Tenkara Koi

[Stan Wright]

Tenkara is a Japanese form of small stream fly fishing that's starting to catch on in the US. It's simple and basic. Rod, fly line, and fly. No Reel.

My rod was designed for small fish... like trout under 12 inches.
It's 13 feet long and weighs 3.5 ounces. It casts like a fly rod.

Since we don't have many small trout filled streams on Oahu, I naturally took my Tenkara rod to Lake Wilson. It is perfect for bluegill, baby bass and tukes... it will even handle a red devil or other small tropical fish.
It is so much fun.

Imagine my surprise when the "Log" that the red devil was sitting beside, quickly turned and inhaled my fly. The "log" was a koi... carp.

I figured the 5 pound test leader would not survive the fishes first run.
(It's recomended that 5# test leader is the strongest one use... anything larger tends to break the rod) But the 13 foot rod bent double, forming a large letter "C".... and the leader held. You could hear the line sing in the wind it was streatched so tight. The rod flexed, the leader held.

Finally we slipped a net under the 3 pound carp... my largest fish on the Tenkara.

[Ahnkochee]

I know, old post but why don't you submit your koi for the new State record? Can't think of a more deserving person.

[nuki]

I caught a snake head on Sat.

[Stan Wright]

Nice one... you don't see many of those these days.

[Crash]

Nice to see one in the lake. Havent seen a pic of one in ages.