Possible tenkara hookup issues

[ponycarman]

I went fishing last weeked with my tenkara rod. Had a great tine and landed 2 trout. While in the water for about 3 hours I had tons of strikes. And quite a few fish on the hook. I'm guessing around 15 or more. Only getting two in the net makes me wonder... what am I doing wrong? I was having issues before with detecting strikes but this trip I felt and saw them alot better with the added sighter to my line.

The issues seemed to be with the hookset. I would keep as tight a line as I could and then raise the rod tip after seeing or feeling the strike. So many times I feel the fish tug abd wiggle then it gets off. A good many times it got off after fighting the fish closer to me. One of the two fish landed barely had the hook in its lip.

Makes me wonder if its my hooks? Or fly size? Or even if I'm setting the hook too quicking and the fish isn't a good bite on it. Maybe its a timing issue going from a conventional fly rod to tenkara?

Has anyone else had this issue or have an idea what might be happening? I had a blast and can't wait to get back out to the river. This trip was probably the most strikes and fish on the hook that I have ever had for trout. But only getting two to the net is frustrating a bit. I am thankful for the 2 though

Thanks in advance for any help!
Mark

 

[mlob1one]

I'd like more information on the hooks, size of hook, and size of fish...

When I've experienced low hookups on the tenkara, it's because I'm slow with the hookset. They can strike and spit a hook in under one second.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[ponycarman]

I'd like more information on the hooks, size of hook, and size of fish...

When I've experienced low hookups on the tenkara, it's because I'm slow with the hookset. They can strike and spit a hook in under one second.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Thats possible I suppose. Maybe I'm still not detecting the strikes as quickly as I thought. I've always been awful at indicatorless nymphing ugh.

Fish sizes were around 4 to 8in approximately. Here are the two I caught.

Fly size was 12 I think. Maybe it was too big? But I haven't had any issues with that size of fly to these fish before. The hook was new and quite sharp. Not sure of the brand but I have fished them many other times but not with tenkara gear.

Here is the fly

 

[lookard]

Was the entire line from end to end longer than the length of the rod? I had issues with keeping them on the line especially with smaller fish when my line is longer than the rod. Now i typically keep the line about a foot shorter and then pole.

I also use jig hooks most of the time now for my nymphs and that seemed to have helped.

 

[ponycarman]

Was the entire line from end to end longer than the length of the rod? I had issues with keeping them on the line especially with smaller fish when my line is longer than the rod. Now i typically keep the line about a foot shorter and then pole.

I also use jig hooks most of the time now for my nymphs and that seemed to have helped.

So far I've kept my line about the same length as my rod. Maybe a foot longer or shorter just depending. I was trying to keep tension on the fish. Not sure if I was leaving slack or if I'm not used to such a light rod tip. With so many variables I'm not sure whats up haha. Could still just be that I'm a tenkara newbie... lol

 

[james w 3 3]

My 100% always everytime go-to response to missing fish is to touch up the hook. Especially with small fish who have less mass to resist the movement of the point into their mouth, a hook won't penetrate unless it's truly surgically sharp.
A file won't do it. A Diamond file won't do it. A small HARD stone, either an Arkansas or a Japanese will put the perfect point on a hook.
Yes, it's a PIA to find one you can carry with you. My original one came from the gunsmithing supply company Brownell's

 

[ponycarman]

I'll give that a try. I'll keep practicing and see how it goes haha.

 

[ront]

Try Kirbing (slightly offseting) the hook.
Cheers,
R

 

[dhaynes]

Tenkara rods are, on the whole, far more flexible than conventional fly rods. The stiffer conventional will transmit the force of your hookset down the line far more efficiently. With the relatively more flexile tenkara rod you may just need to set the hook with more authority (more powerful set).

This is not to say that previous advice about sharp hooks is misplaced. It is sound advice but it may not be all of the story.

 

[ponycarman]

That may be some of my issue. With such a flexible long rod its I'm sure the set should be firm. I think I may be setting it pretty light. Mainly because I have on numerous occasions set the hook when there wasn't a fish there only to send the fly up into a tree lol. Still working on that balance of quick/firm hookset without being too much.

 

[ponycarman]

Just a little update. I believe I figured out my problem. Had a little "lightbulb came on" moment the other weekend trying out tight line nymphing and for the first time veing fairly successful. I believe my tenkara hookup woes have been that I wasn't keeping the line tight enough. Too much slack and I wasn't fully detecting any of the strikes. Will have to take my tenkara rod out again to confirm but I think I figured it out now.

 

[ponycarman]

Been a little while but I thought I would share a little update to the issues I was having. I was introducing way too much slack when I originally posted this. Once I got those issues worked out I still had some issues but I believe I got them figured out.

I was learning tenkara and czech style nymphing at the same time. I was wayyy more successful when I used a czech nymph rod. I came to the conclusion I wasn't missing strikes at all but mistaking rod movement for a strike. When the line tightens up with your fly at the bottom of the river, it would make my tenkara rod flex quite a bit. I mistook this as a strike many many times. With a more ridged czech nymph rod it didn't flex quite as much from the pull of the current and I was able to actually see or feel the strikes.

After realizing this my issues with tenkara rods dissapeard. Fun stuff! Hoping to get back to the water soon!