Poll results from Who would you like to spend the day fishing with?

With total of 13 votes Jesus lead with a commanding following of 6 votes at 46%, Santiago, Buddha, Daniel Galhardo, or Your Spouse at 2 votes apiece or 7%, The Star Wars people at one vote apiece, and apparently everyone is very smart to not want to fish with Captain Ahab.

Thanks for voting everyone. There will be a new poll coming shortly.

Is Tenkara a fad?

I am going to keep this short and sweet for you all.

Is Tenkara a fad?

I don't believe so and I think everyone who fishes with a Tenkara rod needs to remember one thing.

Actions speak louder than words.

Fish Tenkara and let's show them it is no fad.

Enough said.

Twitter Account Added

I guess you get a blog and then you get linked permanently to technology and social media. So I should let you all know that I know have a Twitter account. Come find me at 10karaGrasshopr. I am a little freaked out by all this so bear with me my friends.

I don't always fish but when I practice wabi-sabi.

Thoughts on Tenkara Simplicity Revisited

Recently I posted a few thoughts on Tenkara simplicity and I wanted to thank everyone for reading the blog. I also wanted to tell you that I was very pleased with the comments I received from you, my readers. After having read them and then scanning the other Tenkara blogs I get the feeling I started a bit of a firestorm about this topic.

I received one comment in particular that I thought was very succinct and well written and reflected my thoughts exactly yet maybe even a little bit more poetically. What follows is the complete comment that I received from Daniel Galhardo.

Ed Engle and I have been spending quite a bit of time discussing the philosophy of simple. To him it seems that for anyone to get to a place of simplicity they must embark on a journey of making things complex first. I think it can be simple from the beginning if someone tells you it is possible and how one can simplify things. 
Also, one thing that I liked he mentioned: "the easiest way to simplify fishing is to become a purist, a specialist - the person who considers himself a purist can leave everything else at home and concentrate on honing his skills with the items at hand." I thought that was very accurate and probably a big part of the reason I constantly advocate for embracing the whole method of tenkara for those interested in really simplifying things.

I do agree with both Daniel and Mr. Engle on both of their views on simplicity. So I guess I should tell you why I feel this way and go into a little more detail with each one.

I feel that Mr. Engle's belief that for someone to get to a place of simplicity they must travel that road of making things horrendously complex first. New Tenkara anglers are the prime example of this in many ways.

1. Most of the current Tenkara anglers were western style fly fishers long before Tenkara came to the US.
2. Some of us were even started as bait slingers before we got to fly fishing.
3. Most Tenkara anglers have run around with heavy vests and finally got to that stage of cleaning out a vest and realizing that much of the stuff in their vest never gets used.
4. After having the epiphany of 3 above they then clean their vests out and purge it of items they find they have not used. Now for some their vest has gone from 30 lbs of stuff to 5 or less pounds.
5. Once they go fishing for a day with a lighter vest, they come to the realization at the end of the day that they are not nearly as tired as usual. 
6. The light goes on, and suddenly simplicity has set in.

Now, you may ask why I say this. Personal experience my friends, personal experience.

I also agree with Daniel and Ed when Ed said "the easiest way to simplify fishing is to become a purist, a specialist - the person who considers himself a purist can leave everything else at home and concentrate on honing his skills with the items at hand."

Some of you might find this annoying and simplicity purists banging their drums to loudly. But just hear me out here. Let me start with a question.

How many of you reading this today think that catching a fish with only a dry fly is the only true style of fly fishing? You can raise your hands, no one can see you. Or you can keep them down. (Needed a little humor to lighten the mood.)

There a purists on all branches of fishing whether it be bait slingin', bass fishing, Musky fishing, heck even Crappie fishing, and fly fishing has plenty of its own purist paths for those who want to follow them. Just a short list but definitely not the definitive list: Tenkara, Czech nymphing, dry fly, midge, bonefish/tarpon/permit, Rooster fish.

Daniel stated his attitude about his reason for advocating Tenkara and I agree with him as well. I have done my days on the water with the most basic of supplies and equipment and I have still caught fish and have not felt that I was missing anything that I wished I had had.

Having said all of this I want you to know that I do own a bait slingin' tackle box with more lures in it than I know what to do with to be honest. I also have at least 10 to 15 fly boxes loaded with flies of all kinds and plenty more to come, I have multiple rods and reels for bait slingin', Tenkara, and western fly fishing. I have a supply of fly tying materials that never seems to end. 

Am I the epitome of simplicity? Hell no!!

But when I do go out fishing, whatever style that might be, I try to go as light and fast as I can with the least amount of gear necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to read what I have written here and I wait with anticipation for my phone to play Duelin' Banjos notifying me that I have received comments to my posts. 

Sittin' in my rockin' chair, phone in hand, with a big, goofy smile on ma face!

Thoughts on Tenkara Simplicity

I have been reading a number of Tenkara related blogs as well as a few non Tenkara related fly fishing blogs. I felt I needed to clarify a few things that in my opinion may be turning some people off when it comes to Tenkara. What I am going to say might bother some anglers from both the Tenkara camp and the traditional western fly fishing camp but I feel it needs to be said and maybe some of what I say will help both sides come to an agreement or at least a peaceful standoff.

Yes, Tenkara is fly fishing simplified in that we are using a rod, a line, a tippet, and a fly but no reel. And yes I do use less overall equipment when fishing Tenkara than I do when I am fishing in the western style of rod, reel, line, tippet and fly. I love both styles of fishing as well as bait slingin' (see my Bait Slingin' page here).

Tenkara has simplified my fishing in many ways that are amazing to me. One of the biggest changes is that I went from wearing a vest that weighed close to 25 or 30 lbs to a small over the shoulder bag that weighs in at less than a pound and a half.  Simplicity at its finest. I still carry a box loaded with flies and have to make a decision on what fly I am going to use every time but I do try to match the hatch when I can. So, there goes my simplicity but at least I am still having fun.

I agree that there is a shorter learning curve when it comes to Tenkara then traditional western fly fishing that I really like. Simplicity again I know but still there is much to learn when it comes to properly casting a Tenkara rod and I know that it could take a lifetime to master the perfect cast. There goes the simplicity concept out the window if you wish.

That being said, I am just as big a gear head as the next guy or girl when it comes to the new stuff on the market. And yes I do get pulled in even my some of the crap on the market but what fly angler hasn't gotten suckered at least once by a cool looking gear that doesn't work in the real world.

I felt I needed to get this out and it is probably not perfectly fleshed out or concise but I hope that trying to explain that there is simplicity within Tenkara but also complications which take away from that simplicity exist as they do in traditional western fly fishing.

Maybe Tenkara anglers do sometimes talk about the simplicity as a major factor in why they are using this style of fly fishing a little to much but I think what really matters is that each person is catching fish.

 Does it make a difference whether I am wearing a vest loaded down with the newest equipment or a small bog thrown over my shoulder. No! Am I catching fish with both styles? Yes! Have I found one style more productive than another? Not really. Do I prefer one style over the other? Come on, let's put these arguments aside and focus on what we all want. More fish and quality waters.

Comments are gratefully accepted and I would like to know what everyone thinks.

Tenkara Radically Simple, Ultralight Fly Fishing Book Review

Today I want to tell you about a book that I just finished reading for the third or fourth time in the last twelve months. Tenkara Radically Simple, Ultralight Fly Fishing was written by Kevin C. Kelleher, with Misako Ishimura and published in early 2011. 

There are many fly fishing books on the market today but this is one of the best in my opinion when it comes to Tenkara fishing. The book is one hundred and forty five pages of detailed information about Tenkara. It is well written and very easy to read which makes it a pleasure to browse if you are looking for specific information. The book is broken down into fifteen well thought out chapters that don't overwhelm with to much esoteric information.

The book gives details as to why Tenkara is such an amazing style of fishing, tells you what to look for in your equipment, and how to set it up. Other chapters show you how do cast a Tenkara line (but in my opinion, doing is better than reading), and even a short chapter on bugs you might find on your home waters.

The authors also have chapters on smalls stream and larger bodies of water, thus dispelling the attitude that Tenkara is only for small streams and only for small trout.

Having read this book a few times I feel that it is a great way to introduce someone new to fly fishing to a very simple way of fishing that has a very short learning curve yet can be practiced for a lifetime and never be mastered. This book was definitely written with the beginner in mind but even the old, crusty Tenkara fisherman might just find some nugget of information that would help their fishing as well.

I plan to read this book a few more times as I continue to learn more about Tenkara and know that each time I read it I will find something I missed last time. I can say with complete confidence that you need to go out and get this book and read it cover to cover to learn what Tenkara is and then try what the authors discuss in the book. 

I want to thank Dr. Kelleher and Ms. Ishimura for bringing their message to the masses and hope that you will feel the same way.

Wabi-Sabi Thoughts Continued

My thoughts on wabi-sabi have been expanding recently and I am probably getting a little too deep into it but as the Tenkara Grasshopper I guess that is meant to be. One of my fishing buddies recently was joking with me about the fact the if he found it hard for me to get much mellower when it came to the concept of wabi-sabi than I already was. Apparently he feels that I am already so mellow that if I got any mellower I would probably be dead. 

Anyway, I have been reading John Gierach's Fly Fishing Small Streams. It has been a very interesting read as all of Mr. Gierach's writings are. In one of the chapters towards the beginning of the book Mr. Gierach says, 

"Maybe your stature as a fly fisherman isn't determined by how big a trout you can catch, but by how small a trout you can catch without being disappointed, and, of course, without losing the faith that there's a bigger one in there."

When I read this I clearly saw that Mr. Gierach was describing my sense of what wabi-sabi is. Let me try and explain what I mean.

When I go out for a day on the water, either by myself or with a fishing buddy my goal is to catch fish as is every fisherman's goal. But I have come to the feeling that for me a fish is a fish is a fish. Size has no meaning to me when I catch a fish. As long as I get to see the end of my rod bend under the weight of even the smallest of fish the adrenalin starts to flow and I get ready to feel the welcoming squishiness and sliminess of that fish even if he or she is only eight inches long. 

After having read the above quote I started thinking about how it is always fun to catch a nice big lunker out of a deep bend pool. Yes, the challenge of getting a large brookie hen is amazing once you get her into your tamo you have to smile broadly and giggle madly at the fact that you found her and brought her to net on a 5x tippet.

Once you have brought her to tamo and released her back to hole, you take a deep breath and move on down the stream to another spot and another fish. When you arrive at that new hole and bow and arrow cast to the opposite shore under those overhanging willows you might see a flash of a belly as another fish examines your fly as it drifts past. Knowing that there is a fish there you cast up and across the stream and attempt to drift the fly past again. When the fly hits the same spot again, you see the flash again but this time set the hook and bam, your rod tip bends under the weight of a struggling fish. 

You take a deep breath as the fight starts and relax and calmly work the fish against the current and bring it slowly to hand making sure that you do not break your tippet. Once you get the fish close you realize that this is just a baby who will not even exceed six inches. But does this bother you?

If it were me, there would be nothing that would remotely bother me about the fact that I went from catching a sixteen incher to a five and half incher. I would count both fish as fish caught and would smile happily.

Now, how does this relate to wabi-sabi? I think it is the fact that you take what you get and not find fault with what you are given. Basically, the typical western cliche, 

"When the world gives you lemons, make lemonade!"

Enjoy what you have and run with it. 

I am starting to take the lesson of fish size and my attitude towards life in general in the same boat so to speak. By this I mean that no matter how small or big the "fish" you can't always choose what you are given so just be happy man.

I figure that with time we accept the reality of our personal wabi-sabi and run with it. I intend to do this every  day and hope that you will do the same.

I just ask that you take what I am saying with a grain of salt and look at your own life and fishing experience and maybe take something that I have stated here and use it if you can. Am I trying to be religious here? No, not in the least but I know something might help to keep you going today or tomorrow.

In closing, I want to thank Mr. Gierach for his quote and giving me the inspiration for this post and expect that there will be many more posts to come.

Redington Sonic Pro Wader Pant

Last year I purchased a pair of the Redington Sonic Pro Wader Pants from a local fly fishing shop here in Denver. I had already purchased a pair of chest waders but found that the chest waders were a little to warm on a warm summer day in Colorado. Being a Tenkara fisherman I figured that there really was no need for a pair of chest waders on most days or rivers that I had fished since the water is never much above my knees anyway. So, after doing a bit of research, I decided that the Redington Sonic Pro Wader Pant would be a good way to go. I had the shop order me a pair and I can now say with almost a years worth of out of them that it was one of the best purchases I made in regards to my apparel for my Tenkara fishing.

The have taken a beating this past year and I can tell I have a few more years in them before they even show any signs of wear. I am impressed with the details that have gone into these waders beyond the Sonic Seam process that Redington has come up with. A great feature of the Sonic Weld technology is that seams are so small that you do not have any uncomfortable seams to deal with. Also it keeps the overall bulk of the waders to a minimum. The two pockets on the front of the pants are gusseted and they are really quite deep so with that depth you  can carry everything in your pockets and don't really even need a chest pack or vest if you are going minimalistic. 

Another feature that I really like about these waders are the neoprene socks and the gravel guards that are included. The neoprene is nice and thick so it keeps your feet warm and toasty whenever you are in reasonably cold water. The size of the booties fits my feet very well with my boots on and I believe that they will work for anyone unless you have a very strangely shaped foot. The gravel guards are extremely well designed as well and ride low on the boot, thus keeping them from working there way over the top of the boot and exposing the interior of the boot.  Because of the cut of the gravel guard and the tapering and tightness of the lower bands on the guards you very ever seldom find any resistance or extra fabric that catches the water flow.

The pants from top to bottom are almost cut in my opinion as a boot cut which I really like because there is very little fabric that gets pulled and pushed by the running water of the river. Redington has added fabric in the knees for extra durability but I do have to admit that I would like to see it just a little thicker in the knees and butt area but otherwise everything is amazing.

So, if you are looking for a great pair of waders for a very reasonable price and not a lot of bulk then these are what I would suggest as an awesome pair of new waders for the budding or experienced Tenkara fisherman. Since the typical Tenkara fisherman is primarily on small rivers these will be a great way to go and not be overkill.

I would definitely suggest that you try these on at your local Redington dealer due to the fact that sizing is a little difficult for length if you order online. I would also suggest that you read any other reviews that you can find on these waders. If you want to check out the Redington website you can find the link on the Great Suppliers page.

Fly Tying Bench Post Addendum

I wanted to let you all know that I recently spoke to Mr. Burge, the craftsman who made the tying bench I recently reviewed. I received multiple requests on whether the benches that Mr. Burge makes are available for purchase online. At the time, Mr. Burge did not have a way for people to order online but I have some great news!!

I put in a request to Mr. Burge in regards to online ordering and I am happy to say that because of my review and your requests, Mr. Burge is currently having a site built for online ordering. As soon as his site is active I will be adding a link to my page. You should also be aware that there will be a special pricing code that will be offered to those who visit Mr. Burge's site from TenkaraGrasshopper.

So, if you are interested in an amazing bench that is utilitarian, yet beautiful, please keep your eyes peeled for the link.

Keep those rods bending or order a new tying bench and tie a few for the season so those rods are bent.

New Fly Tying Bench I purchased at The Denver Fly Fishing Show 2012

So this is my new fly tying bench that I purchased at the 2012 Denver Fly Fishing Show. The bench was made by a local Colorado artisan by the name of Jay Burge of Evans, CO. The desk is gorgeous and I am super excited to start using this for my fly tying. Jay also runs a Custom Carpentry of Colorado. Besides fly tying desks he told my fiancee Elizabeth that he does custom boxes and other wood work. During the show he brought in some of his keepsake boxes that were absolutely gorgeous but sadly we did not get one.  Jay was very friendly and was very proud and showed that he loved the work that he does. I have to say I am quite impressed with the workmanship that has gone into this.

Mr. Burge has used different woods into this piece that definitely impressed me with the choices of woods as well as the workmanship and detail that has gone into his designs. I feel what would sell these fly tying benches is that fact that Mr. Burge and his son are both tiers themselves and because of this the benches are very well designed for a tier of any level. The organizational details are extremely impressive to say the least and in my opinion would make fly tying a breeze for both a new tier and an experienced tier. 

My bench has Birch, Birdseye Maple, Bloodwood, Brazilian Tiger Wood, Cherry, Hickory, African Mahogany, Maple, Oak, Padauk, Poplar, Purple Heart, Walnut, and Yellow Heart. I mean come on, how cool is that.

The main work surface of the bench is treated with MinWax Oil for durability and a smooth surface. The two columns of pockets on both the left and right side of the bench have a nice smooth rounded shape that makes pulling a bead from it very easy and also allows the beads to stay in the bench when and if you travel with the board on a trip. Mr. Burge pointed out the fact that he specifically worked on these and shaped them just for this reason.

The base of the bench has four rubber feet so that you can set the bench on a dining room table and not scratch the dining surface. When my fiancee expressed a fear of her dining room table getting scratched Mr. Burge pointed out the fact that he had placed these protective rubber feet on the board just for that reason.

Included with the bench were a number of precut brass pins for thread spools and other items. The back of the board is predrilled for each pin to fit in. Even better, the predrilled holes are the perfect size to fit most thread bobbin tubes. Mr. Burge did point out the fact that some bobbins with ceramic rings may not fit into the hole but he advised me that if I wanted to I could drill the hole a little larger for a larger bobbin tube but after looking at the amazing work he has done I do not intend to do any tweaks to his design. 

The tool rack that Mr. Burge has built into the bench was very well thought out and the laminating of various woods he has used is amazing and in my opinion the focal point of the bench. It is so well done that you could lose yourself just looking at the tool tray and forget everything else that might happen on the bench.

Each side of the bench is designed so that there are individual finger tracks that appear to be routered into the bench for ease of pick up and transportation. The tracks are almost the whole length on each side of the bench and that definitely makes things very user friendly on the transportation level. 

Mr. Burge's warranty on his craftsmanship is very impressive as well.  He stated to me that if anything were to happen to the bench he will cover all defects of workmanship free of charge. Now how many times have you had anyone tell you that they will cover anything that breaks free of charge. No one I know except Mr. Burge so far.

So having let you see my new bench I guess I now need to work on tying some Kebari on my bench and showing you all what I come up with.

New Grasshopper Around the World Widget

Just wanted to let you all know I just changed my Grasshopper Around the World Widget and did a new link instead of an update so come one, come all and let's load my map up with location markings.

Attended The Denver Fly Fishing Show Yesterday

I attended the Denver Fly Fishing Show at the Denver Merchandise Mart. It was an awesome day and I got to meet some very cool people and check out some awesome new equipment. I spent almost four hours walking the aisles and looking at a few things that I was thinking about getting and chatting with many people who had some very interesting booths. It was not just talking to random people either, I was able to meet some of my fly fishing heroes.

Who you might ask? Well, first and foremost I got to meet Daniel Galhardo of Tenkara USA at the RIGS Fly Shop and Guide Service booth. Talking to the owner of the shop, Tim Patterson, I was very happy to see how excited he was about Tenkara and the opportunities that the Gunnison River and even the Uncomprahgre Rivers have to offer the Tenkara Fisherman. The staff at the booth were amazing and definitely got me even more excited about the fishing to come this summer.

So after talking to Tim for a few, the man who I was most looking forward to seeing came over from the casting pond and spoke with me!! The man who I had been looking forward to meeting in person and not just chatting with online Daniel Galhardo himself.

Daniel showed me the Ito and the new long line technique. And apparently I have some work to do when it comes to this. But, with a little patience and some quality time on the water I will get it down. It was hard to feel comfortable casting the Ito in the building because there was a bit of a limited space to work with for the overhead casting. After with Daniel for a few about the new 3rd generation furled line and a few other things 

I moved on in the show and was able to get a photo opportunity with two more of my fly fishing heroes. John Gierach was at the author booth. How cool is that? I mean to meet the Trout Bum himself is a dream come true.

After getting a shot with the Trout Bum himself I was able to take the opportunity to talk with Mr. Charley Craven who was also at the Author's Booth. 

So once I had met my heroes of the professional fly fishing world I went and picked up my new fly tying bench and a few other purchases and items that I had gathered I was on my way out the door so I could start working on this post. 

But let's not forget the awesome Bronco game that was played last night.

Anyway, that was my day at the Fly Fishing Show in Denver.

I was also able to meet Steve Schwietzer as well. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo op with him. Sorry Steve maybe next time or next summer up in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I will be posting reviews of the items that I picked up at the show over the next few months so please keep your eyes peeled for some of those. 

I am super excited that I had the opportunity to attend the show and I hope that I can do the same next year.

New Poll Posted

I just posted a poll wondering who you would like to fish with. The poll will be open till the end of January so I am looking forward to your responses. Let's have some fun with this my friends.

I will be attending Denver Fly Fishing Show

I wanted to let you all know that I will be attending the Denver Fly Fishing Show at the Denver Merchandise Mart this weekend. I will be there on Sunday. I look forward to meeting my fellow Tenkara believers. If you are going to attend please let me know and maybe we can meet up somewhere. I know this will be a great thing for Tenkara and Tenkara USA in particular. Hope to see you all there and let's show the fly fishing world our love for Tenkara.

Wabi-sabi thoughts

Recently I posted on the concept of wabi-sabi and I felt like I wanted to elaborate on things after the recent violation of my personal space by some karmically uncool bum(s).

I was thinking last night how angry I was by someone coming into our home uninvited and taking what was not theirs including items that had very little monetary value but more the intrinsic personal value such as my grandfather's watch.

I was mulling this over all night while I was laying in bed and came to the conclusion that yes I felt violated but what mattered more was that both Elizabeth and our roomie Kasey were OK. I don't know what I would have done had something happened to them. Well I do and I can tell you things would have been extremely ugly to say the least.

I have come to the conclusion that stuff is really just stuff and that things can be replaced but in the spirit of wabi-sabi I can do without and that not having an item doesn't change who I am one iota. Yes it hurts to lose something of value either emotionally or financially but we can recover.

Having gone fishing with Karel on Monday helped me to come to a few conclusions as well before my home was burglarized.

Standing in the South Platte, with Karel up the river from me, I watched him casting across the water so some unseen hole and saw the beauty of motion and lack of unneeded movement. Karel epitomized to me the quintessential Tenkara fisherman out fishing in hopes of catching a fish. What I found the most amazing is that he exuded and air of relaxation and confidence that you seldom see on a river these days.

I was greatly impressed by the fact that no fish were caught but neither one of us seemed terribly bothered by the fact that we had been skunked. Ok, so we caught a few floating ice chunks and Karel scared a few fish but that happens to the best of them. Yes, Karel it does!

After watching Karel for a while I continued my fishing and tried to focus on my casting and targeting different spots around me. I was aiming at one whole in particular that looked promising from my vantage point. As I was casting to it, I experienced an amazing sense of calm when I hit the hole as I planned.  I was truly amazed that I felt happy but not elated by my placement of my fly. I watched the fly float down the river  to the end of the drift of my line. It was at the end of the drift that I got a sense of why I enjoy fishing Tenkara.

It is the beauty of the technique and the overall simplicity that occurs while fishing Tenkara that I live for when I am holding my Tenkara rod. I also realized that I was carrying the smallest amount of gear necessary for a day on the river. It was the most liberating experience being able to do what I love without a lot of extra stuff include emotional stress or angst.

I look forward to more experiences like this in the future and hope that I can share my experiences with more people not just online but in person on the river or whatever body of water I might find. I hope that I have not bored any of you with this but I felt like this was the best way to express my feelings right now. Please feel free to share your own personal thought on what wabi-sabi means to you. And if you are not a fisherman but are reading this blog for some reason please feel free to join in the conversation as well.

When the grasshopper is ready his abilities will awaken.

So a very bad night at my house

I wanted to let everyone know that things have been a little scary at my place tonight and therefore I wanted to let you all know that my postings are going to be a little quiet for a few days until things settle down here. Some A**hole(s)? entered my home while I was not here and stole a few computers and watches from my fiancee and roommate and I. So I apologize if things get really boring for a little all I ask is that you bear with me and I will return soon. The other possibility is that things will explode in terms of postings so that I can keep my mind off of what is going on.

First Fishing Trip of 2012

This morning Karel Lansky of Tenkaraonthefly.net and I went up the South Platte outside of Deckers, CO. It was a bit cold to start but man what a gorgeous day to be able to play on the water.

The water was a little slushy until we got above Deckers, but that is what you get for the first month of the new year. This was my first day on the South Platte in a few years and I had forgotten how much fun it can be. Anyway, the fishing was slow for both Karel and I but at least we were out.

There were plenty of fisherman at all the pullouts although not many reports of to much in the way of caught fish. I can safely say Karel and I were the only Tenkara fisherman on the South Platte today and I definitely enjoyed it. I am looking forward to going back soon or at least when it is warmer and the fish want to feed instead of having to nail them on the nose and then still get ignored.

All in all, a great day and hopefully many more to come.

So let me thank Karel and sign off for now.

2012 and the theory of Wabi Sabi

I have decided that this year I am going to be working on my fishing and in particular my Tenkara fishing. I was thinking over the last few days that I would like to truly learn Tenkara in a much more traditional manner. I would like to live my life over the next year in a much more relaxed manner.

Having done some reading over that last few months about the concept of Wabi-sabi I think that I can incorporate this into my life. Before I describe how I want into introduce this concept into my experience of Tenkara it might be best to give a brief description of what wabi-sabi is for those who are not familiar with this.

Wabi translates roughly as rustic simplicity, freshness or quietness,  or understated elegance. Sabi roughly translates as beauty or serenity comes with age, when the natural wear and tear shows its impermenance yet increases its inherent beauty. So what does that mean for the Tenkara fisherman?

To me it means keeping things simple such as using the least amount of gear necessary to catch a fish. Fishing Tenkara, I have found that I do not need to continue carrying a huge amount of "necessary gear". Having used a traditional western fly fishing set up to start fly fishing I came to love the experience of being outside on the river.

Tenkara has cut the useless but fun stuff to a minimum. Although, in the last year I have realized I am getting back to the gear head mindset and have not stuck with the Tenkara idea.

Therefore, in the next year I will be going with the wabi-sabi concept by going with the most basic of accessories for a day on the water. So what does that mean in regards to my kit. Here is a short list that will be slowly but surely tweaked to perfection.

BW Sports Tippet/Fly Pouch to carry my supplies.
Tenkara USA 10 1/2' Furled Line
TenkaraTalk 12' Level Line
Tenkara USA 5x and 6x Tippet
A box loaded with flies
A Pair of Nippers
A Tamo
Wading boots
Reddington Sonic Weld Waist Waders

So there is my kit that I am starting with in 2012. Will it change over the next 12 months? Without a doubt it will and I hope that as I tweak my kit on each trip I will update it as my trips get posted. As a side note I would be happy to have any suggestions from my readers or maybe even a poll of your favorite kit to use for a day on the water.