On Wednesday, myself, Dave Southall and Peter Sinclair tried out a bit of Tenkara (traditional style of fly fishing originating from Japan) on the wild trout of upper Teesdale.
The precision and drag free control afforded by a 14' 6" Tenkara rod enables superb drag free dry fly presentation and illustrated its effectiveness by about 2:1 compared with long leader and long #3 fly rod. The length of the Tenkara providing a definite advantage while covering the many pockets and holding spots in the conflicting currents. The minimal gear is also a major attraction of the whole Tenkara experience.

Durham Fly Fishing Company have added Tenkara to the wide range of available services so if you fancy giving it a go or just simply need some advice or wish to purchase the right gear, just get in touch.

Dave Southall playing a trout on the Tenkara


A typical plump wild tees trout of around 30cm and nudging the 1lb mark ....just have a look at the fins....