(Photo from Tenkara USA)
I recently acquired a traditional Tenkara net from Tenkara U.S.A. Actually I received the net from my buddy Rick who shares my passion for all things Tenkara. Tenkara U.S.A.'s net appears to be well constructed. The fit and finish of this product is far above the $67.95 price point. It is a beautiful looking piece of equipment.
(Photo from Tenkara USA)
Two things intrigue me about this design. First is the overall shape of the net. The circular hoop and the bent handle are different from it's western counterparts. The circular hoop stems from the fact that traditionally these nets are constructed from a single tree branch with a pair of perpendicular branches (Tenkara U.S.A.'s net appears to be made from two pieces of wood). These branches are brought together and fused to form the circular hoop for the netting. From what I have learned the bent handle allows the net to be carried on a belt by simply inserting the handle behind the belt. This design keeps the net at the ready and keeps the actual net away from the body allowing the fisherman to move about freely. Another benefit allows you to quickly tuck the net into your belt or under your knee when kneeling to go hands free which would come in handy for photographing your catch, reaching for your forceps, etc.
The net is a fine almost monofilament type material with an ultra fine 2mm mesh. It's claim to fame is that hooks will not snag in it and the fine mesh is gentle on fish. Since the net is still unused I cannot attest to either claim yet. The fine mesh looks like it would be destroyed if a hook did catch in it and the coarseness of the net material has me wondering about the "gentle on fish" issue. By all accounts this is a net designed for smaller fish. It would feel right at home on some of the smaller wild trout waters in my state. I think if I attempted to use it on my home river I would be staring at a jagged hole in the bottom of the net after my first attempt to land a larger fish.
The blog at Tenkara U.S.A. has some interesting posts on how these nets are made. As well as more details on the design behind these interesting pieces of angling equipment.
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Jersey Angler - just wanted to drop a note letting you know how much I enjoy your posts, especially about Tenkara. I added your blog to my blog roll at www.tenkaraonthefly.blogspot.com, thinking that it will be an enrichment to my site. Would be honored if you would check out my blog as well. Also, couldn't help but notice we used to fish the same waters in NJ, the S.B. Raritan. I used to fly fish KLG a lot before moving to Colorado. Tight Lines, K
ReplyDeleteVery nice net. I've been hesitant to purchasing one (I bought a new MeasureNet earlier this spring) but have been salivating at some of the pics posted at TUSA. Very interested to see how you like it once you get it wet.
ReplyDeleteGoneflyfishing,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. I will definitely check out your site. Thanks for the mention on your blog I will return the favor. Tenkara is definitely one of the most popular topics around here. Check back soon as I will be adding a page dedicated soley to Tenkara.
Troutrageous,
ReplyDeleteYou'll like this one. Excellent quality, but definitely a net for smaller members of the species. I'd say it would work well for fish up to 12-14 inches, after that you may be asking too much.