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).

Power Isome and Gulp alive bait storage

by Alton F

Isome worms leak from the original container and Chris warns you and even sends a extra Ziploc bag for when it happens. Isome worms smell okay though. Gulp on the other hand stinks. I guess the odor draws in the fish because they are very effective.

From watching many YouTubers and reading reviews and my own personal experience, the containers leak and it doesn't matter if you bought them in the jar or the plastic Ziploc like-bags they come in, getting that odor out of anything can be difficult.

I have tested my solution for the past 6 months with Gulp products and over a month with Isome worms. I shook the containers vigorously and placed one upside down and another on its side for a week with no leakage, then repeated process and still no leakage. I then froze some water in the container and placed it out in our 100 degree summer heat upside down and it didn't leak. I have fished them now almost every fishing trip, I have taken and my backpack I use is set down on the bank at many different angles throughout the day including some roll over incidents, no leakage though.

The containers I have been writing about are the brown/orange tinted prescription medicine bottles from the pharmacy. Hopefully, Berkley representatives read Tenkarabum and implement better storage containers, but in the meanwhile, these are perfect.

Always remember to wipe the bottle down with water before placing back into your backpack/vest to keep juice that has leaked onto the bottle from taking bait out from getting into your backpack or vest. The Isome worms have also done excellent. Hope this tip helps everyone. Alton

“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!