I bought a tenkara fly rod to carry in my flight bag for those times when we land next to a stream or lake. I needed one that collapsed to about a foot and finally found one that wasn't too expensive so I figured I'd buy it and try out another way to fish. The rod I bought extends to 10'6" and stores at 13", perfect size for my fight bag, fire gear or truck console.
I tested it out today on the middle fork of the Kaweah River just inside Sequoia National Park. I did a bunch of research on proper technique and combine that with my experience in western fly fishing I picked up the technique quick. On my 3rd cast I caught my first rainbow, decent 8" fish. Over the next few hours I landed another 7-9 rainbows! I'm really liking the simplicity!
awesome!!!!
Beautiful!!!
That's really cool. How about a photo of the rod for us.
Great job man,,,, ;)
Quote from: oc1 on September 09, 2025, 06:15:17 AMThat's really cool. How about a photo of the rod for us.
Here ya go. The rod came with an extra tip section as well. The cord at the top of the rod is where you connect the line.
:0)
Nice rod! Does Tenkara mean "Bream Buster" in Japanese ;D
Tenkara fishing (Japanese: テンカラ釣り, literally: "fishing from heaven", "sky fishing", or "empty sky fishing" as ten = "sky" and kara = "empty") is a type of simple rod angling traditionally practiced in Japan. Primarily used for mountain stream trout fishing, tenkara is still a fairly rare method even among freshwater anglers in Japan, and was largely unknown outside Japan until 2009, when the company Tenkara USA,[1] founded by Daniel Galhardo, introduced and popularized tenkara outside Japan.[2]
I use a small slip bobber/stop,preferably the rubber football shaped bobber stop & #10 truturn gold hook for bait fish. With all the nice rods & reels we all have, to me this method fishing is the most fun ! I might have to get one myself.
PJ where did you get it ,Amazon doesn't show the 7:3 version?
Thank you,
James
Quote from: jgp12000 on September 09, 2025, 03:25:54 PMNice rod! Does Tenkara mean "Bream Buster" in Japanese ;D
Tenkara fishing (Japanese: テンカラ釣り, literally: "fishing from heaven", "sky fishing", or "empty sky fishing" as ten = "sky" and kara = "empty") is a type of simple rod angling traditionally practiced in Japan. Primarily used for mountain stream trout fishing, tenkara is still a fairly rare method even among freshwater anglers in Japan, and was largely unknown outside Japan until 2009, when the company Tenkara USA,[1] founded by Daniel Galhardo, introduced and popularized tenkara outside Japan.[2]
I use a small slip bobber/stop,preferably the rubber football shaped bobber stop & #10 truturn gold hook for bait fish. With all the nice rods & reels we all have, to me this method fishing is the most fun ! I might have to get one myself.
It's super fun and make catching smaller fish more of a challenge. I bought the rod and accessories kit (3.5 line, 5x tippet, couple flys, and line holders) for around $100
Quote from: jgp12000 on September 09, 2025, 04:02:51 PMPJ where did you get it ,Amazon doesn't show the 7:3 version?
Thank you,
James
I did get it at Amazon but it's showing out of stock. You can also order direct from their website.
Here is a link to the line kit also available at Amazon
https://dragontailtenkara.com/products/dt-starterkit
I occasionaly fish for 4"-8" native trout is small brushy and weed filled streams and this would work well.
Quote from: Keta on September 09, 2025, 04:11:10 PMI occasionaly fish for 4"-8" native trout is small brushy and weed filled streams and this would work well.
Lee you'd want a rod weight of 6:4 for that size fish
Quote from: pjstevko on September 09, 2025, 04:38:23 PMQuote from: Keta on September 09, 2025, 04:11:10 PMI occasionaly fish for 4"-8" native trout is small brushy and weed filled streams and this would work well.
Lee you'd want a rod weight of 6:4 for that size fish
I have a "short" 4wt.
Thanks for the great report PJ. How cool to discover a new way to fish (at least for us), and new gear from halfway around the world to do it with!
Quote from: Vintage Offshore Tackle on September 09, 2025, 05:04:13 PMThanks for the great report PJ. How cool to discover a new way to fish (at least for us), and new gear from halfway around the world to do it with!
Thanks Randy! I think it's gonna be a great way to fish spontaneously considering you don't have a lot of equipment to deal with. A zip lock bag with line and flys and the rod tube is all you need and doesn't take up any room
I'm going out again on Sunday and gonna fish the rod again. It makes fishing little fish fun!!!!
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That sounds like a lot of fun. Getting back to basics. It makes a person wonder how this whole angling thing ever got started in the first place. Tenkara is said to date back to the 8th or 9th Century. But, the oldest know fish hook was also from Japan and was made of seashell. It dates back 22,000 years ago. Cordage and sticks have been around longer than our species has so it was just a matter of trading the fishing spear for the fishing pole.
Hmm, reminds me of something...
Had another great outing today and caught 9 rainbow trout with most ranging in size from 4" to 9" with one standout around 13". Even the small fish are super fun to catch with this whippy rod. During a long dead drift I thought I got caught on an underwater stick but we I'm pulling it in I realized it was a dead snake! This is definitely the weirdest thing I've ever "caught". I'm definitely falling in love with the simplicity and effectiveness of this style fishing...
Spent another couple hours at the river today and caught four nice ones. My plan was to fish all day but it ended early when the 2nd section from the tip snapped while fighting a fish in the current. I put the replacement section on when I got home so I'm ready to go on my next day off.
:0)
Rattle snake?
Small river fly casting is a blast, usually uncrowded and a casting skill improver.
Nice Rainbows, PJ,
Thanks for showing us.
Sorry the rod broke. That is not good.
Best, Fred
Quote from: foakes on September 24, 2025, 09:06:54 PMNice Rainbows, PJ,
Thanks for showing us.
Sorry the rod broke. That is not good.
Best, Fred
The rod breakage was my fault as I didn't use good technique while fighting the fish. These type rods are very sensitive and fragile so good form is critical. Being as I'm new to this technique of fishing I'm still learning how to properly use the rod. It was bound to happen.
Thanks for posting PJ, some really nice photography there man, cheers Don.
A friend gave me an older tenkara rod he never uses anymore. I put it through the ringer today and landed 20 rainbow/brook and brown trout and missed that many more all in three hours. The fish were every aggressive and destroyed my purple haze dry fly!
Apparently I caught a couple brown trout too. I figured they were brook trout with a pale coloration
Quote from: pjstevko on October 01, 2025, 12:30:03 AMA friend gave me an older tenkara rod he never uses anymore. I put it through the ringer today and landed 20 rainbow/brook trout and missed that many more all in three hours. The fish were every aggressive and destroyed my purple haze dry fly!
And it looks like at least one brown trout:
(https://alantani.com/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=160555;image)
Not too much of a trout guy, but it sure looks like a brown to me.
Trout sure live in some scenic places.
-J
Those are beautiful fish, thanks
Quote from: pjstevko on October 01, 2025, 03:13:05 AMApparently I caught a couple brown trout too. I figured they were brook trout with a pale coloration
Brook trout (genus Salvelinus) are members of the Char family (some others being lake trout and artic char), which have a distinctive characheristic of light colored spots on dark sides and back. Brown trout (genus salmo) are members of the "true" trout family (some others being rainbow or steelhead, and Atlantic salmon), which have a distinctive characteristic of dark colored spots (may have colors within dark spots with some browns) on sides and back.
So you have a couple photos of brookies, a couple photos of browns, and one photo of a rainbow (and probably one of a rainbow still in the water).
Thank you Jim. Don't those trout things know each species deserves a niche of its own?
Went out and hit the creek for about 6 hours today and crushed'm! I landed 44 and missed a bunch. The morning was cold at 30° when I arrived but ended a beautiful day. All fish were caught on dry flies, I just love the visual of the takes. Landed the 3 B's....bows, brooks and browns!
More pics
Fall fishing in the mountains is the best! Great pictures.
Prety fish.
Beautiful little fish!
Thanks for the kind words. It's a lot of fun
Pretty minnows there PJ!
Quote from: oc1 on October 03, 2025, 05:24:46 AMThank you Jim. Don't those trout things know each species deserves a niche of its own?
Brook trout can over populate those "small" waters. They produce a large # of eggs. That's where the Brown's come-in to help.
Size doesn't mean much to me fly fishing on small streams, it's all about the stealth, the cast and strike.
Quote from: Gfish on October 30, 2025, 03:46:54 PMit's all about the stealth, the cast and strike.
Yeah, it sounds like a lot of fun. I've never lived anywhere that had a trout stream fishery. It's been a boring and sheltered life.
I snuck out to the lower portion of the Marble Fork this afternoon to take advantage of the warm sunny weather. I caught 5 beautiful wild rainbow trout in a couple hours.
I'm now a published author!
A few months ago I submitted an article to the editor of Tenkara Angler magazine about how I discovered the sport and my instant addiction to it. He must have liked it because it's being published in the next issue. If you look at the article titles mine is on pg 70 called "How Did I get here". It'll be exciting to see my words and photos in a print magazine!
Maybe we should start a magazine....Tales of the Tani Crew!!!!!
PJ that is awesome news! Is that an "internet" magazine or are there hard copies (available for autograph by PJ) available somewhere? You are always great about sharing with the Ohana in detail; so great that your detailed efforts and experienced are being shared with a wider audience! - john
nice!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Brewcrafter on February 10, 2026, 04:05:55 AMPJ that is awesome news! Is that an "internet" magazine or are there hard copies (available for autograph by PJ) available somewhere? You are always great about sharing with the Ohana in detail; so great that your detailed efforts and experienced are being shared with a wider audience! - john
John it available as a hard copy but it's by order only and this issue was fairly expensive. By mid-summer it'll be available as a free on-line flip book.
Hit up the river today since the weather had been so great. I caught 3 beautiful rainbow trout!
Spent 4 hours up in the Park today. I hiked up to Tokopah Falls (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/tokopah-falls) and fished my way back to the truck. With the heat wave hitting the valley the water flows are picking up but it's still fishable. You need to fish the seams, side channels, deep pools and stream edges. I started the day with nymphs and caught a bunch but as the temps rised so did the trout, saw them rising and switched to a dry fly. I ended catching a mix of rainbows, brooks and brown trout. I landed over 20 and missed around a dozen.
Those are some beautiful fish, thanks for posting
I have a mini 7' Fenwick for brushy streams and creeks. A buddy's dad made it for me when I was about 21 yrs old.
Hit up some super small creeks today to see if they had fish in them.... they did and lots of them! In 4 hours I landed over 40 brook trout ranging in size from 4" to 10". They were very aggressive hitting dry flies all day.
Beautiful fish and beautiful surroundings!
X2! Sequoias or Cedars, or what?
Looks like sequoias and Douglas fir
Yeah, probably. At least some kinna fir. One looks like Ponderosa pine bark.
Quote from: Swami805 on Today at 07:45:41 PMLooks like sequoias and Douglas fir
Winner winner trout dinner