Fly fishing fun in a tiny, easy package. Patagonia’s little tenkara rod simplifies backcountry fly-fishing
By Justin Housman
[dropcap]“I[/dropcap]’ve been fishing in Ontario with my tenkara rod in small streams. What great fun! Thank you for putting me on to this.”
Got this in an email the other day. Few weeks before, I’d been talking with the sender about fishing, mentioned how much I’d been enjoying using a tenkara rod in small streams and ponds. He’d been fishing for decades and had seen tenkara rods in stores, but weren’t sure what they were about and had never tried one.
I told him how practical the rods are: collapsible, extremely lightweight, no reel, just simple rod and fly line—perfect for the backcountry. I’m by no means an expert fly-fisherman, but I’ve found using the tenkara to be both a huge challenge AND a pleasant simplification of the fishing experience. He liked what he heard so much; he bought one himself, I guess.
I’ve been using the 8’6″ Patagonia tenkara setup ($200). You can also get the rod in lengths of 10’6″ and 11’6″. The rod is made for Patagonia by Temple Fork Outfitters, and if you spring for the whole “Simple Fly Fishing Kit” ($78) you get a box of flies, two sets of line and leaders, and a beautiful book with tips, techniques, and a little bit of education about insects and trout species.
The 8’6″ rod collapses down to only 20 inches. It includes . . . Read more
Featured Image is of Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, fishing the Snake River.
