Tension is generally thought of as “not a good thing,” particularly when it’s in our body like our neck or back. But tension on a fly line almost always is good. It means there is a fish on the other end and that makes anglers happy. But as the saying goes, “too much…
If you ever only target little 6″ to 8″ trout on your tenkara rod like the Zen Suzume, then you’ve probably never run into this situation. But if you ever target or accidentally get into a bigger fish, 20″ on up, or intentionally chase more powerful species like sockeye, coho…
One of the most common questions I’m contacted about is how to choose a tenkara rod. “What rod should I get or what length tenkara rod should I buy? The answer to that question lies in how you intend to use the rod. The waters you plan to fish and…
If you are in Colorado on October 8th and near Lyons, you have an opportunity to participate in a FREE class at Spirit Hound Distillery. Karin Miller, Owner and Founder of Zen Tenkara will be providing an overview of tenkara rods, lines, casting, fish play and landing techniques. This is…
Recently I received a request for help from a tenkara angler who was struggling with generating an effective hook set. As I responded to his email, it got me thinking that I hear a lot of other anglers describe a similar struggle, especial when they start out. I figured what…
By Karin Miller, Owner/Founder Zen Tenkara/Zen Fly Fishing Gear When people hear mention of tenkara, they typically think of small streams and creek fishing for fish in similar size categories. Most anglers would not consider using a tenkara rod for a float trip, but I encourage you to continue reading.…
In Western fly fishing, an angler’s fly box is a treasure trove of options: dry flies, nymphs, midges, streamers, terrestrials with literally thousands of patterns falling within these categories. On top of that are the other thousands of patterns that aren’t “official” fly patterns but instead are individual creations of…
As the leaves change colors and the air turns crisp, fall fishing in 6 Mile Canyon offers a unique opportunity to hone your skills and target brown trout like never before. Let’s delve into effective tenkara fishing techniques, essential American Tenkara tips, and fall fly fishing strategies designed to help…
Tenkara, the traditional Japanese method of fixed line fly fishing for small fish in high mountain streams is slowly but surely becoming Americanized. Whether we like it or not. These days, the hottest tenkara topic on social media venues is around, “big fish”. Some might say it diminishes the method’s…
Recently I’ve received a number of emails from tenkara anglers wanting to know more about using longer lines on their tenkara rods, so I thought I should copy my email response and turn it into a post. Casting long lines is fun and not difficult to master since most tenkara…
When I present or talk about tenkara I often tell this story: For years in my early days of fly fishing, I always fished dry flies. My fishing buddies called me the dry fly Queen. I had this magical effect – whenever I stepped into a river, a hatch would…
Yep, you heard me. Clean your tenkara rod. It only takes a few minutes and should be done fairly regularly in order to keep your rod sections free of dust and debris. Dirt in between the rod sections over time, can cause micro-fractures in the carbon fiber. Each time you open or close…
Whenever I sit down or get together with a group of traditional fly anglers we inevitably get to talking about tenkara. The number one question I get asked is, “What do you do when a fish runs?” My response has become a mini lesson of sorts, where we end up…
Tenkara is all about simplicity but when it comes to line options it can get a little confusing. Let’s talk about the different kinds of tenkara lines that are available and how best to fish them. Generally, I like to categorize tenkara lines into 5 categories: level, furled or braided,…
The Leisenring Lift is a fly fishing presentation technique that’s been around for ages. It is not a Japanese or tenkara technique but rather one that was developed for use on the rod and reel. It just happens to lend itself to tenkara and Sakas Kebaris. The “Lift” goes back…
January 2022. We made it. We’re here and got through another year of challenges. I’m sitting in the lobby of a Marriot in Richmond, Virginia. It’s about 5am. I flew in yesterday evening. Today is “set-up” day for the Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival taking place this weekend on…
The What technique? Pronounced “soo te bar y”, it means false cast. The general idea of this presentation is to get the fish worked-up a bit and get his tummy grumbling for a tasty snack by teasing him with false casts made near him, but not to him. Sounds a little crazy but…
The Skate is a simple and fun way to present flies and is an ideal presentation for the tenkara rod with it’s delicate, highly sensitive tip section, as well as its ability to create the slightest movement in a fly. This technique can be combined with the Dead Drift and…
The Pulse. It’s an easy and effective tenkara fly presentation that is a simple modification of the Dead Drift. The Pulse utilizes the unique reverse hackle design of the Sakasa Kebari fly to maximize movement. Without the pulsing motion this fly pattern is very effective but with it, the Sakasa…
I fish both fresh and saltwater. I also fish rod and reel style along with tenkara. In almost all scenarios wind can be the biggest factor. This year I traveled and fished twice in Guanaja, Honduras. Once in March and then again just recently, the first week in October. During…
In this write-up we’ll talk about the Pause and Drift. It’s as easy as it sounds, promise. Condensed down to the bare bones, a Pause and Drift Presentation is a dead drift in which you occasionally stop, to intentionally add action to your fly, then proceed again with another dead drift, repeating this…
This month we’ll review one of my favorite tenkara presentations, the Swing. It’s my go-to on several sections of my home water, the Poudre River, where there are some nice wide bends and undercuts banks, and the current is gentle and steady. It’s a very easy presentation and one that…
It happens. To all of us. Somedays more than others. And it’s frustrating. Your fly gets stuck in a tree or brush behind you, or across the river on the other side. With a regular fly rod and reel, you generally yank it pretty hard or snap your line and can…
Zen Tenkara is often associated with extreme tenkara fishing, saltwater tenkara fishing and big fish on tenkara but at the heart of our company is traditional tenkara that targets trout in the crystal clear mountain streams of Colorado. While we design rods for big fish hunting, we also design rods…
