Selecting Tenkara Fly Rods

“I now own 10 tenkara rods. My name is Karel and I am a tenkaraholic.”

Karel Lansky

Clearly one of the key advantages of tenkara over traditional fly-fishing equipment is simplicity. Simplicity with respect to tenkara means less moving parts. Tenkara doesn’t have a reel. It doesn’t require the purchase of fly lines and backing. And the light weight of the tenkara rod and the fact that it telescopes down in size makes it the ultimate portable rod. You could also argue that there is less cost involved with respect to tenkara equipment and that wouldn’t be wrong. Of course, there are many of us, myself included, who support the fishing industry regularly by making sure we have more than enough of everything. That would include probably having more than one tenkara rod over time. In any case, the best insights on buying tenkara equipment are from those who have had years of experience with it. Personally, I use only one tenkara rod regardless of where I fish, big river or small. My tenkara equipment consists of a 12-foot Iwana rod (www.tenkarausa.com), 13 feet of traditional tenkara soft braid line (furled) and a 5X leader between 3 to 4 feet in length. The Iwana rod collapses down to about 20½ inches and the line is easily rolled up on a plastic spool until I’m ready to fish again. Of course, the question of which types of rods are available and which ones might be best-suited to your fishing needs is a rather personal decision. I can ask, as I have in this book, any number of people and get any number of different answers. While there is no formula for deciding which rod to get or which line to use, the good news is that tenkara equipment choices are not as wide and expansive as those options you

can find with traditional fly-fishing equipment. Oftentimes, the traditional fly-fishing industry offers almost too many different kinds of rods and such varying configurations that even experienced fly anglers have difficulty figuring out what’s what. Tenkara is not like that. You have a few fairly standard rod choices and that’s all you really need to select from. So in the interest of helping you make your choices I give you the additional insights from our group of experienced tenkara anglers and guides to consider. Some have more to say about equipment than others but all of their insights are interesting, purposeful and sometimes funny. Galhardo: I think it is most important not to over-think the choice of a tenkara rod; the angler will have to get used to the rod no matter what rod it is. A quality tenkara rod will make it easy to adjust and be versatile enough to feel good in a range of conditions. When I created the lineup of rods we offer, currently six models, I never intended to make it a confusing or difficult task to select the rod. I simply wanted to offer some rods that would cater to different specific tastes, and a couple of rods that would be more specialized. If you’re always catching “large” fish (that is, 17 inches and over all the time) we have a couple of rods with more “backbone” that will make landing those fish easier. One suggestion I have is that you get the longest rod you can for the type of streams you fish. Twelve feet is about the average length for a tenkara rod, but if the streams you fish are more open or wide, a longer rod will always come in handy. If the streams are tight and small, then the shorter 11-foot rods will be a better fit.

If you’re looking for a rod to use for the 8-to-16-inch fish, any tenkara rod will do the job well. If you have a more specific need in mind, then just read the rod description. But, in the end, don’t think about it too much.

Vertrees: Buy a soft 5:5 rod. Those rods (i.e., the Tenkara USA Ayu or even the soft 6:4 Ito) are forgiving and easy to learn on. The main point to consider is ease of casting. A beginner should not have to push a stiff rod. Learning how to handle a stiffer rod can come later. Learning tenkara should be intuitive and easy. Soft rods make this possible. I’ve learned to let a tenkara rod do its job, and not to force it into doing so. Forcing a cast, or pushing too hard, will create lots of tangles and will not deliver the fly “from heaven” (the true meaning of tenkara

translated), as it should be done. Lyle: A 12-footer with a 6:4 (moderate) action is the ideal all-around tenkara rod, kind of like a 9-foot, 5-weight reeled rod. Catching small fish is great fun, and the rod is also capable of landing larger trout efficiently. If you’ll be fishing small streams with very low overhanging limbs and brush, you may prefer an 11-footer (or one of the shorter fixed-line rods that aren’t technically tenkara rods but work the same way.) If you expect good-sized trout and bass on a regular basis, or do most of your fishing on larger streams, consider a rod that is 13 feet or longer. Naples: My first reaction is – do it! Get a tenkara rod and mess around with it. It’s plain fun. I want everyone to try it. To be more practical, though, think about the kinds of places that you fish. Tenkara is being used on a wide variety of waters for lots of different kinds of fish here in the U.S., but for me it really has a sweet spot (or two). To me that sweet spot is small- to medium-sized, high gradient mountain streams, with lots of in-stream structure, lots of plunge-pools, pocket water, riffles, etc..., but not too deep. And without too much overhead cover. A nice, open small mountain stream full of eager, opportunistic trout. Basically the kind of stream where tenkara originated is what I call “tenkara-perfect.” So think of a continuum with that kind of tenkara-perfect stream in the middle and the small, brushy, rhododendron-choked streams on one end and big brawling trout rivers on the other. The further you get from the middle in either direction the less suited tenkara is – at least in its traditional form. By traditional, I mean single unweighted wet flies fished without added weight. Here in Pennsylvania we have plenty of really nice tenkara-perfect streams. We also have a bunch of small, really tough, rhododendron-choked streams. I can tell you that those small brushy streams can be a real challenge with a typical tenkara rod. I fish them from time to time and it can feel more like work than relaxation. Still, it can be rewarding if you’re up for the challenge, but I’d call it less than ideal. I wouldn’t want to send a beginner out on one of those streams with a tenkara rod. He/she may never want to fish again. On the other end of the continuum are the big rivers. I don’t have many big trout rivers in my neck of the woods – so they are definitely not my

area of expertise. However, I’d say that if that is your primary type of fishing water, again tenkara is not ideal. You will be faced with the challenges of landing bigger fish in heavy water, getting your fly down deep, reaching fish with the fixed-line, etc…. Not that it can’t be done and I know people do it and have fun doing it – but I think it is stretching the tool and the method a bit.

So the first consideration is the water that you fish. Second I’d say the type of fly-fishing that you prefer comes into play. Tenkara is traditionally a wet-fly method. Casting and fishing small unweighted wet flies with a tenkara rod is a joy. Casting large streamers and large, heavilyweighted nymphs isn't as much fun. You can do it but, again, you’re going outside of the ideal. Other really fun places for tenkara-perfect fishing are small lakes and ponds. I have a blast stalking the shoreline and fishing for panfish in some local ponds and the tenkara rod is very well suited for that. I haven’t taken advantage of canoes and kayaks for this but other folks do and it seems like a perfect match to me. Also, small stream warm-water fishing is a nice option. I have a local creek that I like to hit with the tenkara rod, where I catch sunfish, smallmouth bass, rock bass and even suckers.

As far as what I’ve learned about the tenkara rod itself, the first thing is casting. The tenkara rod casts wonderfully. It’s a different timing and motion than with Western rods, but it is casting. I haven’t ever gone out to see how much line I can cast, but I’ve fished bigger rivers with up to about 25 feet of line plus tippet. The rod will cast that no problem. What’s the limit? I don’t know, but I do know that initially I was surprised at how well the rods cast. Do I generally fish that much line? No. I just don’t fish big water that much so I haven’t really explored that area very thoroughly. I’ve also learned some things for which the tenkara rod is not well suited – large streamers, large poppers and heavy nymphs. Basically the problem is the flexible tip. It is the extremely flexible tip that allows you to cast the extremely light tenkara lines, but it is the same flexible tip that causes problems with these types of flies. The soft tip makes it difficult to cast and strip large streamers. It can be done – but it is not elegant. Also, the soft tip makes hook-sets on heavy nymphs more difficult, not impossible by any means, just not ideal. Also, getting a good action on a popper is more difficult with the soft tip.

Wind is another consideration. Fly-fishing in the wind is not fun. But, tenkara fishing in the wind is much less fun. Even if you can cast your light tenkara line in the wind, your fly can be ripped right out of the water by the wind. There are things you can do to combat this, like laying your line on the water, or switching to heavier lines. But high wind is a real pain. Luckily, in Pennsylvania I don’t really bump up against this problem all that much. But it is something to consider for folks out west for sure. If I fished in areas that often have high wind, I’d leave the tenkara rod at home.

I don’t want to discourage anybody from trying tenkara. There are people happily fishing tenkara in all these kinds of situations. But, people should be aware that there are some situations where tenkara shines and others where it is less than perfect. If you want to get a tenkara rod for fishing big streamers to big trout on big rivers, by all means give it a go. But just be warned that it may not be the best tool for that job. I think it can be damaging to tenkara, if tenkara practitioners say it will do everything Western-style fly-fishing can do, and do it just as well. People will get tenkara rods, try them in less than ideal situations and then be disappointed, and rightly so. That kind of thing isn’t good for anyone. Sadler: When you buy a tenkara rod, be sure to learn how to use it. I know that sounds obvious but tenkara is different than conventional flyfishing and takes some adjusting. The rods load differently; they are much slower. Like conventional fly rods there are advantages and disadvantages to length. You need to think about where you fish, brushy mountain streams, open spring creeks or big rivers. The biggest thing I have learned is that a long tenkara rod is not a disadvantage in small mountain streams. If you can fish a stream with 6-foot-6-inch, 3 weight you can fish the same water with a 12-foot tenkara rod and be more effective. That was what sold me on tenkara in the first place. Lansky: I think it all begins with where you want to use a tenkara rod and for what reason you are getting one. The first question you might have is what rod length you should pick. Well, my friend Chris Stewart (TenkaraBum.com) told me when I was pondering this question that I should pick the longest rod I think I could get away with on the type of water I want to fish (or the different types of waters I will be fishing). Where I live, I have well-accessible tailwaters with little to no trees, tumbling creeks in canyons that have some to pretty heavy cover and

anything in-between. In my case, I was sort of looking for my first rod to be a jack-of-all-trades, so I settled on a 12-foot tenkara rod, the most popular length. The next question you face is what type of “action” do you want, 5:5, 6:4 or 7:3. Again, I also chose the middle thinking that would be the best compromise. And the last one is of course your budget. There are now rods available in the U.S. from just under $50 to over $400. In hindsight, I would recommend a visit to a shop or a friend that has a few rods and test them to see what length and softness, in combination with what line, suits your casting style best. Preferably, you would do so on the type of water where you will be spending most of your time fishing. But later, of course, you will notice that maybe a different rod would perform better under certain circumstances or in a different location and you will probably end up buying another rod or two. I now own 10 tenkara rods. My name is Karel and I am a tenkaraholic. Stewart: First and foremost, I would stress that the goal is not buying a tenkara rod. The goal is tenkara fishing. Unless you are a collector, the rod is just a tool. It is something that allows you to fish a certain way. It really is all about the fishing. I have evaluated dozens of rods from a number of different manufacturers. What I can tell someone is that what I call “the nature of the rod” – the combination of length, weight, balance point, bend profile and damping – all come together to make a rod that can cast a light line effectively and be a joy to fish. The nature of the rod is important. The name on the rod isn’t. Every rod is a compromise. Longer allows you to keep more line off the water, but longer is also heavier and less pleasant to fish with. Longer may also be too long for small streams, particularly in the East or Southeast where dense foliage and overhanging canopy is the norm. People in conifer country don’t seem to realize that not everyone can fish with an 11-foot, 12-foot or 13-foot rod. Choice of action, whether 5:5, 6:4 or 7:3, is largely based on personal preference. Do you prefer a full-flex rod or a tip-action rod? The 5:5 rods are better suited to light level lines, and the 7:3 rods do better with the heavier level lines or furled lines. Lighter lines are easier to keep off the water’s surface, minimizing the effects of drag, but heavier lines are better for fishing heavy or wind resistant flies.

Worthing: First, decide if tenkara is really what you want to do. Whether you intend to go full bore into traditional tenkara technique or just want to use it to employ hybrid techniques, a tenkara rod is a different tool. No matter how much fishing experience you may or may not have, if you want to take advantage of all the unique benefits a tenkara rod offers, you will need to learn to use this new tool. That will take some commitment. You can pick up a rod cold, use it once or twice, and you’ll probably catch a few fish. But you will certainly miss out on important aspects of fishing with a tenkara rod if you try to figure it out on your own, or only use it once in a blue moon. I highly recommend taking a short trip with an experienced, certified tenkara guide to start off right. If you can’t take a guided trip, do your best to seek out an experienced tenkara angler in your local area who can show you the ropes. Through TROutreach, Tenkara Guides LLC’s fly-fishing program program for impaired individuals, we’ve learned to pair certain rod characteristics with certain disabilities. For example, an angler with a cervical spinal cord injury who might have good bicep strength but absent wrist and grip strength tends to do better with a softer, low-action index rod. In contrast, an upper extremity amputee angler who lacks a wrist and relies on strong elbow flexion and extension to cast tends to do better with a stiffer, high-action index rod.

Rob Worthing has a good friend inspect his catch.

Here are some points to consider when buying your first tenkara rod: Pick a rod maker that is well established in tenkara. Avoid companies who concentrate on other forms of fishing and maybe developed a tenkara rod as a side project. Tenkara rods and Western rods are

different in many ways. Your ability to build a good Western rod does not in any way mean you can build a good tenkara rod. Your first rod ought to be around 12 feet. Much shorter, and you start to lose the true benefits of a tenkara rod. Much longer, and you might have trouble getting the hang of casting, tight line off-water technique and landing using a tenkara rod. Go ahead and pick up a spare tip section for your rod while you’re at it. Tenkara rods are incredibly strong compared with how delicate they appear. They rarely, if ever, break under normal fishing conditions. They tend to break through user error when you’re first learning to handle and care for a tenkara rod. That’s another reason to hire a certified guide to show you the ropes. Heck, with all that money you saved buying a tenkara rod over another Western rod, you should be able to afford one no problem. I like things simple. Simple things tend not to break, tend to work very well for their intended purpose and tend not to distract from what is really important. Following the principle of simplicity, I tend to shy away from “zoom” rods. Zoom rods are rods that can be fished at different lengths, say, 11 feet and 13 feet, or 13 feet and 15 feet. There are some well-built zoom rods out there. Let’s skip over the fact that the structure of a zoom rod is more complex, therefore the risk of mechanical problems increases. The real problem with zoom rods is they try to do the job of two tools. And, no matter how good you are, anytime you try to do two things at once, you aren’t going to do as good of a job as someone or something that concentrates on completing just one task. I fish a 13-foot rod 80 percent of the time – on tight streams, where others are reaching for a 10-foot tenkara rod or 7-foot Western rod, and on midsize to large streams too. When the water gets really big – say, Utah’s Green River – I reach for a 15-foot rod. I could buy a zoom rod that goes from 13 feet to 15 feet and cover all the water I fish with one rod. But I would hate every minute of it. Instead, if I buy one rod that does a near perfect job of being 13 feet, and one rod that does a near perfect job of being 15 feet, I can accomplish near perfect precision, presentation, manipulation, strike detection, etc…all in a tool I can rely on, fish after fish, day after day. Vetterli: Buying your first tenkara rod is always a challenge. I feel that most people buy their first rod too short. You have to evaluate the areas

you fish most often and pick a rod that matches those conditions. My primary rod that I use 80 percent of the time is a 13-foot Tenkara USA Ayu with a 16-foot tapered furled fluorocarbon line and 3 to 4 feet of 5X tippet. I fish primarily high mountain streams with steep gradients, fast pocket water and varying degrees of overhead trees. I find that the longer rod gives me more control over my line and I get better drifts and fly manipulation. When conditions get tight, I use a shorter line. I believe that you are better off using a long rod with a short line for tight conditions than trying to use a short rod and a longer line to achieve reach and distance.

With tenkara there is always a compromise. There is no magic rod for all conditions. In the end you will end up with at least three rods so just start in the middle with a 12-foot rod and a line about the same length of the rod plus 3 to 4 feet of tippet. That is a great setup for learning how to fish with tenkara gear. After a short while, your skill and confidence will improve and you will be ready to move on to another rod length. Ostrander: Look for a rod that can handle the largest fish you think you’ll catch. Many rods can handle fish into the mid-20-inch range, but many rods max out with fish in the upper teens. Know your quarry, and don’t come under gunned. Next, buy the longest rod you can. I use a 13-foot rod that can extend to 14-1/2 feet on waters where Western fly-fisherman are using 8-foot, 3 weights. Don’t look for a 9-foot rod just because that’s what you normally fish in that particular water. You’ll have better line control with a tenkara rod to avoid snags, so get the longest rod you can. Don’t be too picky about buying your first rod. You don’t really know what you want, and aren’t experienced enough to tell the difference. Just like your first Western rod, you didn’t go to the store and cast everything they had before making a purchase. You probably bought whatever the salesman suggested within your budget. Take the salesman’s advice, but buy the longest rod you can. Tenkara rods are remarkably strong. With that being said, you’ve got to treat your tenkara rod with respect. The tips are easy to break during handling, but once the rod is extended, it’s very robust. When you get a

fish on, most of the flex is going to be in the middle of the rod, with the tip section staying straight. I’ve seen rods quite literally bend in half without breaking. On long trips I always carry a back-up rod and a spare tip section. If you don’t have a backup, just be very aware of handling the rod when it is collapsed and the rod plug is not in. Otherwise, flog it like you would a Western fly rod.