Tenkara Tuesday: 2018 Tenkara Campout

Fall in the Appalachians. Endless trout water. Camaraderie. What more could an angler ask for?

With the Tenkara Jam on hiatus for logistical reasons, this year's East Coast tenkara "event" will be a bit more informal in nature (which honestly isn't a bad thing), but undoubtedly fishy as heck.

Centered around Davidson River campground in North Carolina, this is a loosely organized gathering over a long weekend where everybody is on their own timetables and are just encouraged to grab their tenkara rods and go out and fish... and there's a lot of water in the general area in which to do so.

Per Jason Sparks: "Seriously, this is a snapshot of the public access waters for this watershed.
The campground is near where the red lines culminate on the right. It is silly awesome waters."

There's also been some early chatter that there will be some fly tying/swapping going on, as well as interest in some evening communal campfire meals (and I'm certain tons of story-telling). It's going to be one of those events where I'm certain you'll get out of it what you put in.

Photo: Davidson River Outfitters

Southern Appalachian Brook Trout  |  Photo: Pisgah Outdoors

I've got my campsite reserved... and I'm no camper, so this should be an adventure for me. Hope to see you there!

For more information on the Tenkara Campout, check out the event page on Facebook HERE.

For more information on the campground (& to make a reservation) check out their website HERE.

For more information on tenkara in the Appalachians, check out the Appalachian Tenkara Anglers Facebook group HERE.

Tenkara Angler Magazine - Winter 2016-17 Call For Submissions

Can you believe it's November already? I certainly hope October treated you well, because before you know it, we're going to be looking December right in the face!

With that being said, I just realized that I never officially opened up submission window for the Winter 2016/2017 issue of Tenkara Angler magazine. Honestly, the window is always open, but a post every now and then seems to help bring it back to everyone's stream of thought.

Anything is fair game - fishing reports, essays, poetry, fiction, photography, art, whatever - as long as it's tenkara or conservation related. Being winter, many anglers begin to turn away from the water to focus on fly tying, so some fly tying content would be fantastic.  However, similar to prior issues, the tenkara community will eventually craft the contents of the issue. 

(And don't forget, if you are a company that submits content, please don't hesitate to also submit an ad for your services, inclusion is the least I can do).

If you are interested in contributing, I’ve outlined some simple parameters for content submission on the Tenkara Angler website HERE.

The deadline for content submission will be December 9th, 2016, with the target publishing date toward the end of that same month.

For those of you that are new to Tenkara Angler (perhaps you were introduced to the magazine at the Tenkara Jam), the Fall 2016 issue can be found HERE. The contributions continue to get stronger with each new edition, I would sincerely love to have you as a part of the next issue!

Headed To The 2016 Tenkara Jam

If you're reading this on Friday morning, I'm likely in the trusty Subaru headed to Cherokee, North Carolina for this year's Appalachian Tenkara Jam. It's about a seven and change hour drive from my front door, so I'm hoping I'm able to roll into the National Park area around 2 or 3 o'clock with a little daylight left to wet a line.

This weekend should be fun. Getting to hang out with fellow tenkara cult members enthusiasts is always a good time. I mean who doesn't enjoy a good furled vs. level line debate...am I right?

Seriously, I sure hope there's time to catch a few fish among all the camaraderie. My last trip to the Smokies wasn't that fruitful tracking down wild fish, although we did slam the stockies on the last day. I'd like to try and get into some brookies. I really miss brookies.

If you happen to be going, hope to see you there. I'll have a table at the event promoting Tenkara Angler magazine for a bit, then I hope to run around some and document the happenings. If hotel wi-fi works well, might even post some pics somewhat real-time. We'll see...

The Not Really A Recap of Tenkara Jam 2016

So, this week's going to be a little weird. After I get in a my last day of fishing in the Smokies today, I'm driving to Atlanta to hop on a plane to San Francisco for work (don't ask)...and I'll be there until Friday. Ugh. So basically I'll be away from home (and any semblance of normalcy) for a full week. As such, the recap of the 2016 Tenkara Jam and the associated fishcapades will probably be a bit delayed.

That said, doesn't mean I can't share a few pictures that I might have handy...

Pimped a few magazines...

 Saw a few friends...

Ogled a few rods...

..and a few more rods...

...oh, and a few more rods...

Listened to some great speakers...

Was in awe of Jason Sparks...

And even caught a few fish...

Good times.

Like I said, will give a real recap when time allows. Hopefully sooner than later. I'm certain others will be posting stuff like crazy this week in social media. So in the meantime check Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for hashtags like #tenkarajam or #tenkarajam2016. If you're checking #caudalpeduncle, good luck. (inside joke from one of the presentations).

For Sale: New T-Shirt, Old T-Shirt, Random Gear...

Time to make like a carnival barker because the deals in the T! Store have never been hotter!
Just wanted to bring a few additions to your attention today...let's make a deal!

First off, Tenkara Angler swag was added to the store over the weekend in the form of tees and stickers. I had several people ask about Tenkara Angler t-shirts & hats at the Tenkara Jam, so we decided to move forward with a new, limited run "Tamo T-Shirt" in collaboration with the guys at Six Waters Co. They did a great job on the design, don't you think?

The super-soft tee comes in every color of the rainbow, given your rainbow is monochromatic heather blue. The first print run was limited, but at the time of posting, all sizes were still available, and I'll toss in some free TA stickers as well. The tees fit relatively true to size, my XL fits fine (I'm 6', about 210).

So in with the new...and out with the old...

The ever popular Troutrageous! Tenkara Sasquatch tees are now on clearance. I have a few random quantities leftover in sizes Large and XXL only. Originally $20, if you're Cinderella and shoe fits, you can have a tee for the steal of a price at $10.  I mean they're "CARF Approved" so that's gotta mean something, right?

Finally, I've been going through my gear, and just found a bunch of stuff that's in great condition, but I just don't use much anymore. Rather than go immediately to eBay, I've posted those items at the bottom of the T! store under the section, "Garage Sale" Maybe there's something that interests you, maybe not. Either way, some good deals to be had on gently used fishing gear.

Check out the T! Store HERE

So that's that on this final Monday morning of January.
Hope you're all ready for an awesome week.

Tenkaragram

I soft launched a new blog/website yesterday called Tenkaragram.

So what's the purpose of Tenkaragram?  Really, nothing.  It's basically a blog that aggregates all of the Instagram posts that use the hashtag #tenkara.  It doesn't update instantaneously, but automatically sweeps Instagram from time to time and picks up and embeds the latest.

But T!, can't I just click on the hashtag #tenkara within Instagram and do the same thing?  Yeah, I suppose...different strokes for different folks.  Oh, I also have it set up to search Vimeo for new "tenkara" videos and embed them as well...although none have been posted since the launch.  We'll see how that goes.  I'm sure it'll blow things up.  Either way, Tenkaragram is meant to be visual in nature, so no scraping Twitter or Facebook.  Sorry.

I'm not really looking control the content.  So somebody could Instagram a photo of a money riding on a pig, tag it #tenkara, and it'd show up...which could actually be fun.

You can't handle the amount of awesome in this photo

So if you're out tenkara-ing, or at the upcoming Summit or Jam, and happen to be Instagramming too... tag your photo with #tenkara.  Odds are, it'll show up HERE.

Note:  If the Instagram user is private, it will still display the posts, you just will not be able to see their picture if they have not already granted permission for you to follow them.  Privacy is a good thing.  :)

2015: A Troutrageous! Year In Review

Not gonna lie, 2015 was not a banner year in either the fishing or blogging categories for myself or this website. I probably fished the least of any year in a while, and I know I blogged the least (108 posts vs. 2014's prior low of 138). But that doesn't mean one can't pick up a spoon and dig deep through the proverbial carton of vanilla ice cream to find the motherlode of cookie dough goodness sneakily hidden somewhere beneath the surface.

Cookie dough ice cream is pretty much the jam. You can even buy ghetto, store-brand
cookie dough ice cream and it's guaranteed to be awesome, and that's gospel.
Oh, and chocolate chips.

So with that said, here are the posts that I thought represented the blog well in 2015, and due to my erratic blogging cadence, you probably missed.

Fly Fishing The Florida Shad Run

Pretty much the most fun fishing excursion of the year. Big props to Captain Rich Santos for taking this noob out on your skiff - your extreme patience and good humor is commendable. Might also mention, this was one of the few times I actually used a reel while fly fishing in 2015. Crazy, right?!?


Exploring Florida - Kennedy Space Center

Nothing to do with fishing, everything to do with Lilly. Got to play chaperone (& hooky from work) on her big 3rd-grade end of year field trip to Kennedy Space Center. As Lilly's gotten older, I don't blog about her as much (for privacy reasons), but this one was too good not to share. We both acted like 9-year-olds that day!


Adventures in Bad Photoshop

This isn't one post specifically, but a few that share a common thread of misguided forays into the world of amateur Photoshoppery. From poking fun at Amazon, to Bigfoot hunting, creating lightsaber-buddies, giving a helping hand, or even checking in on John Adams & Clark Griswold, there was a little bit of fictional nonsense spread across the calendar year.


Tenkara For Everyone!

For being the "simple" form of fly fishing, I sure write an awful lot about tenkara. Too much for my own taste even, but these days I'm addicted, so it's what I do. Two of my most enjoyable fishing "road trips" involved a flight to Wisconsin for the 2015 Midwest Tenkara Fest & a 7-hour drive to North Georgia to enjoy some Comfort Food & Trout Streams. There were about a dozen Tenkara Tuesday posts as well. Finally, I also started a tenkara-themed emagazine named "Tenkara Angler" that's been received well enough to carry it into 2016.


ICAST/IFTD 2015

Probably the most "work" I've done this year on the blog was a six-pack of  ICAST/IFTD recap posts hastily thrown together after spending a day at the show in July. As a matter of fact, the Fishing Kayak/SUP post was the most popular post of the year in terms of overall visitors; lesson learned, everyone loves gear posts!

So there it is, 2015 in review. Thanks for stopping by for another year of mostly self-centered frivolity. I never expected this blog to have as many readers as it does, and I can't thank you enough for taking an interest in the content shared here.

Also, if you are a fellow blogger and haven't, why don't you write a year-end post? I'd welcome a link to yours in the comments below; I mean who can say no to an opportunity for cross-promotion, right?

Totally Random Gear Review: Fozzils Solo Pack

I don't really do that many product reviews on the blog anymore, especially unsolicited ones, but I thought I'd share something I received in my Cairn box last month (Cairn is one of those "gear of the month clubs"), that I've actually given a fair amount of use in a short period of time, and am pretty pleased with the results.

The Fozzils Solo Pack - Cup, Bowl, & Dish

This folding "tableware" is kind of unique. What looks like a flat piece of plastic cardstock... transforms into a three-dimensional object by folding the pre-determined crease lines and utilizing the plastic snaps in the corners to hold its shape.

Specifically, the "dish" has become my waste bin as I'm tying flies. 

I brought this with me to the Tenkara Jam because it stored flat (I actually slid it inside my satchel among my Smoky Mountain fishing guidebook and sample Tenkara Angler magazines), and then once at the event, used it to store my snipped thread, clipped feathers, and other stuff while I was tying up flies. 

Heck, even back at home it's become a somewhat permanent fixture at my tying bench. Plus, the fishbone graphic on the bottom is just sort of fitting when it comes to this application.

I'm not going to lie, I haven't really used the bowl or cup yet, but the idea that I'm getting so much use out of the dish in a somewhat unintended way kind of made me want to bring it up on the blog. The fact that if you're actually a backpacker or camping type, and can use these for their intended purposes too, well that's a total win-win.

If you're interested in picking up the set, check out www.fozzils.com/outdoor. They'll run you about $15. I'm sure you can also Google "Fozzils" and find them at a retailer of your choice as well.

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DISCLAIMER:
The Fozzils folding tableware set featured in this product review was purchased through my monthly Carin box. I currently hold no association with Fozzils and did not solicit them, nor was solicited by them for this review.

In Lieu of Fish

This time of year is always a tough one. Daylight savings time signals the onset of shorter days, and those shorter days (and colder temperatures) mean fewer opportunities for fishing. In certain states with specific fishing seasons, one may not legally be allowed to even pursue the species of their choice.

So what is the winter angler to do?

Typically, I end sneaking out a bit to fish locally (as living in Northeast Florida does have certain advantages - we get cold and frost, but don't ever have to worry about ice over). And also usually find myself acquiring more gear than I actually need in "preparation" for next year.

That said, for someone who prefers fishing for trout in mountain streams that require multiple hours of travel to reach, those opportunities pretty much dry up in my neck of the woods come the end of Fall.

So in an effort to be a little more productive with the "offseason," think I'm going to change the routine up a bit this winter... and by writing it down here, I hope to keep myself honest.

• Tie more flies - this one is pretty common winter pursuit, although I rarely do so. I just don't really enjoy fly tying, but I figure if I can tie 2 or 3 a day, every couple days, I should have plenty in reserve by Spring.

• Practice casting - I'm a competent caster with both a fly rod and a tenkara rod, but not what I'd consider above average. Practice makes perfect, so this is an opportunity to hone those skills, particularly accuracy. I'm pretty fortunate to live across the street from some rather large community sports fields, so I might even be able to stretch my distance on the 8-weight. 

• Read - I'd like to become a better-educated angler. Over time, you tend to pick up things through trial and error, however, there is a ton of great books out there I've never read. And I don't mean stories or fiction, I'm talking more technique - specifically on approaching small streams and/or salt marshes. Any suggestions?

• Plan ahead - I've done a horrible job scouting fishing locations ever since I moved to Florida. The majority of my trips are haphazardly thrown together at the last minute, which usually means familiar (nearby) water and predictable results. Coming up with new places to fish and a plan on how to attack them just never happened. The devil's in the details.

• Get fit - Or at least a little fitter. I turned 40 this past year, and the realization that my body doesn't work the way it used to is finally starting to set in. My metabolism is slower, I have more aches & pains, and I guess my dream of playing in the NBA is effectively over. Erik Ostrander had a great presentation at the 2017 Tenkara Jam on fishing fitness that was a real "a-ha" moment for me. I've already started riding my bike on the weekends, but need to pivot on my diet and overall exercise habits. Doing such can only extend my window to capably boulder-hop in the trout streams of Georgia & North Carolina in pursuit of native brookies.

So that's my plan. Really hope I can keep with it. Heck, two or three would be far more productive than the past few winters.

Would be curious to hear what you all do during the winter months. If you're lucky enough to live near a trout stream, or even in an area that has a good winter fishery, I hope a little bit at least involves getting a line wet (frozen guides notwithstanding). But maybe there's something worth adding to the list above, I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Fishing Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A week removed from physically being there, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has all but consumed my thoughts. The beautiful fall colors, the whisper of the trout streams, the ability to be amongst the crowds, yet still find the serenity of escape, are all haunting me (in a good way) as this Halloween month comes to a close.

Looking back, thought I'd share a few photos and highlights from the trip. There was so much water, I probably could have fished there each day, every day for a year and not fish it all, however having "base camp" in nearby Cherokee, NC, these were the spots I visited. 

The following spot runs right alongside the road as you head north through the park, past Smokemont Campground. A small footbridge passes the stream, and with a short walk, you can be totally removed from sightseers and picture takers. I went to this event after day one of the Tenkara Jam, as it was nearby and there was not a lot of daylight left.

I managed two small rainbows, and lost probably five or six more. Picking apart the pocket water took some time and before you knew it, I had lost track of the clock to the point where I was forced to wade back to the car downstream in the near dark. Not advisable.

Day two of fishing after the Jam took me back to a place a bit further away that I had first fished with Owl Jones & his buddy "Milliam" in 2012. It's nice to see that Mother Nature has reclaimed some of its roadside charms.

I found it to be a wonderful stream that fished far better this year than four years ago. It required a fairly long hike in and a lot of rock hopping, but it was totally worth the "inconvenience." Several rainbow trout greeted me in the lower stretches, before gradually changing over to brook trout as I gained elevation.

The final day of fishing was the best. Unfortunately, I needed to work from the hotel room a bit too long in the morning which wasted some hours I had intended to be on the stream. However, once I was able to get my affairs in order, it was certainly worth the wait.

Quite simply, the fishery was on fire, and utilizing my orange and white road kone kebari like a dry fly through the shallow runs and pools, I was able to bring many a fish to hand. As before, the fish were mostly rainbow trout, with some brook trout mixed in for good measure. I found it strange that I didn't encounter any brown trout during my three days of fishing, but I can't say that I minded, or that they were missed. 

After an experience like that, it's very difficult to leave the Smokies without a smile on your face. I'm now only faced with the dilemma of figuring out when to go back.