Tenkara Headcount

[Joe Angelucci]

Just curious, did anyone fish this season with a Tenkara Rod. I used a Fountainhead Caddis rod twice and had a blast. 

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Nope.
I used 'kebari' influenced flies, and they worked
But can't help on the rod

[Slip Sinker]

id like to try this... can you recommend a economical way to start?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Define economical.

Probably the simplest way is to get a 10-12 ft telescoping pole, some light fly line and a leader.
I mean it's basic, but so is tenkara. It's essentially cane poling with flies.
The line is the key, as it's heavy enough to control but not too heavy.

Now, I know purists will get up in arms over my suggestions. And it's not traditional tenkara. But before you sink a wad into the specialized gear, it's a way to get the hang of it.
If you like, I can send you some flies.

[Slip Sinker]

thanks David the reason i was interested in this platform is i have this trout stream just behind my house... in my back yard so to speak... ive seen brown trout up to 24 inches long and i have seen you tube vids of tenkara fishing and i think i could use this approach to nail some of these trout. the flyrod was very awkward in the wooded and tight conditions.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Small stream fishing is the territory of tenkara.
You can probably get set up with a 10' rod, line and sundries for $100-150.
To me that's too much when I have a nice, 9' telepole and lots of fly line!
The problem I ran into was finding a dispassionate examination of tenkara for comparison.
Those who love it let their emotions flow. Finally, I realized I'd been doing it all all along without knowing it.
If you want one thing, Id say get some tenkara line and start with that.

[Stan Wright]

David,  the next time your in Hawaii, five me a call and I'll take you out and show you the difference between a telescoping pole and a tenkara rod…. boy are you going to be surprised.  LOL LOL LOL

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I'll be sure to do that!
LOL

[Slip Sinker]

not only that i believe i could get my grandsons hooked on this type of fishing off the docks over here on the boat launches. they are swarmed with schools of smaller gills.

[jim cosgrove]

the tenkara rods are a quite different than a regular telescopic pole.i was ready to buy one at cabelas but didn.t.too much mony for a what i would call a long fly rod blank.had a great feel to,almost weightless and the line was different than standard fly line.it is definately its own niche.i spent the same a mount of money on a modern glass 3wt that is the best flyrod i ever had in my hand.i may get a tenkara as i can see uses for it in places i fish.they are definately not a cane pole.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

There you go then. Get a 7' fly rod, drop the reel and just tie on a length of fly line a foot or so longer than the rod. Or get you some tenkara line.
Add a leader and youre off.

[jim cosgrove]

i think you would need at least a 9 footer.your still only in the 20 ft casting range.a flyrod of the same feel as the tenkara rods i checked out would be in the 200 dollar range and dont have the fine tapered tip.i think if you just tied to the top guide would simply snap the tip off as a fly rod id not designed to be used this way.the tenkara is a completely different animal in my book

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Well, I was half in jest - and half not. It's the redneck in me.
The idea, to manipulate a fly without benefit of other fly fishing niceties, well.. That's the aim.
On a closed-in stream, less would be more. I found tenkara to be a niche all it's own, as you say. And I'm a blasphemer with my redneck methods - I know that, too.
I've also toyed with other ways to get the fly to do what I want, tenkara-like, if not tenkara in fact.
In the end it was modified telescoping poles, or spinning rods, etcetera. But it proved the concept, enough to tell me I wouldn't be spending hundreds more on tenkara stuff.
I still like the idea of affixing a fly line to a fly rod, without a reel. Best to anchor it at the stripping eye and run it on out, though. I'm gonna try that next season.