Tenkara Trout Video

[Owl]

I created a short video on my first trip out with my new TenkaraUSA Iwana 11' "cane pole."
There are tangled lines, two trout, some shots of the water and woods, and a little bad singing. If you're interested in tenkara and seeing it in action from a local perspective, it's here: http://southernblueridge.wordpress.c...tenkara-trout/

This was my first time fishing the rod and I learned a few things about how long the line should be, and that yes - you really do need a small net when using this method. It looks like a "cane pole" but casts like my best rods, and is alot of fun to fish. I'm hoping to take it to NC next week and really see what it can do on a few more fish.

This method of fishing will never replace my western rods and reels, but it's a good way to catch small fish and make them seem a bit larger. Again, more videos to come when I get to take it out a few more times and really put a bend in it.

[Owl]

Well, that went over like a dead fish! LOL

Hope everyone stays warm the next few days....

[Stana Claus]

Nice video. But I am curious - Once you get a fish on, how do you take up line to bring him to hand? Or, are you just stuck with him hanging out there wiggling around on the end of a 15' or so leader?

[Mundele]

Did you end up shortening your line? How long of line + leader did you end up using?

[Owl]

Guys, think "cane pole."

There's no way to "take up" line. But you're far from "stuck" with the fish dangling out there!?

You bring the fish in just as you would with any other rod, but you do need a net if you're fishing with the line the length of the rod or longer. The reason you need a net is because the bend even a small fish puts into the rod will make an 11 ft line ( on an 11 ft rod) seem 14 feet long once the rod-tip is bent into a J shape from the pull/weight of the fish. If you're line is the length of the rod or longer, you may have to "hand line" the fish during the last part of the fight by grabbing the line and guiding the fish into the net. You have to remember that this is NOT a method designed for fish bigger than about 12 inches. Trying to land a larger fish could stress the fish out too much before you land him, providing you're "babying" the line in order to get him in. If you don't baby a larger fish, the line will snap - because you are using 6X max. Using anything stronger than 6 X may break the tip of the rod. You really have to see one in person to realize just how small the tip is on a tenkara rod.
i hope this answers some questions.

As to the line length, I use about a 8 ft. level line with a foot and a half of 6X tippet.

[Stana Claus]

Originally Posted by Owl

Guys, think "cane pole."

See, that's the problem. When I was a kid fishing with a cane pole, we'd usually end up "setting the hook" with such a jerk that the poor little fish on the end of the line went sailing over our heads and onto the bank behind us where we would try to pin it down as it was flopping around like crazy. The idea of "playing" a fish was totally foreign to us. Of course, it didn't hurt that the pole was rigged with something on the order of 20# mono or braided casting line that we pulled off our dad's bait casting reel, so finesse really wasn't an issue.

Somehow, I don't think that would be an approved technique for an official Tenkara Fly Fishing outfit.