Small Water Strategies for Tenkara

“Small streams are the essence of tenkara. They’re really the heart and soul of it.”

Paul Vertrees

Tenkara originated in the small mountain streams in Japan and so it’s safe to say that it was built for small streams and brooks. That doesn’t mean that fishing small streams and brooks is easy. It takes strategy and stealth to fish small water effectively. Tenkara surely gives us plenty of advantages in terms of being able to place a fly so that it looks as natural as can be but that isn’t enough. Small water takes time and patience to fish but the rewards can often be great in terms of your enjoyment and fish-catching ability. Vertrees: Small streams are the essence of tenkara. They’re really the heart and soul of it. Fish a small stream slowly and patiently. There are so many opportunities presented by a small stream. Fish all of them! Never pass up a little piece of pocket water or a little plunge pool. It amazes me where trout will lie in a small stream. I’ve been very successful fishing the shallow edges of small streams or the little eddies along the edges. Always try to find the tiny spots where a trout could rest and feed. Don’t discount the downstream cast to pools below you. Tenkara on a small stream is much like spot-and-stalk hunting. Look for trout and move in carefully. Much of my casting on small streams (which is the majority of my fishing) is done from a kneeling position. Use stealth as much as possible. There’s a little stream in a wilderness area along the Front Range of Colorado that I call my stomping grounds. This creek is about 6 miles in length, from the headwaters at nearly 12,000 feet to the confluence with the next larger stream. It’s covered with what I call “nano-pools.” Tiny pocket water no bigger around than a skillet. I suspect that the mountain streams in Japan are much like this creek. Drifts are short and quick, the brook trout are eager to slam a fly, and you can catch fish all day long with a tenkara rod. The water is gin clear, and so you have to do much of your casting from either a kneeling or sitting position. This little creek is where I practice much of my

tenkara technique. It’s a special place ideally suited for this ancient method.

Lyle: When you’re still getting used to your rod, try to fish in spots where you have enough room to cast without hooking streamside trees or brush. Avoid the really tight spots until you have a feel for the tackle. Sneak up on your fish, approach from downstream when possible and keep a low profile. (If you do get snagged, don’t just pull with the rod –collapse the rod sections all the way down and pull the line with your hand.) Naples: Much of this has been covered in the above sections, but I can offer a few additional thoughts specific to small streams and tenkara. Obviously, because of the fixed-length fly line, tenkara is limited as far as how far you can cast. But the fixed-length line limits how close in you can fish too. For tenkara, you need to match the length of the fly line to the water that you’re fishing. So, on small streams you may need to shorten the line so that you can physically fish the stream. For beginners I’d err on the side of too short rather than too long. A line that is too long for the conditions is going to make your experience frustrating and miserable. This is where one of the advantages of level line is apparent – you can simply cut the line to length, test it out, go shorter or even knot some line back on to lengthen it again. On small tree-lined or brushy streams with a lot of overhanging trees or rhododendron, the bow-and-arrow cast can help get the fly onto the water when you have no room to cast. You hold the fly, carefully at the bend behind the point, then pull back, bending the rod and then let go. If you’re lucky the fly will land on the water. You’ll need to fish a pretty short line to do this type of cast. On some streams you’ll have a hard time raising the rod tip high enough to keep your line off the water, because of the low-hanging tree canopy. So you’re stuck fishing with your line on the water. In this condition a heavy furled line can be a real pain because it will sink, plus it spooks fish. Even the lighter fluorocarbon level lines tend to sink. In these situations, I like to fish a nylon mono-filament level line because it will float a bit. This is especially important if you’re trying to fish dry flies. Shorter rods can make fishing small brushy streams much easier; you lose the long rod advantage, but you can keep it out of the overhanging trees.

You can’t catch fish if you spook them – so on small streams be stealthy. Wade as little as possible, cast from as far away as you can and try to keep the line off the water if you can (level lines are stealthier than furled). Also, don’t forget that the long rod itself can spook fish, so be careful that you don’t go waving that thing over the top of the water that you’re trying to fish. Stewart: Be stealthy, move slowly, crouch. Fish every eddy, every seam, every riffle. Survival is everything, but in a small stream it is a case of “calories in, calories out” as well as predator avoidance. The fish will be where the food comes to them, where they don’t have to continually fight the current to get it, and where they have a rock or log to hide under that isn’t far away. Because the water in a small stream is generally shallower than in a larger river, predator avoidance becomes more important. Find a good place for a fish to hide and you’ve probably found one of the better fish in the stream. Worthing: Go with an experienced tenkara angler. Even better, hire a tenkara-certified guide. There are hundreds of facets and details to fishing a small stream to maximum efficacy. One day with a truly experienced tenkara angler will make a world of difference in your fishing. And as a beginner, the small stream environment is the place to invest your guided trip. Ostrander: Small streams are fast and furious. If a good pool doesn’t produce, then don’t flog it and move on. My philosophy is to find the fish that are feeding. Having said all this, many times it’s a matter of inches whether the fish is hungry enough to go for your fly. I’ve seen time and time again where a drift just 2 inches away catches a fish when the previous 10 drifts didn’t produce just because they were slightly off the mark.

When fishing small streams it’s important to analyze everything: Sun, trees, shadows, wind, currents, bugs, water, casting, presentation, everything. It may sound like I’m putting too much emphasis on small streams, but I like catching fish. Sure there are many willing fish and you’ll catch a few even if you’re sloppy, but if you pay attention you’ll catch a ton of them. It’s the difference between a 15-fish day and a 30fish day, or the difference between a 30-fish day and a 90-fish day. Gibson: Regardless of the size stream that you are fishing my advice is to not rush the experience. Approach the water slowly, take time to look

and see if you can observe any fish rising. Take the time to enjoy the surroundings and the nature around you. Only then extend your rod. Target the likely spots and those that are not as likely as well. Be thorough in dissecting the stream. In small streams that don’t have strong currents, fish are more likely to be almost any place. Use a fly that is mid-sized (12-14) and move as stealthily as possible. Splashing, stomping and moving quickly through the water will spook fish for a good distance above you ... often right to the range of your casting with tenkara equipment. Try your best to be slow and quiet as to not spook the fish.