Go Ishii is a preeminent tenkara angler with one wading boot in the U.S. and one in Japan. He is fluent in both cultures, both languages, and both approaches to tenkara. He learned directly from the great Masamai Sakakibara (Tenkara no Oni) and–with appreciable fishing experience  in both countries–has a unique perspective on modern tenkara.… The post Ask Go Ishii! first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

“WOW!” I could probably end this review right here with that one word, and to me, it would be sufficient to describe how I feel about this rod. But you probably want to hear a little more than that! So, spoiler aside, here are the reasons why I fell in love with the Oni Style… The post 3 Why Reasons I Love the Oni Style Coco 290 first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

“Connecting the dots between the Japanese kebari & English soft hackle traditions”   Special Guest: Jonathan Antunez Dark Watchet by Jonathan Antunez About a month ago, I became enamored with a particular style of fly called the North Country Spider. I immediately recognized that these ultra-minimalist flies have many parallels to tenkara and soon discovered… The post Ep. 14: North Country Spiders for the Tenkara Angler first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

Video Version Audio-only Version In our world of instant gratification, it’s easy to get ahead of ourselves when we begin a new endeavor. We want to take shortcuts, skim the literature, ignore details that seem insignificant (or boring). But in this episode, Jason and his guest, Chuck Kaminski, explain why it’s crucial to have a… The post Ep. 13: The Lost Art of the Basics in Fly Fishing first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

Jason talks with licensed therapist Tony Parmenter about the mental health benefits of fishing and why tenkara is the ideal choice for "fishing therapy". The post Ep. 12: Tenkara Fly Fishing for Mental Wellness first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

When I received my early education in fly tying from the old troglodyte cronies at the fly shop, the use of any thread other than one specifically designated for fly tying was as unthinkable. The mere mention of “sewing thread” would produce an awkward pause, followed by a terse, but forcibly polite, “no”. Then, a… The post How To Re-Wind Any Thread To Fit Fly Tying Bobbins first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

Tenkara-ya is one of my favorite tenkara shops; not just because they have a solid lineup of high-quality Japanese products, but also because they carry a variety of esoteric tackle–things you can’t find here in the U.S.. And in particular, they offer several gorgeous wooden fly boxes (all of which I now own). I recently… The post Jisaku-ya Yaki-sugi 6-Compartment Wooden Fly Box first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

There’s “fishing blind” (casting when you can’t see the fish), and then there’s “fishing blindfolded”, which is how many people might describe midge fishing. Sub-#20 flies can be invisible on the water and seemingly impossible to detect a strike with them. But I’ve been using this simple method for many years, and it’s become my… The post How to Fish Invisible Flies: Perimeter Strike Detection first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

Here’s the latest incarnation of my beltpack. I think it’s a significant upgrade in ergonomics that will allow me to conduct my streamcraft more efficiently (and more comfortably). If you’re not familiar with my “beltpacking” system watch this video for an explanation of why I think this is the most liberating way to carry your… The post [Video] Beltpack Update: Version 3 (V3) first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more

Tom Davis and Jason Klass list the types of gear designs and trends they’d like to see manufacturers adopt (and a few they’d like to see phased out). If you like to talk about your “dream gear” and explore trends in tenkara tackle, this episode is for you! The post Ep. 11: Tom Davis’ & Jason Klass’ Fantasy Gear Wishlist first appeared on Tenkara Talk ..read more