Since the beginning of the century, tenkara fishing in the United States has grown in popularity. A quick primer for those who do not what tenkara fishing is.
Tenkara is an ancient method of angling that began in Japan over 400 years ago. Tenkara means “fishing from heaven” in Japanese. Developed for fishing the high mountain streams, tenkara delivers the bait to fish without disturbing the surface water and scaring the fish. Tenkara started as bait fishing but evolved into a method to deliver artificial flies to the fish.
Tenkara began as an efficient way to catch fish quickly in a commercial setting. In the 1970s, Japanese anglers began to use tenkara to fish recreationally. Heading into the mountains to catch yamame, iwana and amago became a way to relax after a stressful work week. Yamame and amago are closest to our salmon, iwana closest to our brook trout.
At the turn of the century, tenkara was promoted outside of Japan and the method came to the United States.
Tenkara rods were first made from sprigs of bamboo. Much like the fishing sticks early settlers would fashion from apple trees. As technology progressed, tenkara rods were fashioned telescopically with graphite. This made the rods easy to transport long distances when hiking into the mountains. Today’s tenkara rods are less than 2 feet in length when fully collapsed. Fully extended, tenkara rods can extend to 15 feet. A far cry from today’s fly rods that average 9 feet in length.
The rods have cork handles. The handles are hollow to hold the rod sections and a few flies. The length of the tenkara rod aids in reaching flies across the current and in reaching water without casting a shadow that will spook wild trout.
The line for tenkara is a braided furled leader. These leaders can be made from twisted nylon and are tapered to aid in casting the fly, much the same as our fly fishing. This tapered line allows for delicate presentations. Tenkara lines come with a loop at the rod end to allow attachment to the end of the rod using a cow hitch knot. This knot gives a good bond to the rod’s stopper knot. Tied correctly, these knots will hold any fish you plan to catch.
Tenkara then uses a tippet. This is the same tippet used in our fly fishing. Tippets in tenkara run from twelve inches to three feet. Tippets will vary based on the flies selected. This is the same as we practice.
The line is wrapped around the handle for transport. There is no reel.
And this is the issue, here in New Hampshire. New Hampshire Fish & Game defines fly fishing as “casting with only fly rod, fly reel, and fly line combination with artificial fly.” This makes tenkara fly fishing illegal in New Hampshire Fly Fishing Only waters.
With tenkara fishing originating in the mountains of Japan, and the best wild brook trout fishing in New Hampshire located in the White Mountains, this is not an issue for those who are tenkara purists. There are few fly fishing only waters in the White Mountains. Most are ponds.
There are times, however, where a tight line weighted nymph with a wet fly dropper, say a Lightening Bug with a Partridge and Yellow, would be just the trick for an evening on the Saco.
You can attach a length of fly line and an empty tippet spool to your tenkara rig to be legal in Fly Fishing Only waters. Just remember to store your line on the spool (your reel) and not the rod handle.
Steve Angers, a native to the Conway area, is the author of the book “Fly Fishing New Hampshire’s Secret Waters” and operates the North Country Angler.
Credit: Source link
