Tenkara Fly Fishing Techniques to Try on Your Next Trip

Looking for new tenkara fly fishing techniques? We’re here to help! Even those who have mastered tenkara can sometimes feel as if they’ve hit a slump in their fishing techniques. With these methods below, anglers that are beginners and fishers that have experience can help keep their fishing game strong!

4 Tenkara Fly Fishing Techniques to Try

Compared to other forms of spinning fishing and fly fishing, tenkara is much easier to master for beginners. While there is a learning curve — and while some can struggle — having patience and practicing can make anyone a tenkara fisher. 

However, sometimes the water and your surroundings can cause obstacles, keeping even very experienced anglers from having a successful day. Other times, you may feel that you’re in a slump for the day. Try these techniques to help you catch more fish! 

Use the wind. The wind doesn’t have to ruin your trip. Put the wind to your back, then pull your rod up. When the wind starts up, begin to guide your fly over your main target by lowering your rod.

Try the Sutebari method. An excellent Japanese technique, the Sutebari method “seduces” the fish. Start by gently casting the fly in the area of your target, then pulling the fly out. Do this multiple times, giving the fish a preview of the bait. Finally, lower the fly again and wait to see if the fish bites!

Skate the fly across the water’s surface. This is a great technique to use regardless of where you are: upstream, downstream, or cross-stream. Cast and as soon as your fly hits the water’s surface, move your rod side to side to make your fly skate across the surface towards you. Slowly lift your rod, keep the line tight, and see if a fish strikes.

Let go and embrace nature. Sometimes, no technique seems to work. Breathe. Don’t worry, don’t get frustrated. Let go, enjoy your experience, and connect with nature! 

Q: Is it easy to change techniques while tenkara fishing?

A: It is incredibly simple to change techniques while tenkara fishing, as you can do it instantly to see what technique works best. Other fishing methods, such as when you use a reel, can become complicated because of re-rigging. With tenkara, you don’t have to worry about this! 

Practice These Techniques

Now that you have a few more techniques at your disposal, practice them before your next fly fishing trip! Master them, get used to the feel of how to move the rod, and brainstorm how you could use these techniques in different situations. 

All you have to do next is actually try them on your next trip. If you get out of your slump or particularly like on method, be sure to share them with other anglers! 

Hopefully these tenkara fly fishing techniques keep your trips fun and exciting. Check out our gear, designed to make your trips simpler, to really have a fun time catching fish!