First Time Tenkara

by Fisher Mirto
(Newark, California)

I had just received my Dragontail Tatsu the day before and my local park lake had just had one of its "kid fishing days". With one of the coves netted off and about 1200 pounds of rainbow trout I thought I'd join in on the turkey shoot while the fish were still swimming. I went down with my new rod. After losing 2 of the flies that came with the rod I caught the next 14 fish on a red zebra kebari in about 2 and a half hours. The most fun I've had in ages.

“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.

Seriously, all the hooks sold on TenkaraBum.com, whether packaged as loose hooks or incorporated into flies, are 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!