Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
After reading this thread again, I want to check this Tenkara thing out. I learned how to fly-fish years ago but never got into messing with all the gear. I have mastered spin-fishing with ultra-lights and homemade spinners and usually out-fish my fly-fishing buddies. Steelhead with 5lb. test and a 5' ultra-light is so much fun. I would like to hook up a steely on a Tenkara. That would be fun. Maybe. How would you let him run if you were outgunned? Do you just let him break off?
|
|
JonA
Trad climber
Flagstaff, AZ
|
|
I would like to hook up a steely on a Tenkara. That would be fun. Maybe. How would you let him run if you were outgunned? Do you just let him break off
Herein lies the problem with tenkara. Hooking a large trout is only half the fun, playing him efficiently and landing him is arguably an even more elusive skill. With a tenkara I image he'd brake off on the first run.
|
|
maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
|
|
JonA, just as you wouldn't go up on ElCap with your bouldering gear and you wouldn't run the Grand Canyon in a rowboat, you wouldn't fish for steelies with Tenkara. Choose the tool appropriate for the activity. Tenkara was invented in small mountain streams and excels at catching small trout in those places.
Mal
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2014 - 11:26am PT
|
Daniel and Margaret Galhardo (Tenkara USA) came to Ouray with Mal Daly. We went ice climbing on Sunday and fishing on Monday.....nice winter combo. I actually caught a trout, fair warning to all Patagonian fish....I'm on my way!
|
|
Daniel @ Tenkara USA
Trad climber
Boulder
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 06:39pm PT
|
Hi all. I'm Daniel, owner of Tenkara USA. Mal Daly and Jim Donini told me about this thread and told me to join Supertopo, so here I am.
It was a blast being able to teach Donini something new yesterday. I'm honored he would become interested in tenkara. After ice climbing together on Sunday, yesterday we fished just outside of Ridgeway below a dam (best places for winter fishing). The fish were there, though not so active (maybe temperature swings? dunno). Donini picked up the casting very quickly, and after I had been trying to fool a couple of fish in a pool he cast a couple of times in front of me and hooked a nice 12 incher. I think he's got the touch, and tenkara should be a good addition to his list of activities in Patagonia. Here's Jim Donini, Malcolm Daly and myself with our rods:
I snapped a photo right before the fish let itself free (auto-release we call it):
My wife caught a couple of fish pretty quickly:
A little bit about me:
I have been fishing since I was a toddler. Fly-fishing for about 15 years. Climbing for just about as long. 5 years ago I discovered tenkara. It was refreshing in how simple it was and how well it went with other activities because it is so portable. For years I had to choose between climbing and fly-fishing, tenkara really attracted me because of how simple it was but also how it was so quick to setup and the equipment so portable. Suddenly I felt I could climb and tenkara on the same trips. I enjoyed that. So, I created Tenkara USA and became the first person to introduce tenkara outside of Japan.
One of my favorite things in the world is to combine climbing (or adventure in general) with tenkara.
I go to Japan every year and combine the two in the form of "shower climbing" (very wet canyoneering) with tenkara. I'm stoked to see other fellow climbers interested in tenkara (and maybe climbing and tenkara).
If you're interested in some reading, here's a story I did for a fly-fishing magazine about a two-month trip in Japan doing climbing and tenkara: http://www.tenkarausa.com/blog/?p=5049
And, I'll end my post with this short video I made, one of my favorites so far: http://www.tenkarausa.com/blog/?p=5484
[Click to View YouTube Video]
|
|
adatesman
climber
philadelphia, pa
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 06:46pm PT
|
Good to see you posting up, Daniel! Judging from this thread not many around here have heard of tenkara, so hopefully this will spread the word a bit. Fun stuff.
-aric.
BTW, in your video above, what's the chemistry apparatus in this pic? Vacuum coffee pot?
|
|
Daniel @ Tenkara USA
Trad climber
Boulder
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 07:44pm PT
|
Adatesman,
Thanks for the comment.
About the coffee maker/holder, to be honest I'm not exactly sure because I didn't see it getting made. They just brought it out like that. I believe it was a siphon/vacuum type of maker, they just gave us the holder part with the coffee. This is the closest I found with a little research: http://coffeegeek.com/guides/siphoncoffee
|
|
adatesman
climber
philadelphia, pa
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 08:16pm PT
|
Yup, if there was coffee in it, that's what it is! Been meaning to give that a try, but am seriously hooked on French Press.
Thanks!
|
|
Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 08:45pm PT
|
Daniel welcome to supertopo!
I discovered the Pa-co-chu-puk fishery last year when I went to Ouray to go ice climbing. I had the strange situation where I wanted to wrap up ice climbing early and tear out to Ridgway to fish instead. My climbing partners who I've known for 20 years or more were mystified. It's a beautiful little spot even if the fish are reluctant.
I suspect it's only a matter of time before our paths cross. I fish and climb in Eldo too and I've been having fun deciphering where some of your favorite spots are from your blog posts. It's pretty shocking how much the flood changed the river in Eldo.
The Tenkara magazine you put together this year is beautiful and amazing. Nice work!
Cheers.
Craig
|
|
Daniel @ Tenkara USA
Trad climber
Boulder
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 10:43pm PT
|
Hey Crag, I'm sure we'll run into each other. The next two months will be a bit tough as I'm going to a tradeshow just about every weekend, I'll be sneaking out Monday-Wednesdays for just short outings. It will be fun to see you around the Boulder Creeks sometime.
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 14, 2014 - 10:50pm PT
|
Thanks Daniel for the Tenkara lesson, I hope to put it to good use in Patagonia in a few weeks.
|
|
Bob D'A
Trad climber
Taos, NM
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 11:47pm PT
|
Jim..The Wissahickon has some great fishing, along with the White Clay in Chester County and Ridley Creek in Delaware County. My old man got me into fly fishing and birding in Philly when I was a kid.
This was his favorite and we used to hit it up a few times a year. I can still see him in that creek with his waders on and his bamboo fly rod.
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/columns/favorite-places/octoraro-creek-pennsylvania.html
PA has some great creeks to fish.
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Jan 14, 2014 - 11:51pm PT
|
Jim you did good with the spinning rig in the winds, but think how many you would have caught on a fly rig. By the way if anyone gets back to hooker look for my leather man and Swiss Army knife on the shore. The Boy Scouts camping at one of the one foot wide streams above the lake were catching two pounders with their hands.
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Jan 15, 2014 - 12:08am PT
|
The first three pictures are from the trip into the winds two and a half years ago and the last is from the Big Horns this summer with Jack. We had a spinning rod and a fly rod and we really never did to good with the spinning rod(probably due to lack of skill) but we did do great with the fly rod and I caught this monster brookie in a very small stream that gave me the fight of my life. Jack did very well with the fly rod as well with very little practice. With these Rods being talked about in this thread is the line just tied on the end of the rod?
|
|
Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
|
|
|
Jan 15, 2014 - 12:09am PT
|
Hmm, only now seeing this thread.
Cool stuff though.
And welcome Daniel.
I've been looking at and thinking about Tenkara for a few years now but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. I've watched your vids too and really see and understand the appeal.
I like the simplicity of the idea though truth be told when I head into the back country I always bring my gear and there really isn't a weight issue unless you're a noob and want to bring all that shite anyway.
One can get by with very little despite all that marketing targeted at us.
This though; "For years I had to choose between climbing and fly-fishing,..." has never been a problem for me. Heck choose both. And I see you found a cool way to combine them.
But yes a telescoping fly rod would sure be sweet.
Now salt-water FF is a different story no?
cheers
|
|
Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
|
|
|
Jan 16, 2014 - 11:09pm PT
|
Hi Mike M.
Those are some cool pictures from the Winds! The Wind Rivers have to be one of the most underrated ranges in the U.S.(except by climbers).
The line on a tenkara rod is attached to the tip. There is a small cord called a lillian that is permanently affixed to the tip. The line is tied to to that with a simple self tightening loop. If you are used a regular fly rod it seems weird to not see a bunch of hardware on the rod. A tenkara rod is also typically quite a bit longer (12-13')than a western rod.
-Craig
P.S. Good call on the bug head net. My wife and I got driven mad by Mosquitos on the West side one time.
|
|
ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
|
|
|
Jan 17, 2014 - 12:05am PT
|
Donini when you get back, you give me a Tenkara lesson....I'll give you and Jimbo a fly casting lesson, we fish, climb a bit then PARTAY a bit!
Peace
|
|
Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
|
|
|
Feb 28, 2014 - 08:46am PT
|
Spring is on the way at Boulder Creek. Caught a half dozen little brown trout who were in a midge frenzy with the venerable Ishigaki kebari fly during lunch.
|
|
Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
|
|
|
Feb 28, 2014 - 10:06am PT
|
WANT ONE!
|
|
johntp
Trad climber
socal
|
|
The recent Patagonia fly fishing catalog has a brief article on Tenkara.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!