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).

SF Holston River

by Vern H.
(Marion, VA)

There was a family pounding the hole upstream from me with lead head jigs and curly tail grubs to no avail. After about 20 minutes of flogging and tossing rocks, they left.

I then used my new TenkaraBum 36 and a size 12 Takayama fly to work the hole, as I had struck out fishing upstream and downstream of the family. This was the first trout outing with Chris’ new T-Bum 36 rod.

I hooked a fantastic fish and was fighting him with the 36. I was holding my own, when he launched out of the water and did two somersaults in the air. Like any good novice, I vapor locked and froze at the sight! He re-entered the water and the hook came out. I then shook the lumps out of my shorts and regained by breath. Now I knew there were fish in that hole!

I made about a dozen more drifts through the hole and hooked another fish. This time, I put a serious bend in the rod and beached the fish in about 15 seconds. I was not going to take any chances this time. After photographing him, I released him back into the stream. It was the largest trout I have ever caught! I then continued to fish the hole and caught a smaller trout, but still a good one. Not bad for 45 minutes of fishing.

The TenkaraBum 36 performed admirably. It is easy to cast, handling small and large fish equally well. It is by far the best rod I have fished. Thank you Chris, for a great rod design and a fun rod to fish. BTW, the tail of the fish is even with the butt cap on the rod.

“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!