Auspicious Beginnings

by Mark Denovich
(Pittsburgh, PA)

First!

The USPS smiled upon me and delivered a Nissin Airstage 390, before noon. Recently I got a hot tip on where to find some brookies... somewhere where sanitary sewers don't drain straight into the water. So I loaded up the car and headed for the hills.

The pool I found was almost too good to use while I got the feel for the new rod. My worries were misplaced, I put the fly right where I wanted it. A few casts later I put it where a lovely native brookie wanted it and it was "fish on!"

I was so pleased with myself, the rod, the world, I almost wanted to pack up my gear and go home on a high note. But I stuck around, and I'm glad I did. I found another nice brook trout and 3 smaller ones, leaving only one fly behind in the trees.

I'm really pleased with the Air Stage 390. Light, crisp, well-damped... nearly every cast was delivered on target. I found that I quickly began fishing differently. With my improved placement I could pick apart the stream.

Return to Your Tenkara Stories.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.

Warning:

The hooks are sharp.
The coffee's hot.
The fish are slippery when wet.

Beware of the Dogma

Seriously, all the hooks sold on TenkaraBum.com, whether packaged as loose hooks or incorporated into flies, are sharp - or as Daiichi says on their hook packages, Dangerously Sharp. Some have barbs, which make removal from skin, eyes or clothing difficult. Wear eye protection. Wear a broad-brimmed hat. If you fish with or around children, bend down all hook barbs and make sure the children wear eye protection and broad-brimmed hats. Be aware of your back cast so no one gets hooked.

Also, all the rods sold on TenkaraBum.com will conduct electricity. Do not, under any circumstances, fish during a thunder storm. Consider any fishing rod to be a lightning rod! Fishing rods can and do get hit by lightning!