BACK TO BERENCE CREEK

After several days without fishing I have been back this morning on a local stream: the Bérence creek.
I did the season opening there and I was sure to be the only angler there; I am not going to the Sienne stream yet because it is full of anglers who only want to catch all the trouts stocked there before the new season.

Despite a shiny sun and a clear sky temperature is still low in this early spring but  my motivation is unspoiled, I am not going to take back a reeled rod at the first difficulties! Fishing small streams or creeks is challenging, each trout has to be deserved and errors are immediately sanctioned.

It was pretty hard this morning and it ended as I had foreseen: under the rain. While the weather was still not too bad it was good...

THAR CREEK TENKARA

A few days ago I did decide that my next tenkara outing would be on a stream I did not know and with the number os streams and creeks in my area I have a lot of choice.
I went on the Thar creek that flow around twelve miles from home, I only know this creek based on what some of my workmates who are anglers have told me about it; for some it is a good place with interesting fishing and for others it is only a waste of time.
I have chosen the area of La Lucerne d'Outremer because cards show the stream flowing through a forest and that is the kind of place I like most.

When I arrived on the bank of the stream that is about three feet wide I have seen that the water is gin clear and that the trees on the banks are very many. 

The depth is low and I estimate it is around 8 inches; there are many branches not higher than six feet above the water and also a lot of submerged wood; it is not going to be easy but it is surely going to very interesting. After a moment of observation to avoid fishing too many trees and to guess some of the potential trout caches I decided to put my gear into action...

Tuesday I had forgotten my sunglasses and today it is the camera's battery!

That is the reason why I have only pictures to share with you today.

It did not take too long to me before I realized that there were a lot of trouts in this creek but that it was not easy at all to find the places with enough room for good casting and efficient hook setting. But I was not there this morning to catch dozen of fishes I just wanted to check how precise I could be and how many trouts would rush to my kebari. I really like to see those little grey and yellow ghosts rushing like torpedoes when my fly enter their field of vision. 

To be more discret and gain room I decided to fish and move squatting and it was a wise decision.

Thanks goodness for this extended position is definitively uncomfortable!

These trouts are trouts from a creek, not huge but beautiful and not easy to reach. That is probably the reason why I love fishing in small streams: every fish caught has been deserved.

Not only these trouts are beautiful but I had the chance to spend a very nice moment in a small forest where the only sound to be heard is the water flowing. The last spot of this tenkara matinee was a beautiful waterfall.

I got this trout on my first cast and lost a bigger one after she made a very nice jump out of the water.

Then it was time to go to work and I have left this creek with the insurance to keep a good memory of it...Until coming back. 

NORMAN CREEK TENKRA

After several windy days I had an opportunity to go back to the stream where I did the season opening.
A short summary in motion picture...

This outing was very nice, even though I had forgotten my sunglasses, and I think that I made progress since last year on two key points:

-Accuracy: I have been so precise in my casting, even when I was fishing with a western fly rod. Tenkara is, according to me, a fly fishing technique that consists in teasing the trouts where they are and not in waiting for them to betray their presence. If they do, good. Otherwise I take a little bit of time to observe the stream and try my luck.

-Enticing: When I released the first trout in the pool and saw another one rising about 7 feet from me I thought it was a good opportunity to test my discretion and my ability to make my kebari interesting in the eyes of a trout. There is a little more than one year that I fish Tenkara only and I think that my perseverance to fish only in the traditional style is beginning to pay. Fly animation combined with a good drift can really make a difference.

I will go soon fishing tenkara on streams I have never fished yet. That is, I think, the best way to improve my tenkara.

ONI "TYPE III" TENKARA ROD

A few weeks ago Masami Sakakibara-san, aka Tenkara-no-Oni, announced the release of a new range of tenkara rods and after several visits on his blog in a few days I did decide to purchase a "Type III" model.

After a few em-mails my order was recorded and the only thing I had left to do was wait for the parcel to be delivered. I do not know how it is for you, my fellow readers, but when I wait for a parcel the wait always seems endless...Finally the receipt is signed and the rod in my hand!

Theoretical characteristics are:

Length: 11.15 ft
Closed Length: 23.6 in
Weight: 60 gr
Segments: 7
Handle Length: 11.8 in
Handle: camouflage foam
Action: 5:5
Made in Japan

Like most Japanese rods the Oni rod is sold without a tube, you can chose between two different patterns for the sock. The one I have chosen is simple and beautiful. Exactly what I like.

The rod is sent in a PVC tube that allows it to travel safely, the tube is so well closed you will need a sharp boxcutter to open it.

The rod I did receive perfectly matches the theoretical characteristics except for the weight of my rod that is 61,5 grams.

The butt cap is golden. It is knurled and has a coin slot, that is the first time I see the both features on the same cap. The foam handle has a camouflage pattern, that is also a one of a kind feature of this rod.

I really like this uncommon appearance which is enhanced by the metallic purple winding check.

The blank inscriptions are clear and simple; Tenkara-no-Oni's hanko, Tenkara written in katakana followed by the model's name "Type III 3.4". These inscriptions are simple, clear and discrete.

The lilian is short (1.57 inches) and its ligature on the blank is impeccably done. Each of the seven segments is finished by a thin golden border. As I expected the achievement of these small details is impeccable. 

The taste of well done work is really palpable.

The parcel I did receive also contained a letter, a small box with three of the flies used by Masami-san and a fabric pouch with a level line; once you have opened the package you are ready to go fishing. I have to say that it is extremely rare in Europe to receive a tackle order that contains anything more than the invoice. 

This is a good point for the Oni Shop to add a bit of relationship in a business transaction. 

After the unpacking euphoria I decided to take advantage of a sunny moment to go testing the casting ability of this superb rod. I could not expect catching anything because of the chocolate milk color of the stream but I could not bring myself to put the rod back in its sock before I had tried it.

As soon as I had the rod ready to cast I realized that this rod had one more thing I like about her; the handle has not only an uncommon look but is also incredibly comfortable and offers three different grip options. This detail is very important for me.

The sensations provided by this rod are incredible! Imagine your fly is remote and you can cast it wherever you want...This 5:5 action rod is quite powerful and does not need any false casting if it is used with a well balanced line and fly ensemble. 

I tested it with the 4 号 line I did receive with the rod and a size 10 Takayama kebari, the balance was perfect and the light breeze did not necessitate any false casting. As soon as the weather and water level conditions get better I will do a complete field test of this great rod.

Stay tuned... 

SPRING STARTS BADLY!

After a no fish outing yesterday afternoon where my main activity as to give the rod a walk, today, the first day of spring, I can not fish any stream in the area because of a full night of pouring rain. The river I live near by is like chocolate milk.
I have been waiting eagerly for this weekend that I wanted to be 100% tenkara so it was not possible to stay indoor today. I went to a pond that is not tinted because of rain and  enjoyed a half matinee of tenkara in difficult conditions.
The sun was very shiny but the ceaseless wind was very cold.

Fishes did not give any sign of activity and I had to search them in the depths of this pond. My gear was a rod, a line and a handful of flies; all of the same pattern and same size. It took a moment to find where the fishes were but I did find them but they were not very interested by food this morning.

Anyway my main goal was not to settle a score but only have a nice moment of tenkara after a long week of work. 

In my opinion this pond outing is better than going on a stream and accumulate frustration like many anglers I know in my area because they do not catch anything because of horrible conditions.
Conditions are not yet ripe to make fishing "easy"so I think patience is going to become a part of my tenkara.

TENRYU TENKARA FURAIBO

The legendary company TENRYU which red rods are world famous is about to release a Tenkara rod called "Furaibo". Stay tuned!

HAIN CREEK TENKARA

I have often driven along the Hain creek but never had time to fish it and the only angler I saw there was a blue heron. Good sign or bad omen? Th best way to answer this question was to go there with a rod in hand.
I did arrive at 11:30 a.m, the sun was bright but a strong wind was dramatically cooling the atmosphere, it was rally colder than during the week.

I walked down the stream about third a mile to each a very open area with almost no trees on the banks.
This stream is about three feet wide and one foot deep. The water is quite clear for the season and very cold.
But the important question of the day is: Are there trouts in this stream? Yes, sir, there are some!
I did fish with my yellow Takayama and I think that I managed not too bad but with a less powerful wind my casting would have been more precise and efficient.

On this lower part of the stream I did catch numerous tiny trouts in the faster parts but not a single one in basins or pools. Many fishes came to see the fly but turned around very fast. Not big but not naive!
All in all it is a good thing for this small stream to shelter a high density of juvenile trouts.

Without noticing it did take me about three hours to fish this portion of the stream and come back to my starting point.
It was time for lunch break and I needed to put a jacket. The wind had not subsided and the temperature had dropped; if my memories are exact the weather forecast of this morning said " almost summer"!

I cross the road and head to a less accessible and more brushy part of the stream ans as I arrive on the bank I decide to only cast crossbow style...And this idea was good.

This small stream is definitely full of small trouts. In this part I also have seen many of them charge on the fly and turning around at the last second. That is probably because they can see me but it is not possible to change the way I am placed. I will catch the biggest of the day at my last cast.

It was a plan of mine for this trout season to fish unknown streams and I think it was a good idea because it puts me in a good mood and motivates me to find my Tenkara.