I hear people say all the time that “Tenkara fly rods are just for small fish”, I would have to disagree. There are some very super light weight rods that might not strong enough for large trout trout on a regular basis (such as Tenkara-Fishing rods, which I have one of and like on small rivers and have a very high sensitivity) but there are rods out there that can handle large trout on a regular basis. You might even be surprised how well a Tenkara rod handles and controls big trout.
This year I have caught a 20 inch rainbow and a 19 inch rainbow trout and my rod has handled them very easily.
I am also getting much better at tying Tenkara flies also, here are some of my most recent creations:
One of the things that I think makes Tenkara a great fishing setup for survivalists is how it can easily fish tight spots, even 2 foot wide streams if needed, with a lot of control. That and the fact that it is super light weight, compacts down, and simple. Here is a video, from one of my recent fish outings, of a tight spot I was fishing and easily cast right to where I thought the fish were (caught the fish on only the second cast, and had a bit on the first cast).
Most Tenkara flies are really simple and they work great but with a little added detail the flies can work even better. I am still newer at tying my own flies and I am getting better but my friend at MoonlitFlyFishing.com shares some of his wonderful creations with me from time to time and they are great. Check out some of the flies he gave me the other day, I can’t wait to try them out.
My friend, Brandon Moon from Moonlitflyfishing.com, traded me a Tenkara fly fishing setup for some work I did for him. I have been out fishing 3 times now and it is so easy to learn and start catching fish. Recently I was at the local gravel pond just practicing with the Tenkara pole and I caught just under 20 fish in a short amount of time, I’m sure the other fisherman there were cussing under their breath every time I pulled one in. I need to take my camera next time.
I have always wanted to fly fish but have not had the money to get the gear or the time to develop the technique. A Tenkara rod costs a fraction of the price of a fly fishing rod plus it doesn’t have a reel to buy. The line ties to the end of the pole and to bring a fish in you just pull the rod behind you and grab the lined and yank it in. I never knew how much fun I was missing not fishing with flies, it is such a blast.
Tenkara fly fishing setup is perfect for a bug out bag because it collapses to 1 1/2 foot thin pole and the line and flies take up very little space. Plus, it seriously works great and is easy to use even in small creeks you might hike into.
some videos you might enjoy:
Now that I have had a some fun using Tenkara fishing, I really look forward to taking my daughter to catch some fish. I also want to take my scouts out for a fun day of fishing but I think I need another pole or 2 for them to share before I do.
UPDATE: I went Tenkara fishing at the pond 2 more times before I got a chance to publish this post and thought I would add a bit more here at the end. Saturday morning I went with Brandon Moon, who got me set up to Tenkara fly fish, and I caught 7 trout. I also went this morning, Monday, and caught 22 trout by 10am, I definitely out fished everyone else there combined. This just goes to show that Tenkara works on still water as well as streams, creeks, and rivers. I do look forward to fishing Tenkara on the river again though, I am officially addicted to Tenkara fly fishing now.
![1077735_598726260171977_1412467385_o[1]](http://www.foodprepper.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/1077735_598726260171977_1412467385_o1.jpg)
