The Hidden Simple

After visiting Montana for a few weeks in the summer, I came home not knowing what to do. I would read magazines about fishing in the United States, watch videos of backcountry fly-fishing in Montana and Idaho, and research lodges in countries like Chile and Belize. A few days later, after filling up my fly boxes with countless caddis flies, bugs, and streamers, I heard of a region in Northeastern Iowa where fly-fishing was very popular. The Driftless region, in and around the town of Decorah, is a region where the glacier did not pass through. This means the terrain around the fresh streams is very hilly, making it quite the adventure to put your fly on the water. As an avid fly-fisherman who loves to visit different places, I’m always excited for something new. Some of the trout in these streams are stocked, while others are not making them heritage fish. But here, you have to be very precise with your cast and technique, for the stream width is smaller and requires more skill. After doing some research on the area and gear needed for angling in small streams, I stumbled upon a fly-fishing technique called Tenkara. Watching videos and reading articles on Tenkara opened my eye to something totally new and away from the traditional fly rod and reel set up. The first evidence of Tenkara style fishing was seen in Japan, when the owner of the company visited Japan in search of a more simple way to fish. He found his answer, came back to the United States, and started the Tenkara fly-fishing business. Tenkara only uses a telescopic rod, a line, and a fly, making it the simplest method of fly- fishing on the market today. At first, I was confused on how the product worked and how you were supposed to catch fish, but as I looked deeper I found the idea very simple and easy to understand. The setup process is very easy for the Tenkara rod, and after watching videos I have setup my own rod in just a matter of minutes. I recently purchased the Teton Tenkara package from Tenkara Rod Co. and have started to tie and sell some of my own Tenkara Kebari flies. The flies consist of a reverse hackle style with a simple design, imitating the flies that some of the Japanese fisherman use. When you use the Tenkara setup on the water, all you need is your rod, line, and a few flies. One thing I found interesting is that you never need to apply artificial floatant to the fly, which I am used to using with a regular dry fly. I have not used the Tenkara on the water yet, but I am looking forward to taking it up to Montana earlier this summer to see what I can do.