Tenkara rods
Minimalist, but therefore very effective and fun to fish with
TENKARA RODS
MINIMALISM FOR MAXIMUM FISHING PLEASURE
Tenkara rods are telescopic fishing rods with a length of 320 to 400 cm. Despite their length, they take up very little space when collapsed and are therefore very easy to transport. Like classic fly rods, Tenkara rods are also made of carbon fibre, but are much more flexible. Although the diameter of the rod is larger in the hand section, the material thickness of the carbon fibre blank is much thinner, which makes it very light and therefore easy to handle.
Probably the biggest difference to other fishing rods is the fact that Tenkara rods have neither a reel seat nor running guides. This special fishing technique uses neither a reel nor a run-through fishing line. The Tenkara line is attached directly to the so-called "lilian" with a simple knot. The "lilian" is a piece of braided line that is affixed to the rod tip.
A tip for beginners: Tenkara rods have a very thin and delicate rod tip. A certain amount of sensitivity is therefore required, especially when you rig or collapse the rod.
WHICH LENGTH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
There is no universal ideal length for Tenkara rods that would be suitable for all situations. Rather, it depends on the characteristics of the water being fished. The following rod lengths are commonly used in the respective waters:
Tenkara rods with a length of 320 cm: ideal for small streams, especially mountain streams. Rods of this length are also ideal for fishing on overgrown stream banks, as the line cannot get tangled in the branches so easily.
Tenkara rods with a length of 360 cm: ideal for small and medium-sized streams with little vegetation.
Tenkara rods with a length of 400 cm: ideal for fishing in medium to large streams and rivers.
To summarise: The longer the rod, the greater the reach, i.e. the casting distance. However, the dense vegetation on the banks of the stream can be very uncomfortable with long rods. We therefore recommend adapting the length of your rod to the conditions of the water you are fishing.
THE ACTION OF A TENKARA ROD
With Tenkara rods, the action is specified by the ratio between the rigid and the more flexible parts of the rod. An action of 7:3 therefore means that the lower 7 sections of the rod are stiffer and the upper 3 are softer. The most commonly used actions are undoubtedly 6:4 and 7:3. There are also very stiff Tenkara rods with an 8:2 action and very soft models with a 5:5 action.
