GROWING OUR SPORT II

    I’ve decided to title these essay pages, Growing Our Sport. Some of you may be offended by my use of the word “sport," or question the use of the word relating to a fishing technique, but know that many anglers [especially the Japanese Masters] do consider tenkara a sport.   

    I think we [tenkara anglers] can all agree we don't want to see tenkara fishing reduced to some sort of novelty fishing method; reserved for those who either cannot cast or a beginners-only gear choice. For those of us who have fished tenkara for any amount of time we consider tenkara, if not a sport, a proficient means of accomplishing our goals as an angler and enjoying our time on the water. Some of us may go further to say tenkara is an art form in efficiency. For both the recreational fisher and the 100 days on the water [extremist], both these descriptions should be celebrated as 'sport,' at least, sport of the "non-scoring" variety.

    So it’s not in the numbers of fish caught, or the needed athleticism that I refer to tenkara as a sport, but rather with ‘organization’ in mind. All sports have some degree of organization, that’s why you may have heard the term ‘organized sport.’ Whether it’s in the teaching and instructional practices, or it's in the organization of an individual’s skill-set. Think about any sport you’ve ever played or participated in. Most likely there was some way of classifying your skills and then bringing you up through a teaching process to build on those [necessary] skills to advance you as a participator or player. This is often achieved in you [the player] being classified as either a beginner, intermediate, or an advanced-level [professional] participant. 

    Rod and reel fly fishing has this so-called “organization” within its' community. They have their own World Championship organized by FIPS Mouche. They have junior and senior-level participation at the competitive level, and the FFI (Fly Fishing International) has a way of classifying your abilities as a caster and then qualifying those abilities to allow for Casting Instructor status to be obtained. There’s competitive challenges to see how far you can cast, and accuracy contests within the FFI World Championship. Fly fishing, at least with a rod and reel is considered an "organized" sport.

    Now I’m not saying we need tenkara to get to this level of competitive notoriety, but it is time we start to consider how we’re going to pass down these methods [or rather “teach up” these methods] to a younger generation of advancing or wanting to advance angler. Remember: Sharing tenkara is going to make all the difference in preserving the methods and techniques for future generations of western anglers — this starts with organized and thoughtful instruction. 

    We’re going to need a process to teach these techniques. A way to teach a new tenkara angler how to reach a higher level of participation — in our sport.

    Tenkara has its’ own unique techniques and casting methods. In fact the fundamental elements that make tenkara so beautifully efficient, are actually far different techniques of those taught and used in western fly fishing. Tenkara techniques and the sasoi-tactics to lure fish from their holding lies deserve much more respect then the simple statement; “a rod, a line, and a fly” to define or explain it's wonderfully nuanced and complex techniques. I would argue that we have not done any kind of job [as western tenkara anglers] promoting tenkara to the experienced western fly fishing community. To that [more experienced] community I would like to say this:

 

Tenkara is a versatile method of fishing that allows the angler to enjoy in one minute, dry fly fishing and in the next, transition to euro-nymphing techniques. The light line can demonstrate extreme flexibility when presenting in all kinds of water and the joy of casting such a finesse system can match [at least at the advanced level] any weighted fly line at a near distance. You've heard the term "pick apart water." Tenkara defines this experience with precision casting and the ability to change water depth with a simple raising or lowering of the rod. Presentation is further enhanced by the advantages of a light line system allowing the angler to manipulate and impart life-like movement into the fly engaging the angler with furious fish strikes to both topwater and subsurface drifts.

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    For any fly shop owner, guide service, or outfitter business who may be reading this — I want to make myself clear — this is not about making tenkara “seem better” or "more enjoyable" than western fly fishing. On the contrary, it's about making tenkara a platform for new anglers entering the sport, and second to that, building on those beginner skills to showcase tenkara as a unique and stand-alone TECHNIQUE.

    The fear I think that exists within the western "fly shop mentality" is that if you start an angler out with a tenkara rod in their hand, they'll never want to give western fly fishing a try. UNTRUE. The truth is that many new or beginning-level tenkara anglers can't wait to cast a western fly rod and make the investment in more equipment, it's only that some of these new angler's have never caught a fish "on the fly" before. Some of these first time fly anglers only need to experience "the magic," through a simpler introduction before becoming "bitten by the fly fishing bug," so-to-speak. Believe me, tenkara is not an end-all-be-all for the fly fishing angler. Western techniques and weighted fly lines hold just as much appeal for the new tenkara angler as do the lighter line systems of tenkara.

    While "a rod, a line, and a fly," may be oversimplifying the method it's also a great way to hold the door open for new anglers who may feel intimated by western equipment and casting. Not to mention the lesser investment needed by someone wanting to give fly fishing "only a try." Many of these new to fly fishing "hobby-tourists" would love the opportunity to be introduced to a far less complicated method through a beginner tenkara program. Fishing Guides and Outfitter businesses should be promoting tenkara as the, "Let's Catch You A Fish First" method for aspiring western fly fishers!

     As for those tenkara anglers out there who might say I only want to make tenkara an entry-level starting point for the rod and reel fly fishing industry, I’d both argue and agree that if we don’t start to demonstrate effectively the advanced methods of tenkara fishing, and allow a path for beginners to further advance through a proper and “organized” learning program then maybe tenkara [in the West] will have to be simply a starting point. TEACHING tenkara is there again ON US. We need to show that tenkara is the “pickleball” equivalent of the game of tennis. An alternative within the genre, much like skiing has adopted snowboarding as another means of "getting down the mountain." Both are great "downhill" disciplines, and both can be enjoyed at an advanced level.

    Tenkara doesn't take away from western fly fishing, likewise, it doesn't mean that tenkara is still not a great starting point for someone new to the sport! Both techniques and gear options have their advantages and disadvantages and both styles can be mastered at advanced levels. The problem for tenkara currently [in my opinion] is that there is no way of deciphering these more advanced TECHNIQUES, and the skills needed to fish them, from simply choosing to fish the gear. I would say to any western fly fisher (especially fishing guides) "separate the gear from the technique." Tenkara can be made simple by the gear; with that said, tenkara can also be made complex by its' tactics. The same could be said of euro-nymphing. Many euro-nymphing anglers are criticized over their lack of fishing weighted fly lines, choosing to only fish mono-rig systems. This is a similar case for tenkara where the gear dominates the conversation, over the technique and enjoyment of fishing [the method] should be the driver of the discussion.

    Even experienced western fly fishers and advanced-level tenkara anglers want to see more master-level tenkara methods taught and better demonstrated on YouTube and other learning platforms. There is a craving for higher-level learning within the fly fishing community that has otherwise [to this point] been missing. Western rod and reel fly fishers only need to understand the differences in the techniques to be able to enjoy tenkara-style fishing on certain types of water. There are always days when fish don't meet our expectations. When tricky fish seem to be 'the story of your day,' fixed-line techniques may be a great alternative to otherwise rod and reel tactics.

 

    Now, I know that opinions will very greatly on how we should teach these Japanese fishing techniques and principles, after all we are not Japanese and we didn’t have anything to do culturally with its' origin-story. I'm certainly not suggesting we abandon the history of Japanese tenkara. If anything, I’m suggesting we [the tenkara angler] embrace the origins of tenkara and become more traditionalist in our teaching approach. This DOES NOT mean that we shouldn’t fish tenkara however our local waters would dictate, or that we describe ALL non-traditional tenkara as fixed-line fly fishing. I think as long as we specify the species as being “tenkara for bass” or “tenkara for carp,” etc. The use of the word “tenkara” seems to make [at least saying it] the most sense for the general angler. I want be clear about my position though — to me — tenkara is a technique! The rod and fixed-line attachment are only functions of the tackle and not a defintion of the method. I think it’s easy for us to confuse the gear with the technique, especially in tenkara where seeing past the telescopic rod and fixed-line can be difficult. We need ALWAYS REMEMBER that there’s a technique being performed and not just a particular tackle choice being made. No matter what species we're fishing for, tenkara should be noted as a “fly manipulation” technique, where the angler is using the rod-tip to manipulate the fly using Sasoi (or luring) techniques to annoy and “make the fish” want to strike. And yes, dead drifting a kebari is a sasoi-tactic for those wondering.

    Let’s get back to our “organized sport.” In order to teach these methods to the western angler we must first organize the Japanese teachings and methods into a structure that’s ‘ready’ for western learning. Just because we have difficulty pronouncing some of the words associated with tenkara, doesn’t mean we should abandon them altogether [at least not all of them]. I do recognize that not all words used in Japanese tenkara are appropriate when trying to understand and teach tenkara to western anglers. I think as a community we will decide what words we’ll use and what words we'll leave out as our teaching processes develop.

        Regardless of the words we choose, it’s time we develop and embrace our own teaching practices, and not be afraid to teach [ourselves] tenkara! New angler’s and experienced tenkara angler’s who watch YouTube videos, read blogposts, listen to podcasts, etc., CANNOT LEARN tenkara techniques if we don’t use the words associated with this highly efficient method of fishing. Otherwise, if we continue with this leis-a-fair approach, and we don’t teach these techniques through an organized learning process, we’re not going to grow our sport! If we don’t grow our sport then tenkara anglers and western fly fishers will continue to wonder where “the tenkara method” fits into the landscape of a larger fly fishing community.        

    We may only be adopter’s of this sport-of-tenkara, but there are plenty of other non-western originating sports that westerner’s NOW teach (i.e. martial arts). The time for western tenkara is now. We must own our preferred method - EVEN IF NOT ALL OF WHAT WE TEACH ARE 100% JAPANESE IDEAS.

    Traditionalist, may seem an old fashioned word. In some ways it is. This does not mean that new ideas can’t be embraced out of a traditionalist mind-set. New styles and techniques can’t be developed and taught without passion and enthusiasm. I encourage every tenkara angler out there who feels a calling to this ‘western tenkara teaching’ to go out there — without fear —  and teach tenkara! It is YOU that has the opportunity to grow this sport into what it will be for western anglers in the future. DO NOT be afraid to share your ideas and to become your own student-teacher. 

    There are NO MASTERS in tenkara fishing. Even those given that distinction rightfully refuse it. NATURE is the MASTER. Tenkara is a way to connect with that spirit in all of us to be closer to nature. Masterfulness is learning from others, and sharing what you love. Tenkara is a special gift, “one from heaven,” you might say. A gift that on each return to the water we’re given a moment in time. In that moment we’re afforded ourselves [that we] might better understand ‘something meaningful to us.’ 

    Among the sounds of nature — I fish. It’s those sounds that I return too — they combine all creation in that moment on the water. Where nature and time share a passing micro-current. It is there that I will be. On that day, I will enjoy the ‘take of fish, so that in some way I may leave the sounds of nature and the cold flow of the water a better person; understanding most gratefully that it is tenkara [in some way], that has given me the opportunity to get out and experience the healing water's of nature.