August 24, 2018 5 min read
Tenkara fishing with its short, fixed line has taught me a lot about the advantages of fishing at close range. Even before my introductory forays into Tenkara I was aware of many of the advantages of fishing a short line but often tended to fish at too great a distance due to my fear of scaring the fish that I was targeting. However I now appreciate more fully the cogent reasons for fishing at close range (ideally 30’/10m or less). So what are they?
There are of course some disadvantages of close range fishing:
So there you have it; many years ago I was a wack it to the horizon guy whether fly fishing or fishing for carp with coarse gear; nowadays I fish at close range when ever possible & I catch far more fish.
1. 10’ 2 weight Sunray Volition & 1 weight Micro Thin Jeremy Lucas line, a perfect combination for delicate close range fishing, but also capable of fishing at distance when required.
2. Sunray ZERO rod & Micro Nymph line, another great setup for delicate close range work.
3. Sunray ZERO rod & 10lb/0.25mm/1x Pink Fluorocarbon Tenkara casting line 25’ long, the ultimate in super-delicate, close range Western fly fishing gear.
4. The Sunray ZERO rod at 11’ 6” with 0.25mm Fluorocarbon casting line plus 4’ of tippet & a small dry fly, in action on the upper Tees where close range fishing is vastly more effective than fishing at longer range.
5. The author camouflaged & keeping a low profile whilst fishing at close range.
Safety
The basics of tackle
Language of casting
Sensory awareness
Fly line weights, lengths & tapers
Rod lengths & weights
Leaders & tippet
Tackle to practise with
How to hold a fly rod
Circles 8's & straights
Remove all slack
Plane of the Cast
Triangle Method
Stance
Overhead Cast
Stop & Drop
Retrieving the Line
High Back Cast
Breaking The Wrist
Shooting the line
Loop Shape
Slipping the Line
Stroke Length
The Forward Delivery
The Shelf
Drift
Drift Versus Breaking the Wrist
Creep
Backslash Forwardslash
Speed Ramp
Body Movement
Intro to the Double Haul
Tackle for the Double Haul
Single Haul
Double Haul
Double Haul Fast Track
Cast Trajectory
Late Haul
Hauling Grip
Double Haul for Accuracy
Line Trays
Offset Alignment Guides
Overhang
The Lift
Pick Up & Lay Down Cast
Roll cast
Energy of a Roll Cast
Intro to Spey Casting
Switch Cast
45 Degree Single Spey
Backhanded Cast
90 Degree Single Spey
90 Degree Snake Roll
45 Degree Snake Roll
90 Degree Double Spey
The Running Mouse
The Silent Spey
45 Degree Double Spey
45 Degree Snap T
90 Degree Snap T
45 Degree Circle Spey
90 Degree Circle Spey
Body Movement
Spey Cast Hauling
Beating Obstructions Spey
Corkscrew Pick Up
Snap Pick Up
Roll Cast Pick Up
Double Spiral Pick Up
Snap Pick Up Variation
Aerial Spey
Cast Stringing