Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing Looking for Tenkara advice

How would you recommend getting started?

Id get a 2 wt fly rod 6 to7 ft over a tenkara basciallythe same and much more practical. Ive played with tenkara quite a bit

Buy an outfit from - https://tenkarausa.com and they also have a ton of videos.

I have one (traded a muzzleloader for it) and have played with it a little. If it's used in the right place it's really a lot of fun but in the wrong setting it's just a pain in the ass and I wanted my 3 weight back. They are really light and compact and I suspect they would be just the thing to take on a mountain hunting/backpacking trip where fishing was not the primary focus.

I found out that Tenkara style fly fishing doesn't meet NH's criteria for fly fishing and is illegal to use on fly fishing only waters.

From: http://www.eregulations.com/newhampshire/fishing/freshwater/definitions/

Fly-fishing: Fishing by trolling or casting with only fly rod, fly reel, and fly line combination with an artificial fly or cast of artificial flies attached, and does not include the use of spinning, spincast, and casting rods and reels and lead core lines.

It would have to be a truly "well I'm going to get him on something" warden who see's a Tenkara and say's "not fly fishing". That being said, I've seen some "amazing" conclusions on North Woods law

I sent an email to NH f&g and got this response:

"I believe it does not meet the definition of Fly fishing. In the digest page 8. https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/publications.html".

Fly-fishing: Fishing by trolling or casting with only fly rod, fly reel, and fly line combination with an artificial fly or cast of artificial flies attached, and does not include the use of spinning, spincast, and casting rods and reels and lead core lines.

Vikki Leonard, Administrative Secretary

I can only picture that the lack of a true "fly line" is their gripe - Fix that by putting 3" of fly line between the tip and the leader.

It is certainly in the spirit of fly fishing and practically there is no difference. I suspect they would lose in court on this one.

The place I have actually had the most fun with it is on a pond with bluegills.

I'd secure a Tenkara rod and get at it.

Get the book "Tenkara" by Galhardo. Tenkara is very effective especially in pocket water.

I'm using about 6-8 feet of level fly line plus my leader. Should be G-2-G so far as fly fishing. No reel, but everything else .. not like I'm using a "wrong" reel like a spinning or level wind.

For the most part I agree with the folks who would rather use a conventional fly rod, however .. application. I spend a lot of time out exploring canyons with no real intent to fish. I'm jumping logs, plowing through brush, falling on my ass fairly frequently. I'm not taking my "good" fly rod into that crap when I have no expectation of fishing. My tenkara rod is a Nissin pocket mini 270, something like 8' 10". Rather than multiple joints, it telescopes collapsing to about 9 inches in length. I carry it inside a 10" piece of 1" diameter PVC pipe .. pretty well protected even if I fall on it. If I do stumble over water that looks fishy, I have SOMETHING, even if it doesn't have a reel.

Tom

Well in GA we just grab a Bream Buster and some rubber leg spiders. Flip it up under bushes and around lily pads.

Works with a bead head prince for trout up in mountains, too.

Spend some time reading at the tenkarabum.com site and the ten colors tenkara forum. While Daniel Galhardo and Tenkara USA is the largest force behind the popularization of Tenkara in the USA, he’s not the be all and end all.

T_O_M, how do you like your Mini? I’ve heard nothing but good things, but haven’t found a need(as yet) for a rod that compact.

That wouldn't meet the definition of gear that is approved for use on fly fishing only waters.

In waters that aren't designated as being FFO, throwing a fly with any sort of gear is acceptable. When I lived there, I threw nymphs with a long spinning rod, using water filled casting bobbers in non-FFO waters.

I'm very happy with it. I haven't used it a whole lot and I'm still learning, but it is fun. I'm pondering adding the 360 version for places where a little more distance would be handy but I'm still not ready to pull out a conventional fly rod.

Tom