Lately, there has been a great deal of interest in a new form of fly fishing called Tenkara. By new of course, I mean it’s actually very old and the fly fishing mainstream is just starting to catch on.
Let’s take a look at this type of fishing, and see if we can’t discover a new facet of this fantastic sport.
So What Is Tenkara?
Tenkara in Japanese, literally means “from heaven.” It’s a form of fishing that has been around for at least 200 years. The basic premise is using long (I mean really long!) fly rods (10-13 feet) that do not have a reel attached to them.
All you have is a long rod with a cork handle, attached to a line. The whole idea is to focus on the pursuit of the fish, not the equipment itself. It is fly fishing striped down to it’s most basic form. Rod, line, and fly.
Traditionally, bamboo was, and is still used. All though, rods made from more modern materials can also be purchased.
Emergence Of Tenkara In The West
Even though Tenkara has been around for such a long time, it has largely been an unknown practice in the West. This was the case until 2009, when Tenkara USA was founded in San Francisco.
Tenkara USA is the first company to offer a full compliment of Tenkara equipment. Everything from rods, line, and flies are available.
Interestingly enough, anyone used to purchasing traditional Western fly fishing equipment will find their Tenkara counterparts to be quite affordable. Rods are available starting at only $135, and since there is no reel, this will be the bulk of your purchase.
Additional Information About Tenkara
I am very interested in Tenkara. I think it really brings fly fishing down to it’s simplest form. If you would like to learn more, I highly suggest you visit TenkaraUSA.com.
Here are a few links to some of their blog posts that I enjoyed, and I hope you enjoy as well.
Tenkara Japan: A Quick Preview
Montana, A Tenkara Perfect State!
I hope this is as interesting to you as it is to me. Let us know what you think. Do you have any experience with Tenkara? Are you planning to try it out? We would love to hear from you in the comments section.
See ya on the water…