I'm sure it has been clear to everyone that I have been winding down the TenkaraBum and Finesse-Fishing sites for a while now. There is very little left in stock - just three tenkara rods and some lines on the TenkaraBum site and just five spinning rods, some lines and some ultralight spinners and spoons on the Finesse-Fishing site.

I will be taking a step closer to retirement beginning November 11. I will be away from the shop for a month. Not a fishing trip, not a business trip, not a vacation. Instead, more of a temporary or "practice" retirement. While I am away, you can purchase anything that is in stock but it won't get shipped until December 11 or shortly thereafter. If you are quick, I can ship items on November 9 and 10.

While I am away from the shop I will not be able to sell any replacement parts that may be in stock but not on the website, and will not be able to order any parts that are not in stock. If you need a replacement part, I would suggest contacting Keiichi Okushi, who owns Tenkara-ya in Japan. Google can find the email address for you.

I do not plan on even reading emails, let alone answering them. There are a number of other fine tenkara shops in the US who can answer urgent questions or provide immediate shipment for any gear you may need right away.

I will be back, but until then, take care (and don't break anything).

Handle Experiments

by Phillip Dobson
(Butte, MT)

This experiment came about for a few reasons, including a broken rod section I wanted to play with (this reminds me that I need to order replacements). But the main reason was that I'm jealous of light small stream rods like the Kurenai, but can't quite justify the purchase of one.

What I do have is a long Sagiri, within which is a beautifully light 3m blank. It just doesn't have a handle. I set out to make myself a Sagiri 34 with wooden handle.

The tip sections I used are about 340cm long and weigh 30g. I cut out blanks of koa and Pacific yew for the handles. Boring the wood was the trickiest part, as it's difficult to make long straight holes, and my wood blanks were narrow and didn't leave me much leeway. I used multiple bits to taper the bore and make a socket for the plug. I then reamed the taper to slide perfectly into position on the rod with a snug press fit. The turning was easy enough, and I tried a couple different profiles out. The butt caps are Honduras rosewood with an o-ring that press fits into position. The handles ended up weighing in a 18 and 20g. Some sanding and a coat of oil, and it was off to the river.

My first impression was how light and effortless the casting was. It was like I waved my hand, and the fly magically flew to its destination. My next impression was that there isn't much fish-stopping power at all. A 14" cutthroat was an exciting proposition. After a few good cutthroat, I went back to the truck, switched handles, and headed to the mountains to find one of the last ancestral strains of Westslope cutthroat.

I think I liked the chunkier yew handle a little more. It fit my hand well, and the word sensitive doesn't begin to describe how well the action of the fly was transmitted to my nerves. I was feeling the bumps of 2" cutthroat missing my kebari. I admit that a couple tiny fish hit hard enough that I over-enthusiatically took them for a ride.

I'll probably make a few more of these prototypes. Maybe an inch longer toward the butt, where it's hollowed out more, and a more snug, smaller profile butt cap. I'll have to dig around for more wood scraps.

“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.

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. Pay attention to 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!