Emerging from hibernation

Tenkara
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I had not fished since my late november bonefishing trip in the Bahamas.

Normally, I fish tenkara all winter, but this year was off. I did a late fall tenkara outing with my daughter, but the water levels were so low that the first quarter mile of the river was bone dry. Not even a puddle. We did find a flow and some brookies higher up before the water diverted underground. I still wish I explored the spot where it went underground.

Got out this morning to meet the river and the spring trout stocking of the local trout management area. Had a pretty good outing of a couple of dozen fish. Full variety pack of species and size. They wanted the dead drift, which is kind of disappointing as I like it better when they respond to my embellishments.

Like most of you, I am well over my decade of fishing tenkara. For trout on a small river or stream, I still feel it is the bomb. I really do not think I will grow out of it or ever pick up a flyrod or other conventional means for this type of water.

It was fun to put a few fish on the leash today and observe the progression of life on the river as it too is emerging from its winter sleep.

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Thanks for posting this. I am only 4 years into my Tenkara journey and I agree with you that for small streams it is my absolute favorite way to fly fish. I just am so much more confident picking apart the pockets of my high gradient streams with it. I also see more options to present flies, both upstream and down.

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Agreed. Advantages also spill into low gradient waters. Most of my local water is slower moving especially with the drought we are in.

At least with tenkara we can feel the lightning takes and rejections or are close enough to our fly to seel a fish roll and refuse sub surface. Knowing our presention is close to being correct is valuable…as is knowing there are fish present.