When I started tenkara and first learned that many tenkara flies were tied with sewing thread, I was appalled. I mean, anything other than 8/0 Uni thread was sacrilege! And sewing thread was just plain crude. This was mostly because I was used to tying more complicated flies where sewing thread would be too thick.…
DetailsOne of the main reasons the sakasa kebari style fly is so effective is because the hackle moves underwater making it look alive (click here for an underwater video to see one in action). Like most flies, tiers use feathers for the hackle on their sakasa kebari. This is because the fibers are usually soft…
DetailsThe other day, I was wondering where tenkara was most popular outside of Japan. I had a few suspicions and did some quick research on Google Trends to see if I could get any insights. What I found wasn’t shocking, but I must say I was pleased. According to Google Trends, the U.S. tops the…
DetailsIn 2010, I introduced an on-the-rod tenkara line management system using EZ Keepers. At the time, I was really only trying to come up with a line storage solution for myself. But three years later, I now see pictures of people using EZ Keepers on their tenkara rods all over the internet so it’s pretty…
DetailsWhen RIGS fly shop introduced their floating tenkara line and tenkara nymph line last year, they answered the prayers of many tenkara anglers who fish outside the “tenkara box” that were craving specialty lines. The floating line made from an actual PVC running line (same stuff your regular fly lines are made of) was a…
DetailsThere’s a healthy online debate on fixed-line rods that have a cork grip vs. no grip (essentially, a flared extension of the blank). I prefer cork grips because they’re just more comfortable to me. Contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with weight for me. Rods without grips are just too thin and…
DetailsI was talking to a tenkara gear designer the other day about the problem of trying to accurately describe rod action. The conversation was especially interesting to me because this is a problem I face every time I write a tenkara rod review (and one I’ve often been criticized for). Part of the problem lies with the…
DetailsIn his book Purple Cow, Seth Godin wrote the following: While driving through France a few years ago, my family and I were enchanted by the hundreds of storybook cows grazing in lovely pastures right next to the road. For dozens of kilometers, we all gazed out the window, marveling at the beauty. Then, within…
DetailsEver since Tenkara Rod Company launched their wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, I’ve been eager to get their rods on the water. Today, I finally got the chance to field test their two initial rod offerings: the Sawtooth and the Teton. Here is my side-by-side comparison from unboxing to stream. The Sawtooth Open Length: 12ft (360 cm)…
DetailsThe first thing I think of when I hear “silk fly line” is bamboo. Some say that there is no smoother combination than a bamboo rod and silk line. And since the action of tenkara rods is often compared to bamboo, it would seem like silk and tenkara would go hand in hand. After my…
Details“Man cave”, “gear room”, “fishing room”, “sanctuary”…no matter what you call it, we all have our special little corners of the world where we gather our gear, come up with new creations, or just generally meditate on our sport (even if it’s just a corner of the garage). This is mine. And I’d like to…
DetailsIt happens everyday. A perfectly good fly is mercilessly mutilated by trimming down its hackle, leaving nothing but horrific, ungodly stumps of barbules. These poor victims are scarred for life and nothing can reintegrate them back into mainstream fly box culture. They become the “untouchables” of their fly box compartments. You might think hackle clipping…
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