Tenkara is a method of fly fishing that originated in the mountains of Japan and has now developed into a modern pastime. It uses quite long rods, fixed lengths of casting line attached to the rod-tip and simple, impressionistic wet fly patterns. Most tenkara anglers attach just one fly at a time to the tippet.
What is the difference between tenkara and fly fishing?
Because tenkara involves flies, many people do consider tenkara to be fly fishing. But unlike standard fly fishing, there is no real line management apart from, possibly, mending You can’t strip line, you can’t make progressively longer false casts, and there’s no reel or drag.
Are tenkara rods worth it?
Even dry flies can be comfortably cast at distances approaching thirty-five feet. All of it can be done with either a fly rod or a Tenkara rod. To me, the extra length of a Tenkara rod is the only significant advantage for fishing a tightline method, and it’s not worth the trade off.
Is there fly fishing in Japan?
Today, fly fishing remains a popular sport in Japan and most rivers and lakes are managed by local cooperatives who sell licenses on their ‘beats’ by the day. The waters within a few hours of Tokyo are very busy at the weekends.
Is tenkara good for beginners?
The method of tenkara, in all its simplicity, lends itself perfectly well for beginners In fact, we find that people who have never picked up a fly rod before might have an even easier time learning how to cast with tenkara than people who may be used to using a heavier fly rod setup.
Is Tenkara fishing hard?
Tenkara isn’t nearly as difficult to pick up as more traditional fly fishing with a rod , but you’ll expedite your learning process by getting a few hours of coaching on a river. After that, you can pretty much pick things up on your own with a little perseverance. Get out and practice fly fishing as much as possible.
Can you catch big fish on tenkara?
Tenkara rods are capable of landing pretty large fish We have seen 29-inch pike, 7-lb bass, salmon, carp, and everything in between being caught on our tenkara rods. And this is the tenkara gear we recommend if you’re often after large fish.
Can you use regular flies with tenkara?
Tenkara rods work very nicely with western flies Dries, wets, emergers, nymphs, bucktails, midges – you name it, you can fish it. The light rod and light line make it harder to cast wind resistant flies, and the extremely flexible rod make it harder to get hook sets with weighted nymphs.
How far can you cast with tenkara?
Normally, with a tenkara, you’re fishing with at most 15-20 feet of line, and you’re relatively limited by how far you can cast. But because the Ito is so long, you can reach far across streams that might be 15 yards across At only 4 ounces in weight, the rod is lively, and light, especially at the 13-foot length.
What flies to use with tenkara?
- Glass Bead Takayama Sakasa Kebari. I didn’t invent this fly–just made a variation of it by using two glass beads for the head instead of thread
- Calligraphy Brush. Many Japanese flies like the Takayama above use peacock herl for the thorax
- Clear Creek Kebari
- Japanese Lantern
- Futsu Kebari.
Can foreigners fish in Japan?
You don’t require a fishing license for either saltwater or freshwater fishing in Japan, except for commercial fishing operations However fishing in most lakes does require that you buy a fishing permit.
Can Tourists fish in Japan?
Japan is also a haven for deep-sea fishing Many companies and tours operate from the coast, taking visitors out onto the waves and the chance to catch a wide variety of ocean-living creatures. Booking a tour is a practical way you can enjoy fishing on the open seas, as going out on your own will be pretty tricky.
Do they have trout in Japan?
The two types of fish he caught, yamame and iwana – are trout species native to Japan And they can get large, said Motohiro Ebisudani, or “”Ebi,” owner of Trout & King Fishing Tours and Hussar’s Tokyo-based guide.
Are tenkara flies wet or dry?
Tenkara All Purpose Flies It can be fished both a dry fly and a wet fly , though its construction is more similar to most tenkara dry flies. Some tenkara fishers only use one fly pattern, often, one that can be fished both wet and dry. Dr. Ishigaki himself usually fishes this pattern as a wet fly though.
Who invented tenkara?
Tenkara fishing originated in Japan more than 400 years ago and originated with professional fishermen in the mountain streams of Japan who found it an effective method of catching the local fish, yamame, iwana and amago.
Who invented the Tenkara Rod?
Tenkara history can be traced back more than 400 years, when Japanese anglers caught cherry trout with unsplit bamboo rods tipped with horsehair lines tied to simple fly patterns. Ishimura opened her fly box and held out a traditional tenkara fly.
What do tenkara flies imitate?
These flies are basically the same as a sakasa kebari, only with the hackle facing back rather than forward. Many western anglers fish these in a swing or Reisenring Lift to imitate emerging pupae during caddis hatches but they work equally as well as general attractors.
Why are tenkara rods so long?
A longer rod makes it easier to hold your line and leader off the water and stay in direct contact with your fly or flies You can reach over currents, rather than laying your line across them and risking your fly being dragged off course.
Where are tenkara USA rods made?
I am very proud that our tenkara rods are made in China.
Are there rainbow trout in Japan?
Rainbow trout have successfully invaded waters in Hokkaido, northern Japan , where the likelihood of flooding is low between June and July, when their fry emerge, but successful invasions are rare in regions south of Hokkaido.
Why does Japan Overfish?
Changing consumer trends and pressure on marine resources have driven this decline, which has resulted in Japan’s share of global seafood production, including aquaculture, falling by 85 percent between 1985 and 2017, from 13.4 percent to 2.2 percent.
Can you use braided line for tenkara?
Overall, the Cortland braided level running line is a good choice for tenkara.
How big does a tenkara fish get?
Most of these rods are heavy, and were not created to cast a fly. Luckily, tenkara rods quite nicely cover the range of trout I do encounter. Including the big fish. To me, “big fish tenkara” means trout and char around 18 inches up to the mid-twenties.
Are tenkara flies weighted?
There is historical evidence of tenkara flies that were wrapped with copper thread to make them heavy And, we also know of tenkara anglers in Japan using weights above the fly.
Can you use tenkara on lakes?
That’s probably why I’ve been attracted to tenkara to begin with ’cause there’s no other tool in my experience, to fish a stream like a tenkara rod. But lakes, a tenkara rod line of fly works perfectly well in lakes as well.
How much line do you put on a Tenkara Rod?
There are no exact formulas here, but typically we recommend starting with a line length similar to the length of the rod plus 4 feet of tippet With more experience, and when a larger or more open body of water calls for it, gradually experiment with longer lines.
Do tenkara rods have reels?
Unlike modern fly fishing, the tenkara rod lacks a reel Instead, the fishing line is tied directly to the tip of the rod. The rod is made with a flexible tip that effortlessly absorbs a fighting fish’s shock, for a minimalist fishing experience.
How does a Tenkara rod work?
In tenkara one just uses a rod, line and fly A fixed length of line connects to the tip of the telescopic rod. Casting the fly to where you think the fish are is very quick to learn and intuitive. Landing the fish even more so.
Sources
https://troutbitten.com/2018/05/30/the-trouble-with-tenkara-and-why-you-dont-need-it-2/
https://www.thewadinglist.com/trout-in-japan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenkara_fishing
https://www.tenkarabum.com/
https://www.discovertenkara.com/knowledge/tenkara-fishing/