Of all the tenkara tricks I have up my sleeve, this one is my favorite and the one in which I have the most confidence. As you’ll see in the video, it’s pretty simple, but it works.
Jason is an avid fly angler and backpacker. As a former fly fishing guide originally from Western New York, he moved to Colorado and became an early adopter of tenkara which perfectly suited the small, high altitude streams and lakes there. He has not fished a Western-style fly rod for trout since.
Great video. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. The ability to manipulate the fly is one of the great strengths of tenkara and works equally well with sakasa kebari and traditional dry flies. Great fish, by the way.
great vid. i am continually delighted by how much control i have when fishing tenkara. it’s like having a magic fishing wand. from the slightest twitch to the most robust splash, skitter, or pop, and back again, it is all at your finger tip.
Hi Jason,
All of my Western friends laughed when I fished downstream 50% more than up stream. Except when I caught more fish. My thinking has always been if fish are holding in a quiet spot, be it an eddy or behind a rock, if you can float it down in front of their nose and twitch it. THEY will bite it.
Thanks for the backup!
Bob T.
Some thoughts, thanks for the vid, here is my payment for it as I have a few minutes and type fast.
It is good that you show how subtle the movement of the rod is, most anglers muscle the rod thinking it takes more…
From Masami, “The soft tip on the ONI rod will allow you to put subtle “Sasoi” action on your kebari.”
We have had some exchange about the different rods that he makes and their actions.
“Sutebari” is what Yoshikazu calls “showing the fly” by pecking the surface around the best spot them suddenly presenting to the favorable spot.
Myself, I typically move in an upstream direction, out of the water beyond the edge and using cover to conceal my movement. I move without clacking rocks together and pay attention to vibrations or sudden big movements, I am deliberate in my movement but not quick. I mind my shadow and the angle of the fish cone of vision.
My clothes are earth tone color and I pay attention to my outline. Military books on camouflage really are good resources to reduce passive attraction.
Downstream is the least percentage of presentation, one fish sees you, typically they check out quickly and other fish are put down. I do not fish heavily pressured waters so approach is important, gin clear and thin water is difficult to fish downstream. With a long Tenkara rod and line, you can get away with downstream but it is my least percentage of approach.
I use a regular grip, similar to a racquet grip. Finger point is not my chosen method. I hold the rod towards the end of the grip on most rods and I cast non-dominant arm if the approach favors it. I am slightly less accurate casting non-dominant.
Most of the opportunistic feeding trout streams that I fish, I pin point cast fwd once. Pinching kebari with free hand, little flik up and then cast forward to spot, usually fish on within a second or two, very cold water slower smaller movement with smaller size hooks, warmer brighter conditions, faster larger hook and movement.
Sakasa kebari (Takayama) but enjoy other types of Tenkara patterns, “working the fly” changing rhythm and or stroke if fish are not active. If fish are deeper, cast farther upstream penetrating the fly deeper into the water (thank you Jason for the tip on heavier gauge hook) so that fly gets down and move.
I find that if I am starting to blank, I will move the fly less before I move it more or differently. Drifting naturally, soft hackle will still move on it’s own due to micro drag from tippet.
Suspending line is premium, light line weight as possible, light tippet too, nothing larger than 5x.
Long of rod as possible, shortest rod is 3m and that is long. Shorten line for tight quarters, lengthen for open.
If I can, I now like fishing downstream as well using something very similar to this technique. It makes for very smashing hook-ups! This is my favorite techniques.
Jason, I find myself using whatever combination of techniques I sense are working for the current, depth or character of the water. I do mix up upstream or down retrieve depending again on the vegetation and water. I was so amazed that Masami Oni could be casting in so many directions and cover the water completely! As always, there are as many methods as there are Tenkara fishermen. The journey is the reward.
Great video, how are you liking your Oni Rod?
Would I be right in thinking that in fishing downstream you’re more than likely to be able to get a more positive hookset in a fish?
Hi Lynn, I think it does but would love to have others chime in with their experience.
the more i fish tenkara the better i like it i injoy all of your tips thx larry pauley
Great video. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. The ability to manipulate the fly is one of the great strengths of tenkara and works equally well with sakasa kebari and traditional dry flies. Great fish, by the way.
It’s one of my favorite methods too. Nice post and vid!
great vid. i am continually delighted by how much control i have when fishing tenkara. it’s like having a magic fishing wand. from the slightest twitch to the most robust splash, skitter, or pop, and back again, it is all at your finger tip.
Hi Jason,
All of my Western friends laughed when I fished downstream 50% more than up stream. Except when I caught more fish. My thinking has always been if fish are holding in a quiet spot, be it an eddy or behind a rock, if you can float it down in front of their nose and twitch it. THEY will bite it.
Thanks for the backup!
Bob T.
I do something similar fishing for Smallies on my spinning rod with a little feather jig I have.
I never thought about trying it with Tenkara or WFF.
Great tio Jason. Thanks for sharing.
Roy
I already fell for the tenkara hoax,I’m not falling for this. Fishing downstream, geez. 🙂
LOL, good one John
Some thoughts, thanks for the vid, here is my payment for it as I have a few minutes and type fast.
It is good that you show how subtle the movement of the rod is, most anglers muscle the rod thinking it takes more…
From Masami, “The soft tip on the ONI rod will allow you to put subtle “Sasoi” action on your kebari.”
We have had some exchange about the different rods that he makes and their actions.
“Sutebari” is what Yoshikazu calls “showing the fly” by pecking the surface around the best spot them suddenly presenting to the favorable spot.
Myself, I typically move in an upstream direction, out of the water beyond the edge and using cover to conceal my movement. I move without clacking rocks together and pay attention to vibrations or sudden big movements, I am deliberate in my movement but not quick. I mind my shadow and the angle of the fish cone of vision.
My clothes are earth tone color and I pay attention to my outline. Military books on camouflage really are good resources to reduce passive attraction.
Downstream is the least percentage of presentation, one fish sees you, typically they check out quickly and other fish are put down. I do not fish heavily pressured waters so approach is important, gin clear and thin water is difficult to fish downstream. With a long Tenkara rod and line, you can get away with downstream but it is my least percentage of approach.
I use a regular grip, similar to a racquet grip. Finger point is not my chosen method. I hold the rod towards the end of the grip on most rods and I cast non-dominant arm if the approach favors it. I am slightly less accurate casting non-dominant.
Most of the opportunistic feeding trout streams that I fish, I pin point cast fwd once. Pinching kebari with free hand, little flik up and then cast forward to spot, usually fish on within a second or two, very cold water slower smaller movement with smaller size hooks, warmer brighter conditions, faster larger hook and movement.
Sakasa kebari (Takayama) but enjoy other types of Tenkara patterns, “working the fly” changing rhythm and or stroke if fish are not active. If fish are deeper, cast farther upstream penetrating the fly deeper into the water (thank you Jason for the tip on heavier gauge hook) so that fly gets down and move.
I find that if I am starting to blank, I will move the fly less before I move it more or differently. Drifting naturally, soft hackle will still move on it’s own due to micro drag from tippet.
Suspending line is premium, light line weight as possible, light tippet too, nothing larger than 5x.
Long of rod as possible, shortest rod is 3m and that is long. Shorten line for tight quarters, lengthen for open.
If I can, I now like fishing downstream as well using something very similar to this technique. It makes for very smashing hook-ups! This is my favorite techniques.
Dale
Forgot to add that I have been fishing this technique basically since I got my first Tenkara rod.
Dale
what length of line were you using ?
Hi Craig, 20 ft. #3
Jason, I find myself using whatever combination of techniques I sense are working for the current, depth or character of the water. I do mix up upstream or down retrieve depending again on the vegetation and water. I was so amazed that Masami Oni could be casting in so many directions and cover the water completely! As always, there are as many methods as there are Tenkara fishermen. The journey is the reward.