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Fly rods breaks. If you’ve been fishing a while, you’ve probably had this happen. Usually a fish is not the cause but sometimes, particularly in saltwater fly fishing, it is. More commonly the culprit is a truck door, a tree, a car tire, and yes, the angler. The fix typically involves shipping the rod to the manufacturer for repair.
Tenkara rods break too. The most common section to break is the delicate tip, although a break can occur anywhere along the length of the tenkara rod. Breaks can be very telling. Where the break occurs along a rod often tells the story of how and why it happened.
Just as with regular fly rods even if a break occurs while on a fish, the fish rarely causes the break. Rather the break occurs as a result of the way the load of the fish was distributed along the rod, a fly rod or a tenkara rod. While hard to admit, probably close to 99% of breaks really are the result of “user errors”.That being said, we can still blame trees, rocks and flies snagged in bushes to make us feel better. And they can’t object.
Even considering all these things, breaks should not be common. If you are breaking your tenkara rod tip or another section, every season or multiple times within a season, keep reading. because With a few tweaks, it can be avoided.
Personally, I fish my tenkara rods hard. I chase a lot of species that are non-traditional tenkara species in both fresh and saltwater. These include big Alaskan rainbows, sockeye and chum salmon, bonefish, carp, tarpon, golden dorado, Artic char, and trigger fish, just to name a few. I haven’t broken a tip in several years. Years!
I always travel with a spare tip section, just in case. Because I know one silly misstep, trip, or mishap could result in a break. And I want to be prepared, just in case. But again, this is and should be a rare occasion. Here are common reasons why a tip breaks and ways to avoid it from happening:
A screw up: Yep. It’s as simple as not paying attention. Many people break their rods during set up or when putting their rod away. Remember to open and close your tenkara rod carefully. Pay attention to what you are doing and when collapsing the tip, hold just above and just below the joint between Sections 1 and 2. Also use the grip pads provided with all Zen rods, especially when collapsing the tip.
Removing fly from a bush or tree: When you get your fly stuck in a tree, do not whip your tenkara rod around like you would a regular fly rod. I know, it’s a hard habit to break but a sure way to have a break – a tenkara rod tip break. Instead, begin to collapse your rod from the bottom/largest sections, one at a time, until you or a friend can grab your line. Then, yank away to release your fly or break your tippet. If you can’t reach your tenkara line to grab hold of it, then gradually pull your rod straight back towards you, applying more and more pressure with your rod fully extended, until the fly releases or the tippet breaks. Keep in mind that when you do finally collapse your tenkara rod, your tip section will probably be tight. Take your time. Use your grip pads and remember to hold just above and just below the joint. Then push together while twisting. Read the full article here.
Overloading: This is a common mistake, especially with those newer to tenkara…. the dreaded Candy Cane Syndrome. This occurs when an angler hooks a fish way up high and plays it there resulting in their tenkara rod taking the shape of a candy cane – straight with a deep bend in the very upper section of the rod. We also can visualize this as a traditional “trout set”. However, on a tenkara rod, this position can easily overload the top of the rod and put too much pressure on the tip section or sections 1-3. This position underutilizes the mid and lower sections of the tenkara rod and can result in a lack of control over the fish. Instead, aim for a more even distribution of your load. Your rod should look more like the letter “C” than an upside-down letter “J”. Aim for a nice arc in your rod. This arc is referred to as the power curve and it creates a more even and continuous load distribution along the entire length of the rod, rather than just the upper sections.
NOTE: Keep in mind the Candy Cane Syndrome during landing: Tenkara anglers have been known to grab their tenkara lines too high during landing, and inadvertently pull their rod tip down, bending it too much and snapping the tip. Try the Helicopter Move instead.
Unsteady Pressure: Unsteady pressure, bounces or big “pops” of pressure can result in sudden breaks. This usually happens in sections 1-3 when an angler is playing a fish on the tip and not getting into the mid or lower sections of the rod. When a fish bounces during a fight, uneven pressure is applied to the soft tip section. If a big bounce occurs and a great deal of sudden, intense pressure is directed to a single place on the rod, that stress will result in a break (it can also cause a tippet break or the fish to throw the hook). Once a hook set is made, a move should immediately occur to evenly spread the load while applying steady, continuous pressure on the fish. This is accomplished by getting into the lower sections of the tenkara rod. The even distribution gives you greater control and will result in faster landing – with less stress on your rod, and the fish.
When a rod breaks in one of the mid to lower sections, it is usually due to one of two scenarios: 1) Trying to “horse” or overpower and drag the fish in by applying too much stationary pressure on the rod; or 2) A sudden unexpected burst by a fish causes too much focused stationary pressure on the rod and it is overloaded. These two causes are essentially the same. You could say however, one is caused by the angler and the other is caused by the fish. A rarity.
If you keep these things in mind while playing and landing fish, you’ll will almost certainly avoid breaks. Things happen for sure. Fly rods break. Tenkara rods break too. But tenkara breaks should be as rare of an occurrence as regular fly rod breaks – which is seldom. Improving your tenkara subtleness and fixed-line tactfulness will help you to avoid future breaks, boost your fish management and evade those annoying moments when the fishing day comes to an abrupt and disappointing end when your rod snaps.
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