The Complete Video Guide to Tenkara: 17 minutes covering everything you need to know to tenkara

Learn everything you've ever wanted to know about tenkara. In this video, Daniel Galhardo, who introduced tenkara outside of Japan, will guide you through all aspects of tenkara.
- An introduction to tenkara [0:15]
- The tenkara rod (how to open a tenkara rod, how to maintain it, and more) [1:55]
- How to set up your tenkara rod, line and fly. Plus the knots used for tenkara [3:42]
- All about tenkara flies [5:27]
- How to cast with tenkara [7:15]
- Tenkara techniques, how to present your tenkara flies and fly manipulation techniques [9:08]
- Detecting strikes while fly-fishing and setting the hook with a tenkara rod [10:55]
- How to land a fish with tenkara [12:41]
- How to read waters in fly-fishing, and effectively covering a stream [14:32]
- Catch and Release! How to properly release trout to minimize fish injury [16:14]

[@vlogfuji]

Nice to meet you. I'm an immigrant from Japan to Canada. Recently, I've been thinking of resuming fly fishing after 35 years. (I was too busy make it new life in Canada) I've been watching various fishing videos and was surprised to see that Japanese tenkara fishing has become popular in North America. and I was very happy. I learned tenkara fishing from my father before I became a fly fisherman, and watching your video brought me back to my roots. I love simple fishing. I like to keep it simple, and when I fly fish in North America, I prefer to fish for small trout. I'm sure that tenkara fishing is the best choice for me. In your video, I felt a lot of respect for the nostalgic Japanese mountain streams, Japanese fishermen, and Japanese culture. Thank you for such a wonderful video. I hope that as many people as possible will be able to share the appeal of tenkara fishing. Once again, thank you very much. From B.C. Canada

[@guyring8912]

The simplicity and straightforwardness of Tenkara fishing is what attracted me to it. This month I will not only target trout, but Bluegill as well! Bluegill are fighters! Liked your comment. Peace

[@michaelhrivnak1719]

So much beauty just in the simplicity of Tenkara fishing! I have nothing but admiration for those who practice it. Thank you Daniel, for sharing your knowledge of Tenkara, and a small wonderful piece of Asian culture!

[@johngifford7725]

Leave it to the Japanese to find the simplest, most straightforward, yet pleasant way to get food. Glad to hear you are finding success in your new home. Thank you for your thoughts on this topic.

[@vlogfuji]

@Bret AKER Hi Bret, Thank you for your kind comments. The name of my KZbin vlog, "Fuji-no-Ma"(富士の間）, is a combination of my love for Mt. Fuji, which I used to see every day from my hometown Shizuoka, where I grew up, and the name "Fuji-no-Ma", which is a common name for a room in Japanese inns. 😄 My Vlog is not for the purpose of making money on KZbin as you often do, but just a personal hobby of making videos of my daily life. My daily life may be unusual from a Japanese point of view, but from a Westerner's point of view, there is nothing unusual about it, it's really just an ordinary day in my life.😅 I don't even put English subtitles on my vlogs. My English is imperfect anyway... Again, thank you.

[@wadezhang7106]

Hello, I’m living in BC as well, trying to learn Japanese 本流 fishing for salmon, but I don’t know Japanese and can’t find any tutorials in English…may I ask if it is essentially the same with Tenkara but for larger fish species? Thank you.

[@robertbishop1908]

Good video. The only thing, that I would add, is to make sure you wet your hands, before ever holding, or touching, your catch . It helps maintain the protective slime, on the fish.

[@valentin9993]

I was just introducing a friend to Tenkara. This complete guide arrives just on time. Thank you Daniel and TenkaraUSA

[@luduong]

Beginner here and this video answered every question I had. Thank you for such an informative guide!

[@lkb3rd]

I am a fly fisherman, who was having a hard time wrapping my head around the exact setup for Tenkara. This is perfect, I am ready to go! Thank you! Great stream footage too in the video. All around a great video.

[@jimfromm3981]

If you Brook Trout fish in small streams this is the ticket. Half of the adventure is exploring, the other getting the fly in very close quarters. This makes both much more enjoyable.

[@juj1n]

This is probably one of the best and most informative videos I’ve watched on fly fishing. Thank you

[@emo2indy]

I just ordered my first rod from you as my birthday gift to myself. I’m glad this video came out as a starter for a beginner like me. Thank you.

[@eugenewalk4601]

Absolutely the best video on beginning tenkara Daniel! Can't wait for more like this.

[@MaximusWilliams]

Excellent overview. Thank you!

[@random40s]

Really good video 👍. Nice, and clean presentation, and easy to understand. That's how it's done. 👍👍

[@advperu3547]

Phenomenal guide! This is all you need to get started and have lots of fun. There really isn’t much more to know in order to tenkara.

[@MikeGranberry]

Really nice reminder of best practices. Thank you.

[@yepyepuhhuh]

I've been wanting this info for a long time. Not sure why I'm just now researching. Thank you for such a detailed series without excess.

[@nosay2069]

Thorough and to the point. Thank you.

[@pinhookfishingclub]

Great info, thanks for taking the time to help us learn. I’ve never tried it before so it’s something I hope to do soon. I love fishing, it’s so rewarding and fun!

[@johngifford7725]

I'm looking at trying this. Thank you for all this information in one spot. Outstanding presentation.

[@TheFishingNomad]

Excellent video. Never thought about trying this method, but I'm always up for something new. Going to start looking for a rod soon.

[@Harperclan7]

Really fantastic video! I am switching over from fly fishing to Tenkara due to the amount of small stream access I have in the mountains this helped a lot looking forward to heading up the stream in a couple days

[@mg2361]

Great video! Look forward to more.

[@Ivovshtinata]

Brilliant explanation and introduction...

[@nilsirnd4345]

Muito bem Daniel, gostei demais das técnicas de tenkara que você apresentou neste vídeo. Obrigado pelo seu trabalho em nos ensinar!!!

[@trishrobbins9942]

Excellent video and instructor.

[@keimahane]

Thank you so much for this, I am going to give this a try while living in Japan. Should be interesting.

[@MrRourk]

Best Basic Instruction Video on KZbin

[@philstalnaker7000]

Great lessons. Great lessons.

[@antemiu]

I now wanna try it as the simplicity of it really attracts me. Thanks

[@jasonsweet1868]

Thanks for the information it answered all my questions

[@mattyh3000]

Great video Simple love fishing with my Tenkara

[@xiankiefer]

Excellent. Thank you!

[@ericpettyfishing]

Nice. I have done every other kind of fishing. Finally ready to get into fly fishing. Tenkara will be my starting point

[@RileyPierce_]

I have never done Tenkara fishing. I have just got my rod, and I am excited to use it. Thank you for this VERY helpful video!

[@lanecountybigfooters5716]

Just bought a tenkara rod and fished it for the first time. Wish I'd watched this video first! Very informative, with clear instructions. Thanks! Those knots were just what I lacked.

[@ArtMacasinag]

very informative ! Thank you ! I enjoyed it !!!

[@nmgaucho]

Just got my Ito rod and headed up to the Conejos River in Colorado in a couple weeks to give it a try. Wish me luck!

[@sams5155]

Craig McCoy good luck.

[@swashbucklingadventures9929]

How'd it go? I have the Ito, Amago and the Iwana! All for different size waters AND fish!

[@Williamthehedonist]

Excellent video

[@plantme777]

Great informative video. Thank you. Also enjoyed Takenobu!

[@nemesiorodriguez6063]

Excellent video ! That's exactly what I was looking for. A comprehensive short but complete summary. Congratulations. What a shame it took me about a week to find it !

[@tenkarausa]

But you found it at last, that makes us happy! Thanks for the feedback!

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

A friend just told me about the Kara fishing this morning and I had no idea what it was. Very cool! One day I’ll have to get a proper set up and try it myself.

[@chrislrob]

This was great. I placed my order today.

[@BIG-DIPPER-56]

Excellent ! Thank you ! 🙂😎👍

[@dapi8389]

Thank you for this. It helped me out alot with questions I had. It' also really nice to see all if this info in one spot without having to jump from video to video.

[@enciktahawildfishing4053]

Nice tutorial. From Malaysia to try Tenkara Fishing as the age getting to old now. Thanks for the guide.

[@charlescloer5500]

Can’t wait to get one of theses.

[@nittgang]

Great video tks

[@sashasasha3170]

Great video

[@popsfishing]

Excellent video very informative 😎

[@johnkmcgregor5209]

Excellent such fun 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@user-vn3yc6ip4n]

私の1911年生まれの祖父も山猟師でテンカラの名人だった。私も逆毛針の巻き方や色々教わった。日本古来の伝統的な釣りですね。 逆毛針はキジの毛と鴨の毛で昔はハリスに馬の毛を使っていたらしいです。

[@outdoorsforachange]

Nice!

[@PurpleTwilightField]

Thank you for the good video. I am one of the people who respect Mr. SEBATA, who is famous as "The old man who talks mountain rivers" in Japan. TENKARA and fly fishing seem to be similar, but quite different. TENKARA's greatest appeal is its portability, but it also makes the insects act as if they were alive. I'm trying to do something similar to Tenkara with a fly rod, but I still need to practice.

[@atravers349]

Simple and fun. It's like an old fashioned cane pole with fly line!

[@colper9677]

Nice video,

[@ronaldebrownjr5622]

Thank you!!!😌

[@luca_ba3829]

Very interesting, in Italy there is a fishing sistem like that, "Valsesiana" in North and in Florence "Frusta toscana". The second maybe extint.

[@anthonysteedman1472]

Thank you so good

[@henriwolbrink]

Thanks for this all in one video. The only thing I found missing is the best time to catch fish. Season and hours. Thanks a lot. Me and my son will have a great time fishing.

[@nyodleupfishing]

Panduan yang sangat berguna dan bermanfaat

[@DiscoveryDiversTokyo]

Really great idea to have that place to store the rod cover.

[@ericinouye803]

Thanks!

[@TheRealQuestionIs11]

Props to you guys for featuring Takénobu in your vid

[@Hoggy1963]

Good stuff

[@bodhi974]

I have been looking at these rods for a while now. Looks like it’s the Sato is my choice. Great instruction also. I fly fished for the first time last weekend. Now I want a Tenkara to keep in the truck for that spur of the moment fishing.

[@curtislloyd5895]

Great intro video. So much information in a very compact and simple presentation; kinda like Tenkara!!! I appreciate the bit at the end on how to release the fish. I see guys putting fish in towels, using pliers to rip the flies out of he fish's mouth. Awesome video, hope to see you out there. Practice good stream etiquette and remember to pick your trash.

[@mtnbiker1678]

Nice instructional vid. Thanks for all the tips!

[@pauldinda5831]

I intend to be a Tenkara fisherman soon. Now, I'm off to shop on your website.

[@MrCmclark8]

My compliments to your graphic artist!

[@bretta3]

I always tell beginner fly fishers, your number one job is to keep your fly out of the trees and bushes and don't tangle your line. Nothing will ruin a beginners day like spending all day dealing with snags and tangles and lost flies.

[@Kaganda21Vlog]

nice video.

[@fredcox6994]

These techniques can be done with a long fly rod, including dapping, where you only let the fly touch. Some stealth is involved. No tromping around like t-rex and keep your shadow off the water as much as you can. When comfortable, you can invest in the Tenkara rig. I learned some just using a bamboo pole as a kid.

[@stevethistle7974]

Im hooked

[@MrYftuna]

sure would like to try this spider rigging for crappie but with the ability to adjust length from 12 foot to eighteen foot and plenty of backbone

[@bondvagabond42]

Great video, the only thing I'd like to add, for beginners, is that if you are doing catch and release, or need to release a fish that isn't legal to keep cause of species or being too small or something, if you wet your hand before you touch the fish, it helps protect the layer of slime on the fish, that is critical for the fishes survival. It protects the fish from water born pathogens, and helps it move through the water efficiently, saving energy and increasing the survival rate of the fish. When I was a kid in the 80's and 90's, we used to swim around popular fishing spots, and scrounge fishing line and lures that had been snagged and left by other fishermen. We would also use huckleberries we picked as artificial salmon eggs, using sticks cut on location for a pole, to tie our scrounged line to, essentially making a tenkara style rod. Life is so complicated these days, I think we are all looking for ways to slow down/simplify our lives, at least our entertainment, if we can't simplify our work lives.

[@user-nk1ic2qy9p]

Интересное и информативное видео. Спасибо.

[@migsfishingexpeditionvlogs9518]

Wow thank you for sharing...actually I'm making may own tenkara for sea water fishing and I use ajing fishing rod to cast and I love using on it...

[@joserobertodelazari]

Oi Daniel, parabéns pelo rico conteúdo!! Aqui no Brasil, pesco com Tenkara, desde lambaris até Tilapias de 4kg! Muito eficiente e emocionante!

[@tenkarausa]

Legal Jose!!! Tilapias de 4 KG 😲

[@nilsirnd4345]

É mesmo uma modalidade fantástica, pesca de tudo.

[@joserobertodelazari]

@@tenkarausa algumas fotos: instagram.com/p/CBJm_9Fp-Yr/?igshid=an922hgvnryi E instagram.com/p/CDo4Xn8pfL7/?igshid=1uphrnmgc3mqz

[@steveilg6134]

yes!

[@rubenroybal2890]

I love my Tenkara Rod.

[@Sport--willow]

Oh.......upgraded and updated cane pole fishing! I've fished many streams, rivers, lakes and ponds with a cane pole over 50 years ago and still do it to this day for relaxation and fun.

[@michaelhrivnak1719]

Sometimes the simplest things are the BEST things! I hope others learn that from you.

[@weezypeezy1725]

Thank you Daniel, I hope we can meet someday

[@tenkarausa]

Hope so too! Can't wait for Covid to pass and start going around a bit more!

[@weezypeezy1725]

Tenkara USA when is the next summit?

[@jacobshields6942]

this is a wonderful video, answered questions i didnt know i had, also what rod are you using in the video? I didnt catch a name

[@PashaDemin]

I have a first season with tenkara. I very like it. Now i planning to bring in longer main line as experiment. Biggest fish for now - 0,7 kilograms chub.

[@redodero]

Grazie

[@kittiwakedave]

Great video, very helpful. One question I have that I have not seen anyone talk about is what should happen to the line when you cast. When I was fly fishing I would cast, then mend the line so it was in the water above the fly that was drifting down stream. In Tenkara when casting with furled line are you supposed to keep the furled line out of the water and only have the tippet and fly in the water?

[@jirredvang901]

Only learn about this style of fly fishing about a month ago. I see it similarly like euro nymphing

[@taylorperkins5279]

I have just been introduced to this style of fishing this morning! My initial thought is that it looks a lot like euro nymphing, or tight line fly fishing. I’m wondering if you could have some success fishing with nymphs using this kind of set up. Any thoughts?

[@abeoftheham1957]

Just got into fly fishing last year and I’m definitely going to add one of these to my collection. Just a random thought but does anyone know where I can get that shirt the man in the bamboo hat was wearing? I thought it was cool😁

[@stickermigtigger]

I just found my next bream pole!

[@davidthomas5035]

Was helping my mother in law clean out her garage a while back. She's from Japan. Found what turned out to be a Tenkara rod in the corner. It doesn't have a line on the end to tie to, it has a tiny eyelet epoxied(?) to the tip. Don't know if that's a repair or just the way it was made. Do you think I should tie my line directly to the eyelet or add one of those short pieces and then tie to that? Not sure what difference it would make. I'm itching to get out there after seeing this. Thanks.

[@guyring8912]

Very informative video! However, I love to eat trout and release the little ones only!

[@leongtoon62]

This technique appears to be only targeting rising fish, Are u able to use sink tips to allow for drifting deeper into the water column , say depths of 2-3ft ?

[@scottinnh88]

I need one

[@bornhunter6171]

This type of fishing looks to be very fun. I am limited to how I can fish and what rods I can use. What is the difference between Tinkara USA and buying them directly from China like Tinkara USA does? I would rather pay for the same Tenkara Rod at a fraction of the price than to over pay for the same product. 😮

[@ungalsuhar9005]

One question, what is the ideal length of this fishing rod? I want to try my place to find baby fish hampalla I am willing to answer

[@cal3606]

Am I able to use leader as the tenkara line? I’m quite new to tenkara and I just have tippet and nylon leader.

[@flyman451]

I can see you are very interested in Tenkara. My question is were you actively involved with traditional fly fishing before Tenkara or did you see something that made you aware of Tenkara and then you became interested if fly fishing?

[@Bikepacking]

This would Brilliant for my Bikepacking adventures if you ever need tester let me know

[@joefisher4630]

Great way to fish Creeks. Any tying videos? Have caught fish behind exposed rocks hovering 2"-3" above the water.

[@skippylippy547]

Joe - Really? I've never seen a fish "hover 2-3" above the water." How do those fish do that? :)

[@skippylippy547]

@J G LOL

[@roselyndelosreyes4543]

Can you add a indicator just like fly fishing ?

[@Rowsey63]

Cool rod but how is this different from a telescopic crappie pole? $25 vs $250? I loved fly fishing and this intrigues me but wondering the difference?

[@Bucky-hendersen-troutguy]

Im a avid fly fishermen, so tenkara is fly fishing but without the fly reel? What happens if you hook a really big brown and your lines only so long...does your line just snap off? This look interesting