4# PB on 4# Test Tenkara Rod

[Stan Wright]

For those not familiar with a Tenkara Rod... It's a form of Japanese fly fishing where no reel is used. Consisting of a 12 to 14 foot extension pole, fly line, leader , and fly... it is for catching 6 to 12 inch trout in the tiny mountain streams of Japan. Tenkara is becoming popular with American fly fishermen for targeting small trout and panfish. It's just fun catching small fish on a super light, long flexible extension pole. The simplest form of fly fishing.





I love targeting bluegill, small peacock bass and, red devils (fish under one pound) with my Tenkara rod. Most times I spot the fish in the shallow water and cast to it. Every once in a while a larger 2 or 3 pound peacock bass will race in to take my fly. This usually results in a broken leader. www.TenkaraUSA.com recommends using a leader or tippet no stronger than 5# test, or the result could be a broken rod. I use a 4# test leader to make sure the leader breaks long before the rod.



I had landed several red devils and was casting toward another when with a flash of yellow, a small peacock bass chased my fly, but didn't take. I cast again in the same spot, same result... chase but no take. Again I cast, and saw another flash of yellow. Cast again, let the fly sink a little and twitch it. Bam, fish on... but what I didn't realize... the small fish I had seen were raiding the spawning bed of two large peacock bass. The big male peacock bass took my tiny gold streamer fly for a threat to the babies and attacked.
Now I have this way too big fish for my tackle on my line and headed for deep water. No problem... the line will break... but it didn't.

You hear it all the time in fishing stories: "The rod bent double"... well my limber Ayu rod bent more than double. The very soft action of the 3 1/2 ounce little rod was so flexible it cushioned the hard runs of the peacock bass to keep the 4# test leader from breaking. So here I am holding a 13'6' rod, with a 15 foot line wondering how in the world I'm going to get the fish close enough to net it.

Enter Jeff Choi. He saw me struggling and came over to assist. For over 10 minutes, he stood by, dip net in hand, maneuvering his boat around mine waiting patiently for the fish (or me) to give up the fight.

After what seemed like forever the fish came to the surface on it's side and Jeff slipped the net under it. He was 20 feet from my boat a the time. All I could do was sit down. The big male peacock bass (you can tell it's a male by the large hump on it's head) weighed just over 4 pounds and measured 22 inches in length. The largest fish I've ever landed on a Tenkara rod.

I handed Jeff a camera and after some quick pictures we released the fish back onto it's nest.
There is no way I could have landed that fish by myself. Thank you Jeff.

[shanai]

Wow! they say it''s better to be lucky than good, but
When you're lucky and good you catch fish like this.

Nice job

[Ken]

Nice fish Stan. Some skill there.

[Ahnkochee]

Congratulations, not too shabby Stan.
Man I gotta get my Tenkara rods out on the lake. The Tilapias in my backyard are boring even on Tenkara.