Here's a video of me steathily sneaking up on a large carp. Just to show how the Tenkara and Kayak can be used to get very close.



The issues that people have with Tenkaras lack of distance can be offset by the use of a Kayak. And the light weight take up no space Tenkara gear is a great fit with the kayak too.
Jeremy

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

Is that a hard shell kayak or a diy skin on frame kayak? The SoF kayaks are even quieter.

With SoF kayaks your legs feel every little wavelet hit the side of the boat. The flex of the skin dampens out the sound that would be heard on a hard shell boat. I don't have home made ones, just the commercially made folding kayak types. I was kayaking on the outer banks of N.C. a few years ago. In the fall just after the summer when several shark attacks were reported along the east coast down into Fla. One of which had occurred not far from the same area of N.C. I was kayaking.

Twice during that vacation while kayaking in the sound I noticed a silver flash just below the surface followed quickly by a hard thumb on the skin of the kayak. Scares the crap out of you for an instant following the stories from earlier in the year. Kayaks are attacked by sharks ever now an again. In my particular experience I suppose it was just blue fish or some similar species being chased and hitting the boat. Goes to show just how quiet SoF kayaks are. The Greenlanders and Inuit used them for a reason.

You're not at the top of the food chain in salt water. However - It's best not to think about such things to much. Else your imagination summons up images like these:




This one is the result of one real attack, note the kayaker was not harmed.


I've never tried tenkara fishing from any of my kayaks. Just hand line fishing: a spool, some line and some lures to tow. I took my son and a friend to a local lake last summer, they went out in a Pakboat canoe looking for that pool of bass. I took my FC Java , but never put it together to get on the water. I was catching plenty of fish from the shore. OK mostly blue gill and ever once in a while a far sized bass. Plenty of bass in that particular lake because all bass must be returned. Other fish can be kept if you want.

Maybe next summer I will give kayak/tenkara fishing a try.

btw - here's a link if you'd like to read the scariest kayak shark attack story I've ever read. It wasn't a quick hit and then over. It dragged out for 20 minutes or so of stalking. Must have felt like hours to the kayak fisherman in NZ. This poor guy really did get the crap scared out of him.

http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/sharks/gr ... ttack.html

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

I apologize for my link, the video is horrible from photobucket, that's why they don't call it video bucket. The video is alot better and longer on my computer.

D those pics are hilarious. I haven't seen anything really big in freshwater, except a really large snapping turtle. The crocs and sharks wouldn't be to much fun except that first pic. I think that's a ride at Universal Florida. Your definitely right about the food chain.

The Kayak allows positioning at the perfect distance to cover alot of water quietly. I agree about the sound absorbtion too. The fall leaves on the water sometimes rubbing against my polyethelene hull makes a racket I think the fish don't like. But it's much worse on my cheap canoe.

Jeremy

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

Very good! I could never imagine to get stealthy close to a carp (or any other fish)
like that!

I agree %100 my yak is super stealty I have been righr over carp and they never react to my yak. Here's my ride. Jeremy I can't wait to get after some lake fish in our yaks with tenkara.

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Wilderness Tarpon 120
and a Tenkara USA Amago
Good Combo!!!

I like the set up, nice Tom. Can't wait for the warmer weather to get out there more.

Blatt the fish will often times school up under my boat, enjoying shade in the summer. Also in the creeks I have had bass follow me around like dogs. If you stay still and quite the fish will just think your a log. I've sneaked around for years now on the kayaks and it never gets old. Seeing wild animals up close with surprised looks when they finally see me move is also fun. Lots of double takes.

Jeremy

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

Just outside of Tellico Plains TN there is a mountain lake I like to fish lot's of bass redbreast and wild life. I have had deer walk down to the lake where I was fishing in my yak and look up like where did you come from.

Tom

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Wilderness Tarpon 120
and a Tenkara USA Amago
Good Combo!!!

I've had at the same thing happen when kayaking on Summersville Lake. Been on a tractor or bulldozer and had deer and even turkeys come near. Same with deer when looking at them from the car. Though they spook and run off if you linger to long. Odd how wildlife often doesn't recognize you as a threat when you're not walking. Probably not the same in Inuit country where historically they had kayaks that were specifically designed for hunting caribou as they swam across rivers.

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テンカラ釣りは楽しいのです。

Just looked up Tellico lake looks great Tom we definitely need to go there.

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom

Just a little snippet of footage underwater while traveling in my kayak. The fish don't even seem to mind me. I think because the boat is so quiet. Need to make more underwater videos. I always love seeing the activity down below. This day the water wasn't as cloudy as usual, probably due to no boat traffic. The boat wakes stir the water up on the banks. After a few boats go by so does the chance for seeing anything underwater. My hand did start to go numb after just a few seconds. Warm water fishing is just around the corner here. The bite is getting better each time I go out.


(EDIT
I apologize for the video quaility, looks extremly poor and choppy through Photobucket.)

After I called it a day, (was freezing out when the sun started to go down) I made it to the ramp greeted by a guy fishing. Wanted to know what he should use to catch some fish he was using live bait. I being always ready to show Tenkara to anyone, extended the Yamame with an effective fly, (Sakasa spider mite Kebari). Explained the cast, and handed him the rod. On the first cast he caught a fish. I smiled and handed over an ambassador card. It was another good day with some fish. A perfect end to the days fishing.

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テンカラのイモリ
Tenkara Mushroom