LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION
Far too many people look for the "perfect spot" to fish, when often it exists right in from of them or just around the corner. Tenkara, unlike "traditional rod and reel" fishing only needs a body of water and the possibility of fish. Everything else is in your hands. Here are locations we look for when ready to lay down a fly with Tenkara and can't make it to a "destination" spot. We have also added some tips and tricks to help you out as you move into unknown locations.
We have a much more content (instructional, images and video) in the works. When we work with new Tenkara anglers, we often get questions we would have never thought to address because it seems second nature to us. Why are these the most important, because they help fill gaps often left when just looking over a website.
Everything we do here is about spreading empowering others with knowledge and skills to fish the Tenkara way. We are anglers first and web guys second, so please bear with us.
“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.”
- Henry David Thoreau.
Pools | Eddys
Deeper pools hold the bigger fish. Look for areas that have a circular, or pooling, flow where the waters may be deeper and lively. Often you will find fish hiding at the edges looking for an easy meal caught in the current. This can often be an easy multi-catch location. Check out the images for examples of what to look for and where to focus your efforts for top results.
Approach Tips
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Look for the edges of the inflowing eddy. Drop in just before the eddy and let the current take you. You can do this with a streamer or dry fly. If it settles in the middle of the eddy, jig it out and start again.
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Now look for the opposite. If the eddy has a clear exit point, work it the same as the entry point and allow your fly to start at the inside edge of the pool and move out of the eddy to calmer water.
Approach Tips
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Working Grassy Areas
Grass along the edges will hold some great surprises also. Especially if you can locate areas where the gasses either overhang the water or exists in the water. Both of these situations provide fish the opportunity for food and coverage, so it's a great place for us to look. You can see some examples here that highlight what to look for.
Spillways | Culverts | Bridges
Another place fish like to hold up, are areas that creeks or drainages lead to like spillways with deep pools on one side and culverts at road crossings. Depending on the depth these can hold some true puddle monsters. (I have caught gar, bass, catfish and more bluegill you can count in these areas)
Approach Tips
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Approach Tips
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Fish along the edges in morning and evening.
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Work grassy areas and tree overhang
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Don't miss the magical spillway-often this is the money hole.
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If there is a fountain, fish the outflow edge of these fountains (the current naturally pushes food to these edges). Slow troll a streamer (like a woolly bugger) on bottom or dead drift a Tenkara dry fly on the current.
Ponds & Retention Basins
You see these in or near every neighborhood, and most likely you know someone who lives right by one. (It might be you!) These can truly hold some monster fish, especially in areas where pressure may be minimal. Also, watch out for posted “No Trespassing” or “No Fishing” signs, and mind them. The alternative is like a soggy diaper, it can screw up a great fishing day.