Tenkara BasicsOpening Rod
Tenkara rods are telescopic. Opening the rod is nothing complicated, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind to make it easier/quicker to open and prevent damaging the rod:
Keep control of the rod segments when opening or closing the rod!
1) Remove rod plug. Tilt rod down a little to expose the rod tip.
2) Keeping the hard tip inside, and exposing only the braided tip, attach line to rod tip.
3) Once line is attached, hold rod tip near opening of rod. Pull the tip, and each subsequent segment out, sliding them out between your fingers. Pull each piece (tip, second segment, 3rd segment, etc) out completely until next segment is snug and pulled out before pulling the next segment out. Pieces should feel snug, not overly tight.
Warning:
1) When pulling the cap out, pull it straight out without any sideway pressure. (2) Never swing the rod open, and do not apply too much pressure when pulling the segment out as that will cause pieces to get stuck together.
Attaching Line to Rod
One major difference between tenkara rods and other fishing rods is the absence of a loop at the tip of the rod, or any guides throughout the rod.
The tip of tenkara rods are made of strong braid material called "lilian string" (or just lilian) where the tenkara line is then tied. This greatly enhances the sensitivity for detecting subtle strikes and also provides for a smoother cast.
To tie the line to the rod, simply tie an overhand knot on the braid material at the tip of the rod (leaving a 1/8 to 1/4 inch tag sticking out), then follow the illustrations below to attach the line to the lilian. These are very secure knots.
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS Leave the fragile hard tip of the rod inside its main segment while setting up, exposing only the braided "lilian" string to prevent sideway pressures and breakage.
Closing Rod
It may seem odd that we'd start by talking about closing the rod before we even covered opening and settingup. That's because closing the rod requires some special care.
Tenkara rodsare excellent and strong fishing tools thatcan take a load and handle fish very well. But, they are also delicate forhandling, and most breakages will occur when closing the rod. It'simportant to never exert any sideway pressure on the rod segments when closing the rod.It's best to put the bottom of the rod on a flat and stable surface when closing it. And, then push pieces STRAIGHT in. As soon as the piece is loose you may letit slide down. The 3 tip segments are particularly fragile and specialcare should be taken when handling them.
If pieces are stuck, you may try: holding stuck pieces with rubbert pads for increased grip and pushing straight in, or gentlytapping the stuck piece down. Simply hold stuck segment with your finger close to joint, lift it up and tap it down a few times to dislodge it. Always do this on a flat surface and hold delicately:
Opening Rod
Tenkara rods are telescopic. Opening the
rod is nothing complicated, but there are a couple of things to keep in
mind to make it easier/quicker to open and prevent damaging the rod:
Keep control of the rod segments when opening or closing the rod!
1) Remove rod plug. Tilt rod down a little to expose the rod tip.
2) Keeping the hard tip inside, and exposing only the braided tip, attach line to rod tip.
3) Once line is attached, hold rod
tip near opening of rod. Pull the tip, and each subsequent segment out,
sliding them out between your fingers. Pull each piece (tip, second
segment, 3rd segment, etc) out completely until next segment is snug and
pulled out before pulling the next segment out. Pieces should feel snug, not overly tight.
Warning:
1) When pulling the cap out, pull it straight out without any sideway
pressure. (2) Never swing the rod open, and do not apply too much
pressure when pulling the segment out as that will cause pieces to get
stuck together.
Attaching Line to Rod
One major difference between
tenkara rods and other fishing rods is the absence of a loop at the tip
of the rod, or any guides throughout the rod.
The
tip of tenkara rods are made of strong braid material called "lilian
string" (or just lilian) where the tenkara line is then tied.
This greatly enhances the sensitivity for detecting subtle strikes and
also provides for a smoother cast.
To tie the line to the rod, simply
tie an overhand knot on the braid material at the tip of the rod
(leaving a 1/8 to 1/4 inch tag sticking out), then follow the
illustrations below to attach the line to the lilian. These are very
secure knots.
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS
Leave the fragile hard tip of the rod inside its main segment while
setting up, exposing only the braided "lilian" string to prevent sideway
pressures and breakage.
Traditional Tenkara Line
Tenkara Level Line
Tippet-to-line connection
Between the tenkara line and the fly one
must use tippet material (very thin monofilament) which will be
essentially invisible to the fish and allow you to tie the fly. Tenkara
is a small-stream angling method, and a delicate fishing style. We
recommend you use tippet that is 4lbs of test or thinner only (typically
5X or thinner: 5, 6, 7 or 8X) to help protect your rod.
Traditional tenkara lines come pre-tied
with a 5-inch monofilament extender at the tip end. We highly recommend
you always use an extender to help extend the life of your tenkara line
and prevent any accidental snipping of the tenkara line. Then, tie the
tippet directly to the extender (we recommend a loop-to-loop
connection). To replace the
extender, simply tie a short piece of monofilament using an improved
clinch-knot to the tip end of the tenkara line, and form a small loop
about 5 - 8 inches away where you will then connect your tippet, e.g.
via a double-surgeon (instructions below).
