Tenkara Iwana 11′

[Mike Hensel]

I was looking at the TenkaraUSA site and I do not see the Iwana 11' model, only the 12' model. Any one know what is up with the 11' Iwana model?

I see on the site they have a handle that will convert a 12' Iwana to a 11' Iwana, but you have to pay the extra dollars.

Eddited to correct some spelling.

[Craig]

I think the idea might be to reduce stock. My understanding is that you replace the 12ft handle with 11ft one and remove next section up; rest of rod is the same. The old 11ft and 12ft rods appeared to be identical from those sections up (I have several of each).

[Bob Salcedo]

craiglist and ebay are full of tenkara rods!

Regardless of what the "founder of Tenkara USA" says… it's dapping. Accurate, fun, and ultralight dapping, but many people found that they could get a (VERY) similar experience with a 9.5' western rod or light bamboo and still keep the option of a 40+ foot cast into an alpine lake.

I enjoy my Tenkara set up (13') for the portability and simplicity but, many people bought first and changed their minds about it. Save some bucks and get one used.

Bob

[Jason McSpadden]

I just did a quick search for Tenkara Rods on Ebay and Craigslist. I see only one rod on Ebay and no rods on Craigslist. Craigslist does have a number of ads for line–but no rods. According to the above post maybe I'm missing something .

[Mike Hensel]

Thanks everyone, I found one.

[Josh Leavitt]

"Regardless of what the "founder of Tenkara USA" says… it's dapping" ??????

"still keep the option of a 40+ foot cast into an alpine lake." ??????

I just returned from the Wasatch fly expo a few hours ago. Where I observed multiple people, including Daniel from Tenkarausa, casting 40+' lines, with 13' and 14.5' rods. Everyone is entitled to their own preferences, and opinions, I can respect that. But its not dapping, of course if thats what you do, thats cool. And you can cast 40+', maybe you dont, or cant, thats cool too.

[Greg Mihalik]

Well, with a western rod you could just do a float and a nymph, but that is pretty limiting. And pretty short sighted.

With tenkara you could just dap, but that would be pretty short sighted as well.

But if you want fast easy 20' to 30' casts across seams, without mending, tenkara will get it done. If you want to clean up on pocket water and pull fish off the bottom of eddies, tenkara will get it done. If you euro nymph, swing wets, and throw an occasional dry, tenkara will get it done, and very well.

If you are exclusively into match-the-hatch with drys at 50', stick with western.

And, like Bob said, if you want to try it, save some money and buy one used.
Or, for around $200, you can get a new rod, line, tippet, and flies and be good to go.

[John Jensen]

I've caught a few trout in sierra lakes with a blank ant, just a few feet from shore. I'd think that would work with a 11' tenkara rod. I hope so, because my Fountainhead 330 is in the mail. (If anyone does tenkara in or near so-cal, drop me a line.)

A thread-tied black ant looks kind of tenkara-ish.

[Mark Ries]

If you are casting a 40 ft line with a 13-14 ft tencara rod how the heck do you get the fish in? Walk backwards and pull it to shore?

[Paul Gibson]

40 foot is on the very long side of thing for Tenkara but there are some folks using that much line. Most folks will use generally at most 20 foot lines and many of them will be more in the 15-18 foot range. Regardless of the line length(unless the line is shorter or at most equal to the rod length) landing fish is always the same basic process. Once the fish is hooked and has started to wear down (slows their fight against the rod) you simply angle the rod back, while keeping your arm close to the body and bent at the elbow and wrist pull the entire rod backward till you can grasp the line gently with your free hand. Pull line in and pinch it with your finger and thumb on your rod hand repeat until the fish is close enough to net or grab by hand. If at any point in the process the fish decides to make a run you just let the line smoothly slide back out between your rod finger and let the load of the fighting fish transfer back on to the rod and begin the process of wearing them out and bringing them in again. With most fish (each one is different of course) up to around 16" or so this process will take less than a minute from hooking them to releasing them again. The longest fights I have had on Tenkara have lasted less than 2 minutes total for fish up to about 22 inches. Once you have done it a few time it's becomes fairly automatic and once you feel the balance turn in your favor as the fish wears out it only takes seconds to get them to the net.

Cheers,

Paul
Arrowhead Equipment
Tenkara-Fishing

[Mike Hensel]

Thanks Craig for the reply. It's still a shame you have to spend the extra $35 to get an 11' model.

Wow what thread drift. LOL

[Mark Ries]

Sorry bout that just couldnt imagine 40' of line with no reel and still cant. Also it looked like you had got a rod and your question was answered. Again sorry

[Jason Fitzgibbon]

Josh Jensen, I just came across your post… I returned from the sierras yesterday, fishing a black ant on my Fountainhead 360, I landed brookies on almost every other cast.

I'm also down in Orange County and have been slaughtering the local ponds for bluegill and bass, fun stuff. Contact me if you'd like to fish sometime, we'll be trying to cram in another trip or two to the Sierras before first snowfall.

[Craig]

Allfishingbuy sells cheaper alternatives, might be worth a look if price is the key – quality not as good as TUSA, but still fine for fishing.
Chris Stewart (aka Tenkarabum) also sells a collection of shorter rods that you might also be interested in, quite cheap and quality. I love his so-called "tanago" rods, but I will use them for larger trout not micros as sold. At the prices offered, I intend to push them beyond "where no angler has gone before"(apologies to trekkies, and yes, i admit that i did watch the original series).

[Paul Vertrees]

Tenkara is just dapping only if you limit yourself to doing it that way. I have never "dapped" with a tenkara rod, and probably never will. I've used tenkara exclusively since 2009, have fished hundreds of days with it in the Colorado backcountry. The only one limiting you on what you can do with tenkara is the nut behind the butt. My tenkara rods can deliver a dry fly as delicately as any western rod, and when it lands softly on the water I don't have to mend line. :)

[David Adair]

Paul- There seems to be a little underlying competition as to whether the tenkara or western fisherman is at the top of the "art". I have no opinion one way or another. Still, couldn't help but notice that the western fisherman managed to coax a "rise" out of you!

[Ryan Biggin]

Hi Craig,

How are you? You don't know me but I noticed your replies on a post regarding Bubble Wrap. I have a machine that produces this product. If you would like more information please contact me. Sorry but I wasn't sure how to send a PM.

Regards

Ryan Biggin

[Author]

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