed some interest among backpackers.

    The obvious difference to modern fly fishing is that it doesn't use a reel, but a long telescopic rod, which tapers to a tip almost as thin as the line. Designed for fishing small mountain streams the long rod allows very precise and gentle casting with the ability to lift the line over the top of riffles and runs preventing drag on the line. But people are also using them for salt water fly fishing and for fly fishing bigger rivers.

    The principle is one of simplicity so an entire Tenkara outfit, can be a rod (collapsed to 50cm x 25cm and weighing 80gms), 4m of line, a tippet and a couple of dry or wet flies .

    Reel apart, the tenkara rods, give a normal fly rod action for casting, and from my mountain stream days, I never caught anything that needed played on the reel anyway,

    This seems a great way of carrying a fly fishing kit that weighs next to nothing and takes up almost no space. Certainly a Tenkara rod is in my near future, assuming I can sort out somewhere to fish !!

    I did buy a a very thin/lightweight (but cheap, £9.00 from China) "pole" to give it a try, but the action was awful , maybe not unexpectedly. None the less, I "could" fish with it if forced and as a "rod" it makes it legal.

    However, I think the whole approach is worth looking at if you are interested in fly fishing and bushcrafting/backpacking.

    I know no more about this than I have read, but if anyone wants to follow it up and not wade through the web site link and google, I will have a go at answering any question you might have.

    You will gather I am rather taken with the idea

    Graham

  2. #2
    Native RobbC's Avatar
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    Ive never came across this principle before, so far im loving the idea. I mean its less to carry and theres no reel to break. I will be watching this thread with interest. Great find!

    Robb
    Every mile on a river takes you further from home than every hundred miles on a road.

    I hope thats a birchbark canoe in your pocket.... - I guess i should give some credit to Metal Mug

  3. #3
    Samuel Hearne happybonzo's Avatar
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    It seems a bit like Pole fishing. Those things telescope and cost a fair bit less eg: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shakespeare-Ta...item20b5275f41

    or you could try one of these Pen thingys Pen Rod on Ebay
    Last edited by happybonzo; 25-04-2011 at 05:33 PM. Reason: added item
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  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by happybonzo View Post
    It seems a bit like Pole fishing. Those things telescope and cost a fair bit less eg: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shakespeare-Ta...item20b5275f41

    or you could try one of these Pen thingys Pen Rod on Ebay
    I've just watched a video introducing pole fishing and it seems to use bait, weights and doesn't involve any casting, he just sort of threw the line out, and he was sitting down while fishing, so I can't see any similarity to tenkara, other than a telescoping rod. Unless I'm missing something.

    But it probably explains why the pole fishing rod that I mentioned in my post to try out as a cheap tenkara rod was so useless at casting.

    And the pen rod, would be even worse at casting than the pole fishing rod.

    I wonder if we are looking at this from different directions. I'm interested in tenkara as a light weight and simple approach to "fly fishing", rather than a lightweight "survival tool" to catch food.

    Graham
    Last edited by myotis; 25-04-2011 at 05:58 PM.

  5. #5
    Samuel Hearne happybonzo's Avatar
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    OK, I see what you're getting at. try looking for what used to be called a Brook Rod. They are terribly light and can only throw the lightest of lines. I used one and it was not until I was taught how to roll cast properly that I ever managed to catch anything.
    I'm not sure if the "action" on any of the telescoping fly rods are any good at all. I suppose that they must be alright otherwise no-one would buy them.
    Regarding Pole fishing: I have used one to present mayfly and it was a killer
    Only my dog can judge me

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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by happybonzo View Post
    OK, I see what you're getting at. try looking for what used to be called a Brook Rod. They are terribly light and can only throw the lightest of lines. I used one and it was not until I was taught how to roll cast properly that I ever managed to catch anything.
    I'm not sure if the "action" on any of the telescoping fly rods are any good at all. I suppose that they must be alright otherwise no-one would buy them.
    Regarding Pole fishing: I have used one to present mayfly and it was a killer
    When you say brook rod are you talking about a fly rod, or some form of pole fishing rod? I've used short (7ft) fly rods with 4wt lines before, but never these ultra short ultra light rods that seem to be around now a days.

    I can see the pole I've got working extremely well as dapping rod with big mayflies or daddy long legs, but you don't really cast them, you just need to get them into the right place. I'm assuming you didn't roll cast your mayfly :-)

    And finally, have you looked at the Tenkara web site ? In terms of accurate and gentle casting these rods come across as the best anyone has ever used, I don't think you can judge them based on the telescopic travel fly rods that are around. One of the reasons Tenkara is so attractive is how good the rod action is.

    If you are interested in fly fishing, its worth putting a little time into getting to grips with what Tenkara is all about.

    Graham

  7. #7
    Moderator & Poshcrafter™ Martin's Avatar
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    I'd just love to have a go at normal fly fishing. It looks like the natural evolution of coarse fishing insomuch as you are constantly re-presenting the bait to the fish.

    If you take this further Graham, please post some pictures of your kit and even the fruits of your labour.

    Martin

    PS, is that a Scots accent I can hear in your posts?
    Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

  8. #8
    Martin,

    As you rightly picked up my Scots accent, it means I was lucky enough to be brought up on fly fishing, and I enjoyed the walking along river banks looking for a fish to try and catch, or tramping into a hill loch, but generally doing a lot of walking and not that much fishing.

    However, the part you obviously missed in my original post was that I haven't fished for years, and only raised the tenkara issue here as its something people aren't aware of, but seems to sit so well with both bushcrafting and back packing.

    Since coming south (first to Wales and now Somerset) I haven't had very good fishing experiences, in that I have spent money on club memberships (including additional fees towards club legal expenses) and rod licenses without managing to cast a line!! A story too long to tell, at least in here.

    But I seem to be on my third wind, and having discovered the SW passport system, I am back thinking about having another attempt to get fishing again. Still trying to work out whether I have the time.

    But hopefully one day you may well see the fruits of my labour, or indeed eat it !!

    Graham

  9. #9
    Samuel Hearne happybonzo's Avatar
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    A Brook Rod was/is the smallest and lightest fly rod made. They are rarely more than 7ft. I have seen 5ft Brook rods made in built cane but they were very tender and required the lightest of touch. I've got the name Shakespeare Oddesey at the back of my mind but I could be wrong
    Only my dog can judge me

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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by happybonzo View Post
    A Brook Rod was/is the smallest and lightest fly rod made. They are rarely more than 7ft. I have seen 5ft Brook rods made in built cane but they were very tender and required the lightest of touch. I've got the name Shakespeare Oddesey at the back of my mind but I could be wrong
    Ah OK, with you now. and you highlight one of the Tenkaa paradoxes, the Tenkara rods present flies much more gently than a brook rod would, but as 12ft plus in length they are a bit tricky on small over grown streams !!

    Graham

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