Tenkara

[adam]

Four words.

Bow and arrow cast.

The rods work excellent for that technique.

[greendrake]

Yep.It was either that or roll casting when I fished this spot on Monday.Although I'm thinking that I had an easier time bow and arrow casting my 7' rod than I would have with an 11-13' rod heck my wing span isn't that great

[pcg]

Will, another possibility for streams like this is to use one-handed Spey casts. They're far better than roll casts.

I'm not suggesting it as a Tenkara style, but for use with that little fly rod.

[greendrake]

Pat

You could probably get away with that in the second pic.The first pic though would be rather tough to put the line in the air as the trees on both sides tilt inwards forming a semi tunnel effect.From watching videos of spey casting I would think just about any type of cast where the line is required to be in the air would be extremely difficult here.

I've been meaning to ask you about the reel in your avatar.Is it brass or is it just a golden patina look caused by the lighting and color that the computor shows?
Will

[matsoberg]

Here is a good spot for you to test it if you can get a 13' rod through this maze to the stream



Will

Where´s that? Your home creek?

[pcg]

Will, that's a 2 3/4" Dingley--aluminum, blackened about 1920 & the "bronze" effect is just good old fashioned patina.

BTW, re fishing that little section you've illustrated, I'd take one look at it & move on downstream!!!!!!

[pcg]

Received the new Tenkara rod today & took it playing on the river. About 15-20 before I began to cast it w/o thought. I was fishing a nice 30-35' wide stretch of slow water. Perfect...

[adam]

Nice, looks like you got an Ebisu, good choice.

Experiment with lines, since the rod is static, the lines make it versitile.

My favorite line is a 00-weight level line with tapered knotless 1/3 leader.

I then like the "pink level line" I got from Daniel, I'm pretty sure he will give you one if you ask...

Now that you own one, what do you think of it?

[pcg]

Adam, thanks for the suggestions. I loved the rod, but the braided line took some getting used to. I bought the suggested Tenkara line, so it's my only experience so far. I was able to "cast" it okay, but not as smoothly as I usually do a typ. fly line. There was also a light wind--5-10 mph, & the line has no wind-cutter ability, whatsoever.

Otherwise, marvelous rod, pleasingly responsive. And I love the pine handle. 12-footer that collapses to 20" or so. Very cool.

Question regarding the handle: It appears to be unfinished. I'm tempted to use some tung oil on it for long-term protection. What do forum members suggest?!!

[CM_Stewart]

I agree with Adam. The lines make it versatile. I like a much lighter line than he does, though, and my favorite weighs about 5.5 grains for a 12' line, or less that 1/4 the weight of a 000 line (and less than half what the Tenkara USA furled line weighs). Obviously, I can't cast it into a breeze, but when conditions are still it is easy to keep the line off the water, so that only the fly and the tippet are subject to drag, and it is so light that it doesn't take much to make the line twitch to indicate a strike on a wet fly or nymph. If a tenkara line was heavy enough to cut the wind well, you would not be able to keep the line off the water and you wouldn't have nearly the advantages over a regular fly rod that a lighter line gives you. A range of line weights allows you to fish a range of different conditions, but I'll always fish the lightest one I can get away with.

The casting stroke itself requires almost no force, so you may be overpowering it. That seems to be a common problem for first time users.

On the Ebisu grip, all I can say is that Daniel Galhardo, the designer, doesn't oil his. A little very fine sandpaper after a year or so has it looking like new, he says.