Fall is my favorite season of the year. It’s that perfect combination of jeans, a pullover sweater and flip flops. If I could dress like that everyday, I’d be forever content. It’s also an incredible time to fish as trout hunger for protein during long shadow days dressed in golden…
Dearest Customer At Zen we strive to provide competitive prices for excellent quality products that perform and function in an exemplar way – setting the standard for high quality tenkara gear and always providing that same level of customer service. Zen has established a reputation for being innovative, being cutting…
Hand a fly rod to most any angler and he or she will hold it in their hand about the same way. They may grip the rod handle slightly higher or lower but generally it will resemble a “handshake” with the thumb up and the rest of the fingers and…
Noah Larsen and Arthur Shain returned from their Alaska Packrafting Expedition full of appreciation of the area, their steadfast gear and their personal growth. Here’s an account of their trip: Our westerly traverse of the Brooks Range and Gates of the Arctic National Park began about 20 miles south…
As a company based in Colorado, we are lucky to be surrounded by incredible landscapes and outdoor beauty that calls to be enjoyed and explored. We’re also surrounded by people who value active lifestyles and all that the great outdoors has to offers. So when Zen was contacted by two…
As the interest in tenkara continues to grow, so has the number of anglers who have decided to give it a try and even switch to a fixed-line fly fishing method. More experimentation is happening and fly fishermen and women all over the world are discovering the fun of using a tenkara…
I just finished packing my Patagonia Storm waterproof bag and I’m at a comfortable 20lbs. Not bad when you consider my Simms Sneaker wading boots are in there, all my toiletries and clothes for a winter evening out in Paris. I try to never let my rods and reels out…
My first memory of fishing was with my dad when I was about four years old and we were anchored off Honeymoon Harbor in the Bahamas. There wasn’t much room for toys on our 27-ft Morgan sailboat, which we lived aboard for about a month at a time. One day…
As the fly fishing method and sport of tenkara takes hold and gains popularity in the American market, it will be interesting to see if they way tenkara rods are categorized and described evolves. The current practice of notating the rod’s length and flex ratio leave a lot to…
Recently I returned from a trip to Boston, Mass. where I was invited to speak to an all men’s fly fishing club, the Fly Casters of Boston. This is a private club steeped in tradition and bylaws that date back to the early 1940s. The group of gentlemen meet monthly…
As the holidays creep up on us and winter bares down, the Fly Fishing Show and companies in the fly fishing industry prepare for exhibitions all over the country. As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, its a great time to take a class, attend seminars and brush up on…
Winter is here in all its glory and many of you who reside in warm climates are continuing to fly fish and enjoy less humidity. Those of us in the north are searching for tailwaters, taking to our vises or spending frigid days getting caught up on the latest tenkara…
As you may or may not know, Zen Tenkara/Zen Fly Fishing Gear has been around since 2012. We’ve worked hard at defining not only ourselves, but also American Tenkara and in doing so, have tried hard to set ourselves apart from the ordinary and into the extraordinary. In order to…
When fly anglers talk about their fly rods, they use a set of terms to describe the rod. This usually includes the rod’s length and the rod’s weight. You’ll hear fly fisherman say they have a 7ft 3wt or a 9ft 5wt, etc. The rod’s weight has nothing to do…
Golden Dorado, beautiful rainbows and fat browns – that’s what awaits in Argentina! April 9th-17th, 2021 we’re heading down to Urban Dorado Anglers and Las Pampas Lodge for pure fishing heaven, total indulgence and an Argentinian experience like no other. Use your rod and reel, use your tenkara fly rod,…
Back in the home office at Zen Tenkara I’ve spent the day writing emails and sorting business cards. I’ve also spent time reflecting on this past week at the IFTD Show in Denver. It was quite a big deal for the International Fly Tackle Dealers Show to return to Denver…
Here’s a short interview that we did with Rapids Camp Lodge in King Salmon Alaska – not a typical tenkara destination but one that is actually as sweet as could be: For the past 3 years, we have been lucky to host Karin Miller & her husband Erik Fischer at…
I’ve just recently returned from another incredible Alaskan adventure and I have to say, the novelty and excitement of this untamed wilderness, never ceases to thrill me. Amy and Dan Herrig, owners of Rapids Camp Fishing Lodge, were our hosts for the third year in a row. They are special…
May 8th, this Wednesday evening at 7:00pm Mountain Time AskAboutFlyFishing.com will be broadcasting a live internet radio show with the owner of Zen Tenkara, Karin Miller, as guest. This will be a great time with fantastic conversation and an opportunity for you to type in your questions in real-time –…
It took only 10 days of being absent to be invaded. That seems like such a short time for nature to crawl in and take over. But that’s all it took. I opened the pantry door and was immediately struck by the smell, a musty funk that I’m certain wasn’t…
When I was a kid, there was a pond in the woods about a quarter mile from our house. My friends and I lived at that pond every free moment we had to spend. In the parlance of a ten-year-old from Massachusetts, the pond was wicked cool. In truth, the…
There are a lot of tenkara line options out there for tenkara rods. In the past, Zen offered many. They all had their pros and cons. Here’s a quick review of the tenkara line options and why we created our Zen Floating Line. Furled Tenkara Lines Furled and tapered…
It’s been a while since we’ve posted a blog because we’re just so darn busy – which is a good thing…a really, really good thing. Tenkara is finally assimilating into the fly fishing arena with more acceptance than ever before. Many of the stigmas that initially enveloped the method are…
Posted by Jason Klass of TenkaraTalk.com on September 12, 2017 A few weeks ago, I met up with Karin Miller from Zen Flyfishing and she let me try out her new floating line along the banks of the Fall River in Estes Park, CO. I pretty much exclusively fish level…
Posted by Jason Klass of Tenkaratalk.com on August 15, 2017 Over the long holiday weekend, I was able to catch up with my friend Karin Miller of Zen Flyfishing and got my hands on their new tenkara spoolbox. This is a really innovative piece of gear that is as beautiful…
It’s mid-July and I’m hunting around the bottom of my closet for fleece pants and wool socks. I’m heading to Alaska in less than a week and I’m excited but getting a little nervous since I’ve never been and I was invited there to fish and talk tenkara. It’s sort…
Posted by Michael McFarland on May 01, 2016 Why did I get into tying my own flies? When I look around my tying area at all of the materials I have collected, the tools I have acquired, and the time I have dedicated to staring at my vise, this question…
As you may or may not know, our tag line for Zen Tenkara is “defining American tenkara”. I’ve been asked exactly what that means and where we’re going as a company. Well, in this moment, I’ll attempt to tell you. We are anglers, fly men and women, passionate about what we do,…
Q: I’ve been involved with tenkara since 2009, and your website, Tenkara Talk, is one of the most comprehensive sources for tenkara info in the world. How did you get started on it? How did it evolve? What does the future hold for Tenkara Talk? Tenkara Talk actually started as…
Rob, let me start by saying it’s great to have a fellow tenkara guide as a presenter! You and your partners at Tenkara Guides LLC in Salt Lake City, Utah, were among the first professional guides in North America. Tell me how you three got your start? Tenkara Guides was…
Joe Egry was born in Kansas, but has lived all over the United States including California, Virginia and North Dakota, fishing a lot of waters in between. He caught his first fish when he was two years old. Joe began fly fishing in 1990 and tying flies shortly after that.…
Michael McFarland Michael McFarland is one of our Zen Certified Tenkara Guides and he’s also our Signature Fly Designer.Michael moved to Denver, Colorado about 10 years ago and really gravitated toward the Tenkara-style of fly fishing while routinely taking overnight camping trips in Rocky Mountain National Park. He’s spent a great…
Connor Murphy: Connor Murphy has been fly fishing and fly tying religiously for more than 13 years. In addition to working as a shop rat/guide/instructor at St. Peters Fly Shop in Fort Collins, Connor is a Montana Fly Company fly designer, FFF Certified Casting Instructor and long-standing exhibition fly tier.…
This has been an unusual year for me. It began with the unexpected passing of my sister. She was 3 years my elder and the news came New Year’s Eve. Festivities came to a halt and I traveled to Ohio where she had lived for many years, to mourn, sort,…
About a year ago I met a gentleman from Argentina. We talked of tenkara and of his home land. More specifically, we talked of the wondrous fishing opportunities Patagonia held and of the lodge he was a part of, Las Pampas Lodge.Then for many months, we never spoke again. But all…
With the growing interest in tenkara style fly fishing, is the growing need for knowledgeable, professional and skilled tenkara guides. Why you ask? Tenkara is simple and uncomplicated. Is there really a need for tenkara guides? The answer in my opinion is, yes . Let me spend the next few…