Tenkara: More Not Less - Karin Miller

More not Less... or does less require more, hmmm...

Through my travels and meeting people I'm constantly asked whether I guide, do seminars, or clinics. I usually respond with hesitation because I'm a born teacher and love to coach but have limited time. Beyond being on the water and fishing, my next favorite thing to do is mentor and coach people on fishing. When I do work with others, rarely is it about which fly to use, sometimes it's about which line or where to fish, but mostly it's about problem solving on the water. Because when it's all said and done, pretty or not, we simply want to catch fish. And while that seems basic, there's a skill set that's required to be successful. Take away your reel and well, it takes even more of that skill set.

Oh no, she did NOT just say that, did she?

Yes, I did. It takes more skill and more finesse to land fish without a reel than with one. It also takes more skill to get into fish without a reel than with one because you have a fixed line thus a fixed length. And, because you're somewhat "fixed" in your distance, you need to be efficient at finding fish that are within your reach, which equates to reading the water and understanding fish habitat. Once you find the fish, you also better be accurate with your cast, because you can't tweak it like you can with a reel. Finally, since your casts are determined by the line lengths you carry, you better be thorough and know how to dissect and break apart water based on what you can and cannot reach. All this and we're not even into managing and landing the fish once on. So, while the whole tenkara method is "less", in many ways, it is actually "more."

Tenkara requires more contemplation and thought. You must use your noggin and get creative, which is my very favorite part of the entire process. The strategic hunt if you will, that makes the landing oh-so glorious. And the bigger the target, the more strategic it becomes. I tell regular fly fisherman all the time, if you want to up your game and improve your skills, fish tenkara exclusively for a season, then go back to your reel (if you still want to that is), and you'll notice a huge improvement. Your reflexes will improve, your cast will be more accurate, and you'll be more efficient at landing. Promise.

Why? Because it's going back to the basics, the fundamentals of fishing and honing your angling skills without having to worry about working a reel... just working the rod and what's on the other end of it. Further, since matching the hatch is not a great focus in tenkara, you get to indulge in experimenting without guilt. Simply tie on a fly and allow yourself to play and see what happens. It's time on the water like this, that improves overall skills.

Another reason tenkara requires more skill is it's highly tactile. So much of fishing the tenkara method is about "feeling". Feeling the rod load, feeling the take, feeling the hook-set, feeling the fish fight, feeling when to move in with the net, and feeling that fish fully revived and released out of your hands. Do I sound a little bit like a junkie? The whole thing is a very tactile experience, much more than when fishing with a regular fly rod. In tenkara, the rod is your tell-all, but it's only useful if you can interpret and understand what it's telling you.

When I coach anglers I'm usually cueing them to notice what their rod is doing, how it feels, and then helping them understand what they can or cannot do with it when in that position. Because when you are fighting a fish, particularly big fish, you don't have the luxury of carefully or slowly getting into your power arc. Things are happening fast in the water and you need to respond quickly, get into position fast, then maintain it. That can happen only when you have an intrinsic understanding of rod flex and fish management.

Clients often get so consumed by the fish and what it's doing, that they forget about their rod. Until you possess an intimate understanding of its parabolic bend, you must pay attention to it. The more skilled you become at getting into a deep arc fast, the better you'll become at landing fish and the more successful you'll be. Anglers often lose the fight, lose the fish and/or break their rod unnecessarily because they lack this.

Mind you, some rods are not built to bend and be the drag. Some don't have the backbone for the fight, so know your rod and its flex... and that's what I'm talking about anyway. When I coach people, I'm essentially introducing them to their tenkara rod, helping them to understand the range of their tool, and facilitating their on-the-water thinking so that they can respond quickly, react effortlessly, and calmly use their tenkara tool to tame the beast.

So tenkara offers a unique experience in which more is actually less, and less requires more.

For those looking to up their game, improve their fish management skills, and have outrageous fun, check out the Tenkara Calendar (tenkaracalendar.com) for more information on where Karin & Zen Tenkara will be conducting instructional clinics: Indianapolis with FlyMasters Fly Shop, Indiana (May 5), Long Meadow Ranch with 5280 Angler, Colorado (May 19), & Rapids Camp Lodge with Deneki Outdoors, Alaska (June 22-29)