TENKARA - THE PUREST FORM OF FLY FISHING

TENKARA - FLY FISHING, REDUCED TO THE ESSENTIALS

Tenkara is a traditional Japanese method of fly fishing that originated in the small mountain streams of Japan. Tenkara fishing is characterised by its very simple equipment, reduced to the essentials, and its effectiveness. This type of fishing is very popular in Japan. It is not only the fishing aspects that play a role. The special contemplative experience and the direct contact with the water, the fish and nature that this minimalist type of fly-fishing offers are also very appealing. This is one of the reasons why the popularity of Tenkara has grown so much in recent years, even outside Japan.

The simple equipment basically consists of a longer, telescopic rod. It is fished without a reel. The fixed line is attached directly to the rod tip. With this setup you can fish special Tenkara flies, so-called Sekasa Kebari but also more familiar fly patterns like dries, wets and nymphs.

VALSESIANA & TENKARA - SURPRISINGLY SIMILAR

The Japanese Tenkara technique is very similar to the historical Italian "pesca a mosca Valesiana", although the two fishing methods have developed completely separately. However, the so-called Valsesiana flies are tied differently. They are more similar to classic English spider wet flies. They are also fished slightly differently. This is because the classic "pesca Valsesiana" usually uses 3 flies at the same time ("trenini Valsesiani"), whereas only one fly is fished with Tenkara.

ANYONE CAN FISH TENKARA STYLE

Tenkara fishing is not only very easy to learn, but also has some significant advantages: in addition to the minimalist and relatively inexpensive equipment, this type of fly fishing is unbeatably effective, especially on smaller waters. Thanks to the relatively long Tenkara rods between 320 and 400 cm, the fly can be presented very naturally for longer periods of time without any "annoying" line tangling. The scaring effect is also low, as hardly any empty casts are necessary, and the fly can be presented very carefully and delicately from a safe distance thanks to the long rods. Nevertheless, as a Tenkara fly fisherman you perceive the connection between rod and fly as immediate and very direct.

HERE YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR TENKARA FISHING

Are you fascinated by this minimalist type of fly fishing and would like to try it out? Then you'll find everything you need in our online shop to get your Tenkara adventure off to the best possible start:

• You can buy high-quality Tenkara rods from us. We stock several models in different lengths and actions. Here you'll find the right Tenkara rod for your favourite waters.
• We also offer a large selection of excellently tied Sekasa Kebari, the classic Tenkara flies.
• Of course, you will also find special Tenkara lines. These make casting and controlling the drift of your flies child's play when fishing Tenkara style.
• We also have practical Tenkara accessories such as matching fly boxes, line winders and retrofittable hook eyes in our range.