Tenkara rods

[skiltonian]

Anyone using them? I'm seriously thinking of getting one...but have a few questions.
what length - I'm thinking 8.5' for versatility even though a know longer is better
How much should I really spend - ebay has them under $100 and patagonia has the kit for over $200.
Do i need to tie my flies differently?
Can you use a strike indicator or do you need to?
Do the sections get stuck easily?
How do you land fish - assume just hand-over-hand the length of the rod?
If you use them - how often - is it something that you now use more than the fly rod with exception of travel.
What else do I need to know?
Can you land bigger fish - say carp?
Anyone that got one and that didn't wind up using it - want to sell it?- as getting one cheap would help my decision.


thanks in advance!

 

[jeremymcon]

I bought a tenkara rod from fountainhead rods that at the time I think I paid around $50 for. I think mine is 11 ft long. I don't believe you can buy one that's only 8.5ft. I didn't buy one of the special furled tenkara leaders - just used 15lb fluorocarbon for the line (mono isn't dense enough to cast).

I ended up not liking it. I found the line difficult to manage (no reel), and it's just not that fun to cast. I'd much rather cast an actual fly rod. Plus I cause they're so long and the line is so long, you can't really use them in small or even slightly brushy areas, whish is most of the places I fish.

The rod manufacturers generally say to use no heavier than 5x tippet so that the rod doesn't break. So if you think you can land a carp on 5x without letting it take any line, then go ahead and fish for carp with it!

Landing fish is basically letting them swim in a circle until they're tired, then lifting the rod and bringing the fish in to you. Generally the line is about as long as or slightly longer than the rod.

No indicator - tight line nymphing is what you'll want to do with a tenkara rod.

I do like that they pack up so easily, so I have kept mine to use if I ever go backpacking or hiking near to a trout stream.

 

[gentleshepherd]

I have 2 rods one a TenkaraUsa Yamame which is a bit of a heavier rod and I also have the Ebisu which i like because it has a pine wood handle(kinda cool) I do use furled leaders and do have a good time with them. They do take a bit of getting the hang of casting ( about 1/2 hour on grass or pond) Trees are a learning experience as well, but when you figure u=out some of the casts (bow and arrow is a good one) you will be in great shape. These rods are not really made for monster trout but they can be caught. My biggest to date is an 18" brown trout. Got to YouTube and type in Tenkara, a lot of knowledge is to be gained there. As far as flies, you can use whatever you use currently but if you want to try to be authentic, watch a few of the tying videos as well. I have been tying Tenkara style flies for the past 3-4 years and they really do work, minimal materials and just regular household thread. Sacrilegeous!!!!! But they work. Hope this helps.

 

[denovich]

I have 5 tenkara rods. I fished them exclusively last year.

http://tenkarabum.com is the place to go for info. He sells a number of different rods and has great descriptions of them and what they are most suitable for.

What you want to fish for will largely determine the type of rod you want. A rod you would use in a small creek for brookies is going to be different than what you want for catching larger fish.

I've caught carp, bass, catfish, via tenkara using a Daiwa 43MF (which is a fantastic big fish rod that still casts sweetly enough to cast a small fly with precision) I landed all of those fish on 5x tippet.

12-13' is the sweet spot in length. Unless you are fishing for brookies, then you might want to drop down to about 10' I have the Kitoyaki 27 (9'9"), it was my first... it's cheap, has a great feel, and is surprisingly stout. I've caught 16" bass on it.... but at only 10' the range is limited. You'll want a longer rod anywhere you're not limited by tree cover.

I have rods that are nearly 15', and while the length is useful, they aren't as sweet to cast... Beyond 14' they ALL feel tip heavy. They work well, but you aren't going fall in love with the feel of them.

Tightline nymphing is where tenkara rods excel. An 11' piece of 15# fluorocarbon with a few feet of tippet is an excellent line to start with. Buying the tenkara specific FC lines is a good idea because they are so visible. The line is your indicator and it will help you learn to cast too. Just like euronymphing, the lighter the line, the less sag, the better your drifts.

They are also amazing at throwing dry flies... but you need to learn to deal with wind, getting close enough without spooking the fish, or dealing with long lines and a hand retrieve.

There are a lot of jokers piling into the tenkara rod market as of late. I bought a $10 tenkara rod straight from China... and it's maybe worth $10. I think if you are going to have the sort of experience that makes tenkara a joy to fish, you need to spend a bit more on the rod. Tenkara bum's Nissin Fine Mode Konsui 390 and 380 ZX-2 Ways would be good first choices... they run about $130-150.

I really enjoy the method. It's so convenient, very handy for backpacking, great for kayak fishing and makes catching small fish fun, but can still catch huge fish on the same rod. They are really remarkable fishing tools.

Just don't expect it to be easy the first day... it does require some practice, do your homework. It's no different than learning fly fishing... although you can still have success your first day out. My 3yr old daughter has caught bluegill solo fishing poppers.

 

[somersetian]

I want tenkara rod. I have been watching a lot of youtube videos about fishing with tenkara gear and I think it looks fun. People were fishing drys, nymphs, indicator nymphing, I suppose you could fish little streamers. I just like the simplicity of it, and perfect drifts with no drag sounds nice. While sometimes I think managing line and mending adds to the fun of fly fishing, especially when it results in a fish it would be nice to just get rid of that aspect for an afternoon and catch fish. My finances won't allow me to get one for awhile, but I plan on it.