Seeking advice on best Tenkara for southern half of JMT

[Keith Fultz]

I am ready to venture into the Kentara world.   I would like suggestions on which rod to buy.   I don’t want to go expensive route if possible   $100-$150.    I have fished a lot in the Sierras and know some spots where I can expect to get up to 18 inch golden or hybrids.   Any suggestions would be great.  Thanks

[Russ Bogardus]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hi Keith,</p>
I highly recommend purchasing a TenkaraUSA rod. They start at $170 which is a little more then what you would like to spend but their  rods are of very high quality and their warranty is  absolutely fantastic, You can call them up and get a new rod segment in three days. Their Iwana ($170) will easily handle 20 inch fish. My favorite is the Sato which is a little more expensive but well worth it.

Happy fishing,

Russ

[Keith Fultz]

Thanks Russ,    I might go with your recommendation.     Can you also recommend the best lines and accessories.   I have done very little fly fishing.   I have had lots of success with spinning rods and even present flies well with a bubble,   but as I age, I try to limit weight continually.   So Tenkara is very enticing.   Thanks again.

[Russ Bogardus]

Keith,

Let me try to answer your questions. I started Tenkara fishing with a “furled” line and moved on to a 3.5 “level” line which is pretty much my go to line now. I use a bright orange fluorocarbon line (denser than nylon for the same diameter which means it is less effected by wind) approximately the same length as the extended rod. There is continuous dialog over furled versus tapered versus level lines, line color (clear or colored) and diameter. Colored lines are definitely easier to see and keep above the water. I use a 5X tippet fluorocarbon tippet 4 to 5 feet long. Fluorocarbon’s underwater optical characteristics are closer to water than nylon and hence more invisible. 5X works for me for all the fish I’ve hooked (20 inches or less). I go down to 6X 0r 7X when using (nymphs) in the 20 to 24 size range simply because there is less influence of the tippet on the fly.

Flies are a very interesting and hotly debated subject because of the difference in philosophy between western fly fishing and Japanese (Tenkara) fly fishing. Both camps believe that both the appearance and behavior of the fly is important. Western fly fishermen go to great length to mimic the shape, size, color and other physical characteristics (the appearance) of the insect. Taken to the extreme a western fly fisherman will carry hundreds of flies.  Tenkara  fishermen on the other hand believe strongly that behavior, how the fly swims or drifts in the water, is the most important characteristic. The extreme is using only one fly.  I, like most western Tenkara fishermen, fall in the middle. I use 10 (or less) standard patterns in different hook sizes. And since approximately 80 to 90% of a trout’s food is sourced underwater, most of my flies consists of underwater flies. I fish the Colorado Rockies between Fairplay and Salida and found Jason Kleis’s article a very good guide (Jason Kleis’s Top Ten Flies for Colorado http://coloradoflyfisher.blogspot.com/2011/11/kleiss-top-ten-flies-for-colorado.html).

Tenkarabum.com is my favorite website to buy Tenkara accessories like lines, tippets and other goodies. They also have a great set of neoprene gaiters that extend from above your knees to just above your ankle and attach with Velcro. Great for wet wading in rocky streams. The website has very good descriptions and explanations of the equipment they sell as well as a great forum.

Other websites that sell equipment and have both instructional books and videos include http://www.TenkaraUSA.com  and a U.K. website  https://www.discovertenkara.com/.

Instructional books include include:

“Simple Fly Fishing” by Yvon Chouinard et al.,

“Tenkara” by Kevin Kellehern et al. and

“Tenkara” by Daniel Galhardo.

There are also several members-only articles on Tenkara on this website.

Good fishing!

Russ

[Oneil]

Pretty good info from Russ. I’ve purchased both Tenkara USA and Dragontail rods, and I think Dragontail offers fantastic value. Also great CS, having sent out multiple sections to me very promptly after accidents in the field. I’d go no shorter than 12’ for Sierra lakes.

I love furled lines…so easy to control. I also keep it simple on the terminal tackle end, wit just a small assortment of standard Sierra flies, mostly nymphs. My kit is tiny and all in about 12 oz.

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