Short Tenkara

[W I S N E R !]

I’m finding I use my 9′ Iwana kit far more than I use the stock 11′ model. Fishing High Sierra alpine lakes, I’ve never really had to put it way out, primarily fishing shores and inlets and outlets. And the longer backcast can be a drawback in many places anyway. It seems Tenkara USA has discontinued the 9′ adapter/handle though. It’s a smaller handle that allows you to remove the larger handle and one section of the 11′ rod, converting it to a 9′, which I think is brilliant.

I’m preparing for a solo backpacking/fishing trip later this week and came across this while browsing Tenkara-Ya:

Shimotsuke Tenkara Gen “Short Tenkara Rod”

At $70, if I didn’t already have a short setup I’d be all over this rod. Might pick it up when they’re back to shipping anyway…

 

[stephan q]

I was thinking the same about short tenkara. Found this; https://www.ebay.com/itm/Maxcatch-Tenkara-Rod-9-10-11-12-13FT-Fly-Fishing-Rod-7-3-Action-Telescoping-Rod

Just about to order a 270/9ft.

stephan

[Ryan Jordan]

9 ft is plenty long enough for *most* backcountry tenkara situations.

Its main limitation will be throwing a long level line out, for those of you that need the reach to distant deepwater shelves on an alpine lake. There’s just not enough energy that can be stored in the limited flex of a short rod for long level line casting.

Short tenkara rods tend to be stiffer and very easy to overpower as well, which for many, will suffer accuracy issues. But this can be overcome with practice.

[brian H]

re High Sierra lakes…i have had most of my luck – esp in the larger, deeper, somewhat ‘sterile-looking’ lakes – using full sinking lines…which of course need a stout rod to throw. still not ready to forsake the versatility for weight savings…gen speaking.

[Ryan Jordan]

@b14 yes, trophy trout lurking deep, especially goldens in high lakes, are going to be tough on tenkara. I’ve had some good success using a 40-foot level line with weighted flies via tenkara when I’m able to troll from a packraft, but that’s still pretty limited relative being able to use a conventional fly fishing (with reel) setup and a sinking line.

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