First timer for tenkara and new to fly fishing!

by Jordan
(San Angelo, Texas )

I've been tournament bass fishing here in Texas since I was twelve and about a year ago I decided to try something new due to low lake levels and fuel prices! I purchased a kayak and fly rod and certainly a fly tying kit also anything else I thought might help in my new adventure! Ok I tied every fly I thought might catch bass and every retrieve I could think of to just come home disappointed every Sunday! The past month my wife and I were in Scottsdale Arizona at the Mayo clinic for some health issues she has and I am happy to say She will be just fine! Well I found a Orvis store there and purchased a tenkara rod cuz the simplicity of it just well seemed simple! I spent the whole month on my phone studying tenkara and tenkara flys. When I got back home a week ago I tied some tenkara flys and this morning I hit the water not knowing what to expect! A rod a line and a fly! I proceeded to catch five fish in two hours! Three bluegill and two bass about 13"! I am convinced its due to the simplicity of it all and the noninvasiveness! No line slapping down in the water just quiet clean entry and the hackle forward fly has great action! Well that's my little story 'bout tenkara so far and I hope there will be lots more in the future!!

“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.