Welcome to the Tenkara Man Cave Video

OK everyone, I decided that it was time to add a video introducing myself and TenkaraGrasshopper.com. This will probably be the start of many more to come.

I hope you enjoy this video and that it helps you understand the mission of TenkaraGrasshopper.com a little better.

“Karel's Catchumall” Pattern A guest post by Denver Dobbins

To all my valued readers and in particular Karel Lansky. Mr. Denver Dobbins sent me a post recently and I decided that it would be enjoyable to have a little fun with Karel. Thank you Denver for such a funny post.

I have the great fortune of getting to spend next weekend up at Estes Park for a romantic getaway for me and my girlfriend.  She has already been so kind as to give me leave anytime I want to go fishing on the Big Thompson. 

I'm new to fly fishing of any kind, much less Tenkara.  My only real experience was a recent fishing trip with three Masters of the art: Graham, Karel, and Daniel.  Wanting to give myself any advantage I can over the trout on Big Thompson, I tapped into the experience of that first day and decided that I'd tie a bunch of flies that I know to be successful.  And on that day, there was one fly that shined far and beyond all others, so that's they fly I chose to tie. 

I opted to take some pictures along the way so that I can share this winning design with the masses.  So without any further adieu, I give you the pattern to “Karel's Catchumall”.

First off, this is Tenkara fishing, and we need to take that seriously.  For that reason, only Amago Tenkara hooks are used.

 Next we tie a loop eye on using a No. 2 silk beading thread.  They don't use mono / backing loops in Japan!

Then we tie on an appropriately sized dry hackle and give the hook a traditional reverse hackle.  Fishing anything other than reverse hackle isn't REALTenkara.

Now I make a loop with my thread and secure the loop to the thread with the bobbin.  I use my hackle pliers to manage this loop and create a gap.  I then wax it liberally with sticky bees wax.

Finally I feed pieces of Nutrafin Max Betta Color Enhancing (See footnote) flake food into the sticky waxed loop, winding the loop as I went to lock the flakes sandwiched between the threads of the loop.  Then I wrapped the filled and twisted loop around the body just as one would wind on dubbing, and secured it with my bobbin and whip finished the thread.

These beauties will catch fish like you would not believe! 

(Original fly design by Karel, tied by Denver)

Footnote:

Karel will swear to you that you MUST use “Tropical Fish” blend of Nutrafin Max, but rumor has it that he shows the newbies a “Tropical Fish” labeled container filled with the “Betta Color Enhancing” blend.  Well played Karel, well played.

Author: Denver Dobbins

Approved By: TenkaraGrasshopper

The Orvis Guide to Small Stream Fishing Book Review

I received an awesome gift from a good fishing buddy of mine, Ray Rivera for my last birthday. (Age is not important!!!) Ray told me how great a book this was and after reading it through twice in the last 3 months I can say I have gleaned more than a few tidbits of information that have given me some very interesting takes on fly fishing small streams and they are very pertinent to Tenkara.

Some of the things that I picked up from the book made me feel like I should have been paying more attention in my explorations of fly fishing earlier. One of the things about site fishing that I found to make a huge amount of sense to me was the fact that understanding fluid hydraulics is one of the keys to reading water on small streams. I never thought of how important this was. And reading this has also pointed out to me that I have taken water hydraulics for granted in the past.

Mr. Rosenbauer detailed many of the specific aspects of what to look for in a small stream such as the Thalweg or the deepest part of the channel that runs through a pool that usually hosts the fastest current and carries the most debris and food. Knowing that the "Bubble Line" forms around the Thalweg truly got my attention because I never realized how much was really going on in this area of the river.

When it comes to the idea of getting a wider view of a body of water I was shocked at how little I do this in my own fishing. Something that I know I have almost never done is look at the river as a continuous habitat rather than micro habitats. A point that we can all remember or should try to remember is the fact that fish will feed in water as shallow as 6".

Another area that is covered is what happens when conditions change seasonally along with daily weather changes. Techniques and strategies for all types of conditions are covered in a manner that allows the reader to have little or no fear when being confronted with “adverse” stream conditions.

Interestingly, Mr. Rosenbauer gives a nice selection of suggested flies that an angler would do well to have in a small stream fly box. I found it very refreshing that he kept the fly selection to a very simple mix, almost to a simplistic level. His focus on dry flies was fun and clearly showed his passion for them. His reasoning for using these patterns was well stated for the reader. But, Mr. Rosenbauer is not a dry fly only angler. He also suggests nymphs and streamer patterns that will work well in many small streams to boot.

For those new to small stream angling or even those who want to explore small streams more thoroughly Mr. Rosenbauer dedicates an entire chapter to casting techniques including a bow and arrow cast that was modified by Joe Humphreys, a true fly fishing legend in his own right. To the betterment of anglers everywhere Mr. Rosenbauer was able to photograph and describe for the first time in print the Joe Humphreys Bow-and-Arrow Cast. Thank goodness that the author had the piece of mind to do this since it has definitely added a bit more distance and accuracy to me Tenkara angling and will be a technique that I will incorporate into my angling in the future.

An additional chapter goes into how to approach a stream from either downriver or upriver. Most anglers may not consider the fact that their tactics need to change depending on which direction they are fishing on a stream but Mr. Rosenbauer clearly and concisely breaks down each direction and the considerations that the angler should consider.

Never had I considered the possibility that there might be different techniques for fishing flies on a small stream but apparently there are. I was aware of avoiding drag on your fly at all costs, but one idea that struck me as ingenious was the concept of not always dead drifting a dry fly. Mr. Rosenbauer suggests that giving a dry fly a slight twitch can potentially cause a fish to attack a fly with wild abandon. He points out that some bugs, particularly a large number of terrestrials will struggle to get to dry ground if they have been blown into the water. The fish in many small streams will key in on this movement and may respond to this more than a dead drifted fly.

The book closes out with a description of small stream care and ethics. This was in my opinion one of the most important chapters to read because many times we fish and don’t look at what the environment around the river might look like. Many of the points that Mr. Rosenbauer brings up are supremely important to the health of all bodies of water.

Having read this book cover to cover multiple times for this review and also taking notes along the way has brought many new techniques to my time on the water. For those who are Tenkara anglers, this is a very useful volume in my opinion, due to the fact that Tenkara has traditionally been a small stream form of fishing. Any of the techniques that Mr. Rosenbauer suggests throughout this wonderful book can be adopted by any Tenkara angler and will more than likely produce an increased number of landed fish at the end of the day, maybe even a fish that you might not consider being able to live in a small stream.

Would I suggest you get this book and add it to your personal library? Without a doubt I would say if you do not you would be making a mistake! Go ahead, purchase this book and read it cover to cover or scan the contents for subjects you might be interested in. You will see an increase in your fishing pleasure and maybe find some solitude even on a busy weekend away from the madding crowds.

If you decide to purchase this book you can click on the image above or on the image in My Library and you can order directly from Barnes and Noble Booksellers. If you have this book and have read it I would be curious to know your thoughts about the book.

TenkaraGrasshopper's Return to The Angling Realm On Clear Creek

Denver Dobbins, Karel Lansky, TenkaraGrasshopper
Our Best Sides
(Photo Courtesy Daniel Galhardo)

I have returned from the ashes of poor health and life is awesome. Due to a new member of the Colorado Tenkara Anglers group on Facebook, Denver Dobbins, I recently organized a Tenkara outing for April 7th, 2013. 

After a few miss hits on deciding where to fish I finally settled on Clear Creek outside of Golden, Colorado.  In all the years that I have lived in Colorado, I never fished Clear Creek before I really had no idea how good the fishing would be for Tenkara. And, in twenty-twenty hind sight I am kicking myself now for not having fished the creek sooner. 

Clear Creek, Colorado
Gorgeous Tenkara Water

After gathering at a pull-out just before entering the canyon and shooting the breeze we piled into two seperate cars and headed up the canyon. We hit some gorgeous little holes that were quite productive for all of us. And according to Karel Lansky, of TenkaraOnTheFly, he caught 8 fish in one hole. Although we think we might have figured out Karel's secret.....

NutraFin Tropical Fish Food?? What??
(Photo Courtesy of Daniel Galhardo)

We all fished one hole in particular where there were fish rising to some kind of hatch but the fish were very finicky apparently. We still had fun and it was great hanging out and chatting with Denver, Daniel, and Karel. After we all worked our way up to a bend in the river we decided to move farther up river to try our luck on a different spot. And when we got to the new spot all I can say is wow. 

TenkaraGrasshopper on Clear Creek Colorado
(Photo Courtesy of Karel Lansky)

Having re-entered the river I started casting into the shadows. I tried and number of fly patterns since I did not see anything rising. I tried both traditional Tenkara kebaris, RS2's in different sizes, and a creation of my own that I am thinking I might start using more frequently on the river. It might be my new nymphing fly of choice, the Chartruese Brassie Kebari. I admit it is really ugly but the fish seemed to like it.

Charteuse Brassie Kebari Fly
(Photo Courtesy of TenkaraGrasshopper)

Yes, I agree it's ugly but this guy will definitely argue otherwise with you on what looks tasty!! Just saying. 

Clear Creek Colorado Brown Trout
(Photo Courtesy of TenkaraGrasshopper)

Suffice to say the fishing was great! What made it even better was the fact that with the help of Daniel we were able to hit our trash limit for the day. Keep in mind this was the state limit that we had to follow but man was it worth it.

Clear Creek Colorado Trash Stringer with TenkaraGrasshopper, Karel Lansky,  and Denver Dobbins
(Photo Courtesy of Daniel Galhardo)

Oh, and lest we forget, Daniel Galhardo caught by far the largest bottle fish I have ever seen on a Colorado river. So congrats are in order to him. Keep it up Daniel. (Still wondering if he might qualify for the IGFA record for a bottle on a Tenkara rod.)

Daniel Galhardo and his Colorado Bottle Fish
(Photo Courtesy of TenkaraGrasshopper)

At the end of the day we were all able to say we had caught fish on a gorgeous river. And with some great people. Thank you guys for a great day and I hope we have many more to come. 

Daniel Galhardo, TenkaraGrasshopper, Denver Dobbins
(Photo Courtesy of Karel Lanksy)

And to finish out the day, a couple of us ran into the town of Golden for a celebratory beer at the Golden City Brewery. Great beer in a really cool beer garden. Sorry that you were not able to join us Denver Dobbins, next time you will have to see what you can do to join us. 

Karel Lansky, TenkaraGrasshopper, Daniel Galhardo
(Photo Courtesy of Daniel Galhardo)

Having been able to get out with a couple of great people and spend the day fishing and relaxing is something  that we can all enjoy if we can. I know I will be planning more trips in the future and hope that those who either live in Colorado or anywhere else in the country who want to join us can. Any and all new trips that are being planned will be posted here or through social media sites.

Hope you enjoyed this trip, especially those of you who are reading this a long ways from home. (You know who you are!!!)

To close, I hope you all land the fish of your life soon!!!

Oh and before I forget at least one TenkaraOnTheFly gratuitous siting photo.

And for your viewing enjoyment here is a video montage of the trip.

Finest Fly Tying Benches of Colorado Laptop Traveler Bench Review

How many times have you been invited to a fishing buddies house to tie flies or traveled to a destination a few hours away from home but decided not to take your tying gear because it might just be a pain in the butt to organize and carry anything?

I personally have experienced this more than a few times. Luckily, I discovered a perfect solution at the 2013 Denver Fly Fishing Show held at the Denver Merchandise Mart. While walking through the Fly Tiers Row I ran into a good friend of mine, Mr. Jay Burge, the proprietor and mastermind behind The Finest Fly Tying Benches of Colorado. Mr. Burge and his stellar crew, were extremely busy when as I arrived as they were working hard to sell the newest product added to an ever expanding line.

Once things slowed down, I was able to speak with Mr. Burge about his new product. Jay pulled an example from his show stock to show me his new Laptop Traveler Bench. As he pointed out each feature of the bench the excitement and passion as a custom craftsman poured from him and permeated the the air around him.

Finest Fly Tying Benches of Colorado Laptop Traveler Bench

After pointing out the features that he included in the bench, Mr. Burge asked me to do a review of the Laptop Traveler Bench. I gladly accepted his request so what follows is my personal review of the Laptop Traveler.

To start off it might help to give you a few basic stats about the bench. The dimensions of the bench are 14"W x 11"D x 5"H. The bench retails at $109.99. In my humble opinion this is a great value for the individual who wants to tie a few patterns while watching TV or going to the local TU tying meeting. Due to the well thought out layout of teh pre-drilled tool and accessory holes you can keep everything organized even while transporting your materials and tools to the tying destination.

With the above dimensions you could have it in your fishing rig and tie up a few patterns if a storm rolled in and forced you off the water for a short time. I don't know about you but I would rather have something to occupy my mind while it is raining instead of staring out the window praying the rain will stop.

The features of this bench that I really enjoy are not listed in any particular order of importance except for one. And, by far, the feature that trumps all others, in my opinion is Mr. Burge's attention to detail and his passion as a master craftsman. Seldom, in this day day and age, do you find and individual who exemplifies what a true master craftsman is!!!

So, onto the specific features of the Laptop Traveler Bench that make this such a functional product. Due to the dimensions of the bench, Mr. Burge customized a mount for an LED lamp to be attached directly to the bench without compromising the available workspace. The LED Light-Bench Enhancement that the mount is designed for is available for purchase from Mr. Burge. (See the above picture left upper corner.)

Finest Fly Tying Benches of Colorado Laptop Bench with LED Light-Bench Enhancement

Attached to the back of the bench is a strip of wood that has been predrilled for up to 10 Sharpie markers. You can also find four holes which will be easily hold larger markers, i.e. PrismaColor markers. Moving towards the tying surface of the bench you will find a strip with multiple pre-drilled holes. There are holes which are drilled to hold up to five brass rods that are included with your purchase of the bench that will hold up to two spools giving you a grand total of ten spools. Also, two large holes capable of holding stacking bead and hook holders.

There is also a to hold a small tube of Loon Outdoors UV Knot Sense and the Loon UV Lamp. Located next to the UV Knot Sense hole is a one inch hole that is designed to hold a bottle of head cement. As part of the tying surface is a bead and hook tray which can be ordered to be placed either at the right or left side of the tying surface. An additional accessory that you can have Mr. Burge add to your bench is Laptop Traveler Tool Swivel Plate that can be purchased for $49.99.

Finest Fly Tying Benches of Colorado Laptop Traveler Swivel Plate

I have used this bench extensively recently and I love it. It is awesome for my tying sessions at home or at the  bar when I am in the mood. Mr. Burge uses his bench when he ties at the TU club meetings he attends.

I can safely say that if you were looking to purchase a bench this is an awesome way to go.

Just a little post note for you is that if you do order the Laptop Traveler Bench and any of the available accessories include the code 5280 in the notes of your order.

Blogger Etiquette at Trade/Sportmans Shows

Chris Hunt, the Director of Communications for Trout Unlimited and the owner of www.EatMoreBrookTrout.com, brought up a very interesting question recently on a Google+ fly fishing group. And having thought about it for a little while I think it is something that ALL bloggers need to think about when attending a Trade/Sportsman’s Show.

Here is what Chris had to say verbatim:

“I had a few conversations with some industry folks recently about the blogosphere, and I am hearing a lot of the same concerns, and I think rightly so. At shows and expos, it seems that a few bloggers are becoming nuisances, particularly when vendors are trying to line up purchases, book clients and otherwise conduct business.

The biggest irritation? “I’m trying to work and make a living, and here comes a blogger asking for free gear.”

Many of us, myself included; review gear and many of us (myself included) have accepted freebies to review. The question: Do we ask for free stuff or do we wait until we’re approached by those in the industry? Or is there a hybrid answer? Thoughts?”

This question spawned a number of very interesting responses from a number of people within the fly fishing blogosphere. One theme that seems to be a common thread is the fact that there are a number of bloggers who attend Trade/Sportman’s shows and do constantly ask for free stuff just because they are bloggers. There is a common agreement that the individuals who do this end up giving the outdoor industries involved, not just fly fishing, but backpacking, water sports, and hunting a way of painting all bloggers into a common category of individuals that they want to avoid like the plague.

One of the biggest complaints that I heard from a number of the companies was the fact that bloggers are coming to the booths and monopolizing the vendors time. Vendors are at the shows to make sales and get bookings to pay their bills. It appears to some vendors that "some" bloggers try and continue talking to the vendor for a long period of time in hopes that if they keep them away from their other clients long enough that the vendor will give them a free item or discount just to get rid of the blogger.

One vendor I spoke to stated that they do not give or send out free gear unless they have a past relationship  with the individual blogger. And even then the vendor makes a decision on whether to send items to bloggers dependent on how that blogger has helped or not helped the sales of the vendor. Another vendor stated that if someone wants to do a review, the vendor would prefer that the reviewer purchase the item and use the item as their own. The vendor might offer a discount on the item but it is not necessary that they do.(Note A)

Because many vendors do not typically give free gear to bloggers, you might ask in as diplomatic a manner whether they might have a loaner model that you could review and return to them. Some vendors I spoke with stated that they have done that in the past and it has worked for them.

Another comment that I heard from a few people was the fact that when brand new bloggers contact a vendor and request free stuff it is extremely irritating. You need to prove yourself to the industry first, not have the vendor prove themselves to you!

If you do receive free gear or a discount on an item, please make sure that you state in your review of that item that you have received one or the other. I say this because there are legal ramifications to this statement and it will also allow your readers to read and respect your writing. Honesty is key when it comes to reviews, both after you have written a post and when you are speaking with a vendor.

This is not say that you cannot approach a gear manufacturer and request freebies. But if you do, most, if not all manufacturers appreciate a sense of decorum and humility from those requesting free or even loaner items.

That being said there are some standards that need to be followed by bloggers.

1. Vendors are at the shows to make sales and get bookings to pay their bills. Do not monopolize a vendors time. All it does is make them lose potential business and the vendor will do their best to stay far away from you and other bloggers.

2. Purchase the item and review the item as a consumer not as a blogger. The vendor might offer a discount but do not force the issue if they do not.

3. If you are a brand new blogger do not start requesting free stuff right away! Prove yourself first!

4. If free items or discounts received let your readers know this.

5. Honesty is #1!!!!!

6. Be smart if requesting freebies and be humble. It is all about the vendor not you!!!!!!

I hope that this post will help those who are new to blogging or those with some time and experience blogging. The biggest thing I think that we all, as bloggers, need to remember is that requesting freebies can be OK if the situation warrants it. But if you do request freebies and get a negative response from a vendor you also need to remember that "One bad egg ruins the whole basket!" Don't be that "bad egg" by following these simple guidelines and you will succeed as a blogger and won't paint the "good" bloggers into a corner that they cannot get out of because of your poor behavior at sportsmans shows and expos.

Notes:
(A) This vendor does offer a full money back guarantee. But do not abuse a full money back guarantee either.

Tenkara Radically Simple, Ultralight Fly Fishing by Kevin Kelleher, MD with Misako Ishimura

I just finished reading what might be considered the seminal introduction to Tenkara in the United States. Published in 2011, a short time after Tenkara was brought to the US the author Dr. Kevin Kelleher and his consultant Misako Ishimura wrote a wonderful little tome about Tenkara.

This is not just a book for the beginner but also the seasoned Tenkara angler. Upon first reading the book cover to cover I learned many interesting little tidbits of information that spawned an ever growing need for more data on Tenkara.

For the beginning angler the book gives a few chapters to start understanding a bit more about Tenkara and its history. The first chapter gives a very nice overview of what Tenkara is and how it developed in Japan. The author gives a few brief allusions to the traditional Japanese Tenkara fly; the kebari. We move on to the simplicity of the equipment needed to start out as a Tenkara angler. Dr. Kelleher describes the basics of what is needed along with a few notes on stuff that might be nice to have yet always focuses on the aspect of simplicity which is central to traditional Tenkara. Interestingly, he also includes a brief description of how to remove an embedded hook from your flesh if you have the unfortunate experience of sinking a hook firmly into a finger. (I know at least a few of us may have or will do this at some point in our fishing careers!)

Once Dr. Kelleher finishes letting you know the necessary accoutrements to get started, he goes into a wonderful little discourse on rigging your Tenkara rod to set up for your first casting foray or tromp to the river. All the common knots are covered in detail with very clear drawings to look at if you are not really sure what to do. I advise you to follow his suggestion to practice a few of the knots so that when you do get out there you are confident in your knots.

Dr. Kelleher gives you a neat little introduction into fishing a dry fly using a Tenkara rod. From there, he goes into the theory of Wabi-Sabi that even a newbie such as me can understand. You will find a few chapters on types of water and what to look for when you get to the river or even a large body of water such as a lake. These chapters come in handy for the new angler but may help the more experienced angler to sharpen his eyes when out on whatever size body of water that may be chosen-- be it a small stream, a large river, or a lake.

The reader will find concise writing on the casts common to Tenkara as well as a brief lesson in how to land a fish either by hand or using a net. The description of how to land a fish with as little damage to the fish is refreshing to see in any fly fishing book. The respect that the author has for the fish is something all anglers need to remember.

Once you have read the book up to this point, I can guarantee that you will be chomping at the bit to get out on the water and try everything you have read, but I suggest you just go a little bit further.

The author goes into the bugs commonly found in many rivers and lakes that every fish will eat if it has access to the form of bug life in its environment. There are pictures of both the nymphal stages as well as the bug as a grown adult. It is not an exhaustive education in entomology, but well drawn pictures should give you a basic understanding of what you will see on or in the water.

Interestingly, the next chapter is about the flies that an angler might use. After a quick description of how to tie your first fly, the book goes into flies that are commonly used in different parts of the United States. Those flies are what would be considered Western flies such as the Royal Wulff, or Elk Hair Caddis. There is a bow to traditional Tenkara when the book details the Tenkara kebari and the “One Fly” theory that Dr. Ishigaki, (who is considered by many to be a true Tenkara master,) uses when he is fishing. The biggest thing to take from this chapter, as well as the other chapters in the book is to keep it simple! Don’t confuse yourself with extraneous stuff that only bogs you down.

Deeper into the book the author gets into more detailed aspects of Tenkara that may seem overwhelming for a beginner but at the same time lets the readers see that there are aspects that will last a lifetime when it comes to learning. The book teaches how to build a furled line as well as a few tapered level lines. If you like to be an experimenter, this is a great chapter to read.

And lest we forget, there is some great information on how Tenkara is inherently designed for the new ultralight backpacking movement that is sweeping the nation. Ideas are given on how to carry a Tenkara rod while hiking into the backcountry. There are some great hints on gear that will allow you to fish, yet keep your load light. One thing I did find that maybe didn’t make me feel totally comfortable, but might be viable in some environments was the author’s suggestions on how to cook a trout using different recipes. The author does state that he only cooks a trout if the environment would support this but also makes sure to gently push the “catch and release” ethic commonly found throughout fly fishing.

To close out the book, there is a wonderful description of how Tenkara seems to fit women so well. The ease of casting, a woman’s innate sense of rhythm, and her gentle mind set (at least in some women-LOL!). The book does not forget about introducing children to Tenkara as a gateway into fly fishing. The reader is reminded that this is supposed to be fun and a learning experience for all involved. So take what you can and play with it and enjoy.

The book then closes with, what in my opinion is an almost poetic description of what Tenkara is and what it can become for the reader and Tenkara practitioner.

 In my humble opinion, if you are just coming to Tenkara or are a seasoned angler who wants to learn what Tenkara is all about this is a great read. Even if you have been a Tenkara angler for sometime you will still glean tidbits of useful information from this little tome. I know I have and will continue to do so every time I read this book or re-read select chapters. Who knows, I might even try to make my own furled line one of these days.

I hope that this will help you to explore Tenkara a little more and I hope you find even more than maybe I did.

I want to close by thanking both Dr. Kelleher and Misako Ishimura for putting time and effort into creating this volume so that those who are just coming to Tenkara have a handy resource on their bookshelves.

 Offered below is the link to the Barnes and Noble Booksellers website or by clicking the photo of the book at the top of the post if you are interested in this wonderful and informative book to the Tenkara style of angling.