Tenkara Help! Caught nothing. :-(

[Don Burton]

Last July my son and I went to Cottonwood Lakes in the Eastern Sierras. We didn’t catch anything. Here are some easily digestible details. Any insight is appreciated.

• I have experience fishing but am not very knowledgeable. I have always gone with knowledgeable people and I followed their lead.
• We used flies. I’m not sure what type they were. I just bought some cheap ones online because I’ve always heard the fish in high lakes are so easy to catch.
• Lots of people fishing when we went. Very popular area for backcountry fishing. Every one we saw caught at least some fish. We were the only ones using Tenkara rods.
• I felt like my technique was at an acceptable level. We got some nibbles and looks but still no luck.
• I felt like a rod and reel may have been more effective for these lakes so I could cast out farther.

I’m wondering if it’s my lack of skills/knowledge or the wrong tool. If it’s the former I’ll keep at it but if rod and reel are overall better for lakes then I may switch to one. Thanks

[W I S N E R !]

Plenty of fish are up close in alpine lakes.  Did you just walk up to the spot and start casting?  If so, they likely saw you from a mile away…

Tenkara is up close fishing, and in my experience- especially in still lakes- this means the fish can easily see you and your rod waving about and get spooked.  A rod and reel will allow you to put it out far enough that stealth isn’t an issue.

Try stalking them next time; approach the water’s edge low, don’t cast your shadow over it, don’t wave your rod over it.  Find a little cover if you can.  Work the area from your cover, cast in a fan pattern.  Usually if I don’t get a hit in the first few casts there’s nothing there or I spooked them and they won’t take.  Move on.

I’ve never found fish in those lakes to be picky about fly patterns, just use something small and buggy.  I like the Sakasa Kebari, a small Griffith’s Gnat, an Adams, or a small bead head nymph.  I’ve used nothing but the Kebari for a few seasons now.

Check out the Curtis Creek Manifesto…my favorite brief treatise on fly fishing.

I think you just opened a dangerous can of worms by asking how to fish tenkara on the internet!

If you’re still in the LA area I’d be happy to meet up, give you some flies (or show you how to tie them) and show you my setup.  I’m no pro, but I always catch decent fish so….

[Don Burton]

Ok, I won’t give up on Tenkara then… yet ;-) We did do those things that you mention. Stalking, being quiet, and not casting shadows. Maybe the fact that we went the first day of the fishing season (July 1) and there was lots of activity on the water’s edge it made it more difficult for us “short casters.”

Yes, I still live in L.A. (South Bay). I’d love to take you up on your offer but I’ll have to wait until mid April when my show wraps and I have time. What area are you in? Even though I have lots of backpacking friends, I’m always looking for more because many of them can’t go when I go and aren’t as obsessed either.

[W I S N E R !]

Maybe it was just a bad day….

I work in Culver City but live up in Altadena….surf the South Bay (El Porto/Manhattan Beach) a lot.  Could meet out there sometime.  Let me know!

[Ken Thompson]

Reason why it’s called fishing, not catching. Good pointers Craig.

[James Marco]

I agree, good pointers.
“Lots of people fishing when we went.” Tenkara fishing by nature is short line fishing. If they were casting further, they likely avoided all the shore noise and got out 40-50′. With Tenkara, you need a quiet place for the shorter casts…typically, 25-30′ casts will be the limit.
“We got some nibbles and looks but still no luck.” This is often the wrong size fly and/or the wrong movement and/or wrong depth and/or the the wrong pattern, in about that order of importance.

After casting a nymphy looking bug, wait a few seconds to let the water settle. Then wiggle the tip slightly as you start to retrieve. The goal is to mimic the movement of a bug, usually 1″-6″ as it darts and stops. For a dry(rare)/emergent a bare 1/4″ movement is sometimes too much. Move and let it sit for a second to 5 secs. Note that while stream fishing, current will supply movement.

Size: Use around a #16-#14 for most nymphs/emergents, #14-#12 for most wets/traditional Tenkara flies. No, I do not believe in the one fly approach, just tie the same pattern normal, tight on the small hooks and full and normal for the large hooks to get smaller sizes or larger ones(you can hit a size 18 to a size 10.) Adams(tied with hen), pheasant tailed nymph (weighted & unweighted), some black nimphy ones are a good starter selection, usually tied in three sizes each. The exact pattern doesn’t matter a lot when fish are dumb or hungry, but matching dry/emergent, emergent nymph and deep nymphs does. The “lookers” may be taking an emergent nymph(full of bug) at 2″ below the surface and ignoring empty(shucked of bugs) nymph “casings” at 0-1/2″…hence the look. Try a little saliva on the fly, it will change the float depth. Most Tenkara fishing will be between 1″ and a couple feet…the intermediate range. Line Dressing (sink and float) and weighted flies will widen your depth range. Mostly, Tenkara fishing is wet fly fishing so nymphs and emergents are the targets. It is more difficult to false cast a Tenkara rig. You can adjust most patterns with a X-fine wire or a heavy wire for hooks.

For lakes, it helps to NOT disturb the water. Fish hear very well. Walking up to a fishing spot or wading wet always means at least a minute or two of little to no movement as the water settles. Too many people means the Tenkara fisherman needs to leave, because the fish will move away from shore and others will cast further, hence shutting you out. For small streams, it works really well, though.

Tenkara fishing is limited by distance. You cannot cast too close, nor, too far. Depending on your exact setup, it is likely not what you were looking for in a “lake” rod. Tenkara is usually set up for streams.

While I set up an old 2weight rod as a Tenkara, I always felt it was too limiting in distance (I used a 10′ rod and standard ~20′ furled line with 3′ tippet,) but worked well in the small 3-10′ wide creeks for small brookies. I went back to my old 7’6″ 4weight with a reel. I often use about 10′ of line with a 12′ leader and 2′ tippet. But, I can cast shorter (about 15′) and still set a hook or pump out 75-100′ if needed, and, it only weighs about 8oz more (rod,reel,line.) Still use the same flies, though. Landed several brook trout in the 4-5 pound category in NY.

[Ben C]

In some Sierra lakes, you will catch fish no matter what.  They see you. The drop is bad.  They don’t care.  They’re starving.

Other lakes are harder.  That’s where the technique becomes important: stealth, dropping the fly nicely, etc.  It’s fun when you improve.  As to technique, I would take Craig up on his offer.

[Alex Wallace]

Good days & bad days. The worst day of fishing is still better than the best day of ____________.

“We got some nibbles and looks but still no luck.”

Nibbles? Those were most likely strikes and you missed an opportunity. Easy to do with Tenkara. Lots of different advice on this point (go check out Tenkara Bum), but I’d say just practice.

 

[Don Burton]

Alex,

That’s what I was afraid of with those “nibbles.” Damn, that was fast. I guess I’ve got to set that hook sooner.

[Alex Wallace]

Yeah unfortunately I’m speaking from experience here. I’ve had the same thing happen to me – still do.

[Jack]

I would concur RE strike detection and setting the hook. A good way to practice is to go after some sunfish in clear water near home. Watch and feel the fish take the fly and set the hook accordingly. Then do the same on a cloudy day where visibility isn’t great and do the same thing. It helps to keep your casting line off the water; this will make it easier to feel a take and see a take by watching for any movement in the casting line. Another strategy is to use frequent casts; cast, keeping the casting line off the water, wait a few seconds and cast again. You’ll find that you hook up while preparing or on the back cast.

 

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