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It was a beautiful bluebird day this fall on the South Platte when the revelation hit me like a miscast 4/0 Clouser to the forehead: I have never really tenkara fished! Now, before you use my own words against me and bring up the impotence of labels, let me explain. I was fishing with Daniel from Tenkara USA and Karel from Tenkara on the Fly. Of course, we all had our tenkara rods and were fishing tenkara flies but two things happened that lead me to my catharsis…
The first was a comment Daniel made. He said that fishing dry flies with tenkara is pretty much unheard of in Japan. That raised my eyebrows because up until a few months ago, I was a confirmed dry fly fisherman. It was only recently that I started to fish the typical wet sakasa kebari so iconic of tenkara.
The second thing that really drove it home was when Daniel observed my presentation. I was fishing a sakasa kebari, but not really making what would be considered a tenkara presentation. Instead, I was twitching the rod tip very fast, giving the fly a very erratic action. I had used this presentation before and had caught fish but Daniel explained to me that this presentation might attract the attention of some small fish, but a slower, more pulsating presentation would be more effective on larger and wiser fish. Once he showed me the technique, I realized that the way I was presenting it must have made the trout think my fly was having a seizure due to an overdose or something.
The combination of these two things lead me to realize that all this time, I had really been “fishing with a tenkara rod” rather than “tenkara fishing”. In other words, I wasn’t really thinking of tenkara as a technique. I was thinking of tenkara as gear. Basically, I was fishing the same way I always had–I just replaced my western rod and reel with a tenkara rod and thought that was it. I was making the same upstream and downstream dead drift presentations and not even making an attempt to apply the presentations tenkara masters in Japan use. It was enlightening, yet a little disheartening at the same time.
So, what is the takeaway from this? Well, let me emphasize that this post is purely meant to be descriptive rather than prescriptive. I would never condemn anyone for fishing their familiar techniques with a tenkara rod (after all, that’s what I’ve apparently been doing for two years now!). But, in light of these revelations, I am setting a personal goal for myself.
Now that I’m comfortable casting tenkara rods and have built up confidence in fishing sakasa kebari, I want to take it to the next level and start employing more traditional Japanese presentations. Will I never fish a dry fly again? Of course not. But I will make an effort to understand and practice the techniques Daniel showed me that day in the interest of my own growth as a tenkara angler. And one day, I hope to confidently say that I went “tenkara fishing” instead of just “fishing with a tenkara rod”.
Jason, thank you for this entry.
I would not be able to imitate a comparable hatch, size and life like imitation (and presentation) with a dry, midge or any life cycle without my Tenkara rod vs a western rod.
In the least I am able to fish Tenakara in the USA.
Good post.
I have long said that there is tenkara as a tool, and then tenkara the method. Great overlaps between both, but the method has a whole lot to it, and that’s what I like focusing on.
Hi Daniel, yes, the title of this post could just as easily have been “Tenkara as a Tool vs. Tenkara as a Method”.
Jason, thanks for an eye opening read. Is there any books or videos out there that teach some Tenkara technique?
Tom, check out the video page on the Tenkara USA website: http://www.tenkarausa.com/video.php
You can learn a lot about presentation and casting techniques there.
Jason, I’m glad you brought this up. It’s something I’ve been thinking of for a while but have been uncertain how to address. To me tenkara is a method of fishing, just as Czech nymphing is a method of fishing. Tenkara rods, lines, flies etc are specialized equipment designed specifically for that method. I think most people outside Japan either have never heard that before, or reject the notion, thinking that any fishing they do with a tenkara rod by definition is tenkara fishing. To say otherwise is to risk being viewed as elitist or something, even though no one would consider you elitist if you said “you aren’t Czech nymphing if you’re fishing a single dry fly.” Similarly, it shouldn’t be viewed as elitist to say you aren’t tenkara fishing if you’re fishing a pair of beadhead nymphs. I’m not a purist, and a lot of the fishing I do is not tenkara per se. It’s just as much fun and at times more productive, but technically, it is fishing with a tenkara rod rather than tenkara fishing.
Chris, as always, great insights. Agreed that fishing your normal way with a tenkara rod is just as fun and I would never knock it. I just find myself more and more interested in learning the Japanese techniques because I like to explore different methods.
Jason, great post. Working on traditional Japanese style kebari fishing is now my New Year’s resolution.
A side note, you and Chris seem very concerned with not appearing elitist, prescriptive, whatever – neither of you are even remotely elitist as far as I can tell. Don’t lose any sleep over it! Just make some more technique videos.
Thanks Alex!
Great read, thanks.
I think if there is any benefit for a person, like myself, coming to tenkara without any previous experience in western fly fishing it may be that you have nothing to unlearn. My knowledge of tenkara technique is 100% limited to on line posts (like yours here at TenkaraTalk and TenBum) and the few available technique videos (like at TUSA). I have yet to even see a person fishing tenkara other then myself.
No doubt I would learn volumes from spending a day or two with Daniel, Chris or yourself but hey at least I have nothing to unlearn. I too will make an effort to better understand and practice the techniques of tenkara rather then focus as much on tenkara gear. No easy task for me!
Do you think it’s best for someone new to jump right in with a tenkara wet fly vs. trying a western dry fly first? This might depend on if the individual is coming from a Western fly fishing background vs. brand new to the sport. Myself, I’m rather new to fly fishing and have yet to catch a fish with a Sakasa Kebari. However, dry flies and poppers have produced results. Now that I’ve gained some confidence, maybe it is time to concentrate more on technique and give the wet flies another shot.
Good post.
That’s a good question and I think you’re right that it depends on if they come from a fly fishing background or not. Personally, I think the most important thing for people new to fly fishing is to keep them motivated right from the beginning and the best way to do that is to catch fish. So, if that means fishing a dry, then that’s what I’d recommend. I think people should catch fish, have fun, and then once their confidence is up, study other techniques. There’s always time to explore other methods later, but beginners need to get excited about the sport from the start.
Jason – Beat me to the punch on this as usual. I may still write something up on the blog, but I went through the same metamorphosis. Fishing western style with the tenkara rod, then gradually realizing that I was doing this. But I have to say that I am a “see it with my own eyes” kind of guy. So I’m not sure what “tenkara” means to the Japanese tenkara angler – I’m not sure who the true purveyor of “tenkara fashion” is or ought to be. Perhaps it is – as with western style – that there is no “tenkara” but only a continuum with vocal proponents located here and there along that scale saying what tenkara is or ought to be.
It is something that I’d really like to experience myself – tenkara in Japan – to get a feel what it really is.
I will say this though – I think it is a square peg/square hole thing. When you find tenkara working best, better than western tools and tactics – then maybe that is what tenkara really is. I know personally what that has been for me – and I know when I’m trying to make that square peg fit in a round hole. Of course it is always possible to fit that square peg, you just have to alter it’s shape, with a knife or with a hammer – but then what your left with isn’t what you started with. It may work but it is definitely a new thing.
As a newbie to tenkara, I love the info you have (and the discussions you provoke) on your blog. Thanks,,,,,
I’m more interested in precise understanding of the technique for fishing kebari fly. I’ve watched every video on the internet and DVD, read everything, but I am still not convinced that the spectacular failure of kebari tie flies in my region (copper version excepted) relative to other patterns was likely due to problems with how we fish them.
Jason, perhaps you could do one of your special small tube videos focusing on the technique now that you have reached enlightenment? with emphasis on what you’ve changed. Pretty please?
In Japan Tenkara is described as “ten colors” because of the variation in the types of flies, rods and lines fished. The Sakasa Karbi style flies are not even the most used, or at least mentioned in the literature, by Tenkara anglers. Based on the research of Yoshikazu Fujioka san.
Now that Tenkara has come to the States perhaps we should increase the number of colors to 15 or 20, to reflect the new adaptations we are now applying.
I just noticed – you have three (tenkara) rods with you, I hope you are not succumbing to the temptations of the dark side of western gear specialisation again…..
I always bring at least 2 tenkara rods-just in case one breaks. And sometimes I bring more to test different rods with different lines.
I do see (and could understand) the “purist” way of Tenkara. Have watched, read the videos, correspondence and articles. From these, have come to the conclusion that in order to enjoy Tenkara for myself, I will fish with any numerous rods, fly patterns of any style shape or form. This is in no way to show any disrespect. Without those who fish Tenkara in the traditional way, there would be no Tenkara in America. From all this I have come to learn that I can fish my Tenkara rod(s) in different waters with any fly pattern and catch fish easier. When someone askes me what rod I am using, I am proud to show them. America is a very diverse place with many many styles of fishing. I am very grateful and blessed that I have been able to add another style and learn it effectively with all the help of those who publish.
Well put Chris!
once again you have written the exact same experience that I went through. my first season I felt I was fishing western style with a Tenkara rod, by my second season Im not sure when the revelation came but I figured out that the tenkara “equipment” works best when using the tenkara “style” of fishing. I truly believe that tenkara can be made into whatever the fisherman wants, just like western fly fishing. but it really becomes a finely tuned machine when operating under its original intentions. the more tenkara that I fish the more that i am realizing that I no longer need to test the limits of tenkara because its original design works so superbly. and I also think that, thats why we dont so so much experimentation in japan, because they have already figured it out 🙂