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 tenkara a fly fishing?
A rare but simple type of fly fishing born in Japan, tenkara is primarily used to fish for trout and other fish in the freshwater mountain streams. Tenkara fly fishing in Japanese means “fishing from heaven” or “fishing from the skies.”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 do tenkara flies imitate?
While this may sound like heresy to some, the fact is that dry flies imitate living insects They move twitch, fidget, flutter and fly off. Fly tiers work hard to design flies that impart a subtle, lifelike action to their designs. Having the advantage of a reverse hackle on dry flies makes sense.
Can you use regular fly line on a tenkara rod?
You can certainly choose one line, either tapered or level , and do all your fishing with it. I like to fine-tune things a bit and prefer to use different lines with different rods.
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.
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.
Is Japan a good place to fish?
Japan’s ample mountains make the country an ideal place for fly-fishing Due to the rugged landscape and abundant snowmelt, all of the major islands have many rivers and streams perfect for casting off.
How old is Tenkara fishing?
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.
How do you catch Ayu?
The method used today to catch ayu is a very interesting one found only in Japan. It takes advantage of the fish’s own territorial instinct. A ring is attached to the nose of a live ayu, and another hook to its belly. The ring is then attached to the fishing line, and the fish is sent out into the stream.
What kind of line do you use for tenkara?
Line length will be between 8 feet and 25 feet, and tippet length will be between 3 and 5 feet long The main qualities we look for in tenkara lines are the right weight and visibility. The tenkara line must be heavy enough to cast yet light enough that the line will stay entirely off the water once the fly lands.
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.
Are there trout in Asia?
They are distributed naturally throughout North America, northern Asia and Europe Several species of trout were introduced to Australia and New Zealand by amateur fishing enthusiasts in the 19th century, effectively displacing and endangering several upland native fish species.
What size Tenkara rod should I get?
Generally speaking, we always recommend using the longest rod you can get away with This will give you more reach, help you keep more line off of the water and give you more control over your fly (one of the main benefits of tenkara). A 12ft (360cm) tenkara rod is a very standard length for tenkara.
Where are Tenkara rod co rods made?
Most tenkara rods are made in China , even a lot of the Japanese brands make their rods in China or Thailand.
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.
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.
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 long does tippet tenkara take?
In tenkara, we typically add 4 feet (1.2 meters) of tippet to the end of our main tenkara line. But, anywhere from 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 meters) is acceptable The shorter length tippet is handy in smaller and tighter streams.
What is a 7 3 tenkara rod?
What is a 7:3? The definition given most often is a rod in which the 7 bottom parts are stiffer and the three tip parts bend more easily Even aside from the fact that most tenkara rods don’t have 10 parts, you still have a system that is of little use to tenkara rod buyers.
Sources
https://fishuntamed.com/the-upside-to-tenkara/
https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/fishing/tenkara-is-10-10-the-ultimate-no-reel-fly-fishing-guide
https://troutbitten.com/2018/05/30/the-trouble-with-tenkara-and-why-you-dont-need-it-2/