Tenkara Fishing Basics

Tenkara is the traditional Japanese method of fly-fishing, which uses only a rod (no reel), line and flies. Very simple and extremely effective. Tenkara fly fishing is particularly well suited for mountain stream fly fishing and is a great way to get introduced to fly fishing. If you’d like to learn about fly fishing in its absolute purest form that focuses on reading water and finding fish while catching Montana trout on a small stream or river then come Tenkara fly fishing with us.
Some of the main advantages are its simplicity, the very delicate presentations with the light line, the ability to hold the line off the water and a fly in place over difficult currents, precise casting, and great control of the fly. Only rod, line and fly are used. The line is attached directly to the tip of the rod; tippet is attached to the end of the Tenkara line. As in western fly-fishing, the line propels the weightless fly to the desired target and there is a fly-casting technique involved – just a bit slower, and with a shorter casting stroke. Landing a fish is very intuitive and similar to any type of fishing with a rod: one simply raises the rod high and reaches for the fish. Tenkara is an ancient angling method. While its own style of fly fishing, it is a great tool for the techniques of close-up nymphing, soft-hackle wet fly-fishing, and virtually drag-free dry fly fishing. Great for backpacking, or to enjoy a simple fishing experience.