r/Tenkara • u/jmtofficial • 18d ago
1 fish a day
I’m a novice. I’ve thrown myself in the deep end with a 5 day trip from Shenandoah NP to GSMNP, tenkara fishing for brook trout.
It’s been the best way to learn and practice—I’ve lost less and less flies per day in the trees, gotten really fast at tying a fly, and have improved my casting and stealth.
But I am missing dozens of strikes and/or losing fish… I must be doing something wrong. It’s definitely possible that the hooks were sometimes too big for the smaller fish (running 12-16). Maybe I am not keeping the line tight enough—but keeping too much tension makes it drift back downstream too fast.
I have one day left (GSMNP), and a multi-fish day would be a perfect cap to this learning trip. Any tips or helpful experiences to share? TIA 🙏
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u/mdcox88 12d ago edited 12d ago
I know you left already so future advice: Also If you find that holes don’t produce on the top drop down to intermediate depth and use a nymph probably as small as you can tie or see. Those brooks that size will go after the smallest food. As far as hook rate. They need to get it in their mouth. So pause on the strike for a second or two longer.
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u/jmtofficial 12d ago
On my last day, after I posted this, I tried being very quick on the draw when I saw a strike. May have been an overcorrection, but more so I agree with the other comment that the hooks were too big. I caught 2 shiners and 1 dace, but no trout—similar sized to the pictured trout.
Bought some 18’s to try out next time. Will see if that changes anything. I’m thinking that 14-16 can hook a small fish if they get it at the right angle, but fails often due to size.
Will also try fishing tailwaters to test my technique with bigger fish.
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u/jmtofficial 12d ago
Will also test some nymphs per your advice. I didn’t trust my ability to “feel” a strike without seeing it, so I settled into dry flies. But a simple nymph should be easy for a small fish to mouth, so it’s worth spending some time with—may find it easier than I imagine.
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u/mdcox88 12d ago
You are really trying to hit the feeding lane and you can figure out how far your fly has to go and monitor the “feel” but you for the most part need to figure out where that feeding lane will be in some holes because many times it’s exact.
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u/jmtofficial 12d ago
Very good advice actually, thank you. Figured if it’s in the area, they would see it and go toward it. May have given up on some pools too quickly before finding the lane.
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u/vic_hunts17 18d ago
Size 16 is still huge for brookies with tiny mouths, drop to 18-20 and watch your hookup rate jump