Tenkara
With simple gear and sophisticated techniques, tenkara fosters deep connection.
No Reel, No Problem
Tenkara is a style of fly fishing originating in Japan. It uses a fixed length line attached to the end of a lightweight pole, with no reel. A fly, typically an unweighted wet, is cast and fished in a short drift. Active presentation methods are common. Similar styles have been in use in Japan and elsewhere for thousands of years. Fixed line styles died out in most other parts of the world as reels became common. In Japan, fixed line fly fishing retained a core following, and techniques and equipment were modernized to become what we now know as tenkara.
Deep Connection
Tenkara is up close and personal. Fishing with a fixed line encourages a deeper connection with the river and the fish in it. Instead of a longer cast, you must move your feet to reach farther runs. When a fish is hooked, there is very little between it and you, so you feel it viscerally.
