One Rod

Simplicity or decision anxiety?

I get it.

Both simplicity AND decision anxiety.

My quiver keeps growing, I keep knocking it back.

Buying a rod, selling another.

Why?

I get sick thinking about how many tenkara rods I’ve owned.

Am I getting any better by owning more rods?

Or selling them?

I keep thinking, “You get good at what you practice.”

Recently, I purged my quiver down to just a few rods, only those that I need. It felt great. I should do that with everything I do.

Yet the few rods I have left, as great as they are, each one is a choice for a stream type, long rods, short rods, compact rods, rods rods rods.

Which rod for this stream?

What rod shall I use?

Why can’t I use just one rod for all of my tenkara?

The progression of my equipment is not in big steps. It is small decisions with experience dictating my choices. The last few years I have been using compact rods because of their utility. I want a system that I don't have to think, “Which rod and what length do I use today?”

I’ve been thinking about using just one rod for everything.

I can choose one from the small quiver I have now yet each one will have a compromise. Every time I use just that one, I’ll want something more in the rod. Too short, too long, too many twos, not enough, "This is the one."

Here is what I want in one rod for the streams I fish at home and as I travel.

I want a strong rod that won’t break. I like a rod with a higher matrix percentage of fiberglass for strength and built fine for a delicate yet accurate cast. A zoom rod for versatility and compactness. A short nested length for ease of travel. The multiple sections of a compact rod actually contribute to its higher percentage of accuracy, more joints (doubled area) that takes out long sections with more spine that induce twist into the tip. A nicely crafted cork handle, beautiful aesthetics and well, I prefer a finely made tenkara rod from Japan. Tenkara is Japanese style fly fishing, I want a rod from Japan.

I want a versatile rod that I can fish short or long.  A compact rod that I can put it inside of my bag.

My favorite streams take a 4.5m rod and the small tight quarters streams need a 2.7m. I want a rod that at a minimum will go 3.3m and at length will stretch out to 3.9m, that will work. I can adjust line length to accommodate the compromise in configuration at short and long lengths.

I chose a rod that fits what I want, a compact multi length zoom rod and I’ve configured my line system for it.

I’ll primarily use a #4. This line size is useable in wind and will cast a variety of kebari and fly sizes.

I've built my kit for variety and at the same time, focused specialty. It comes from many years of my experience with tenkara and at the same time, I am a just taking my first steps with uber minimal, a kit for everything with as few compromises as possible.

Tenryu Furaibo TF39TA

Level Line

Kaizen Bag

Kebari Box

One Fly

Level Lines for the TF39TA

For the TF39TA, choosing a line that will work in a variety of conditions, I'll use a #3.5 or a #4. Trying to fit a 5.5m line on a 3.3m rod in tight quarters just won't work so I'll take the liberty to use a couple of different length lines and I will use a couple of different gauge lines to figure out which line I like that works with the rod.

I fish wide open streams where a 4-5m class rod is fine and also in tunnel streams tight with vegetation, casting under the first limbs of pines where a 3.3m rod will seem long.

Details of Each Line

I’ll primarily use a #3.5 or a #4 at 5.5m most of the time for my 4-4.5m class streams. This is also useable in wind and will cast a variety of kebari and fly sizes. I like my lines slightly long to not crowd the tip when landing big fish. I also tend to stand back and it’s the sweet spot length at rod length plus 1.5m (or there about.)

For the rod at 3.9m length I’ll carry the following lines.

#4 at 5.5m on my primary spool, that’s the everyday “one line” for the “one rod” I will use another #4 at 5.5m as a back up and a #3.5 at 5m as I want to see if I can get away with a shorter and a little lighter line. For the short length I made the following line, a #3.5 at 3.3m for tight streams. I enjoy using lines over and over often for more than a season and I am working to get to the point where my whole kit is like this.

Line Configuration

I use a slip knot at the lillian, double surgeons knot at the mainline to clear tip section that I add in and a 4 wrap clinch knot at the tippet ring to finish my mainline.

The material I use is fluorocarbon in pink and in clear for the spliced in tip on the end creating the mainline. I also use tippet rings to keep things uniform in length and as a weak link when protecting the rod on big fish fights or in fly in the tree break offs.

For tippet I use premium .8 which is equivalent to 5x I have not found the trout in the streams where I fish to be tippet shy when using premium fluorocarbon and I use the strongest I can all the time so I carry just one spool.

On each mainline I tie in a 50c length of #3 clear fluorocarbon. I then terminate that with a tippet ring. I do a lot of gauging with that clear tip in the water, the end of the pink line and knowing the length of the clear tip, the lighter tip loosens up the fly in a “stepped down” method and the extra length of the clear tip assists in stealth in clear shallow and still streams, this clear mainline tip helps me to catch more fish.

For all my knots, I use “Knotsense” to lock them, I cure the coated knots with a UV light.

This line configuration is strong, will handle wind and still drape well. The clear tip aids in stealth and the tippet ring keeps things uniform. I make my lines at home where I can take my time to create a line I want.

After all my lines are made, I wrap them on a card spool and stack them, locking them together and stuff them into the little bag I use to carry my kebari, flys, needle driver and bits I use for tenkara.

As I get better at tenkara, I use fewer things and at this point, many years later, my sub compact system reflects that. I’m learning by using what works, taking away what I don’t use, focusing on things that can serve double duty. I allow myself to use my knowledge in rigging to create a line system that will back itself up and enhance versatility in my choices.

Tenryu "Furaibo" TF39TA