How Tenkara Anglers Spend the Off-Season in Japan

Article by Satsuki Tanaka

Hello American tenkara fans. In Japan, the fishing season ends in September. From October onwards, it is the off-season, and we can no longer enjoy tenkara. In this article, I will introduce what Japanese tenkara anglers are doing in the off-season.

Every year, I miss tenkara until I can enjoy it again in the spring. However, recently, there are more and more places where we can enjoy tenkara even in winter. Many of them are large ponds called “managed fishing spots” where rainbow trout and other fish are released.

Managed Fishing Areas

Anglers who usually fish in natural rivers also enjoy using such managed fishing spots during the winter. The managed fishing spots are easy to fish, so it’s perfect for teaching tenkara to beginners. An increasing number of people practice tenkara at managed fishing spots during the winter and transition to tenkara in natural rivers in the spring. I think it’s the best place to practice when overseas anglers come to Japan to enjoy tenkara. At some of the managed fishing spots, there are very large rainbow trout, which can be tough. Some people find that challenge more fun than fishing in natural rivers.

If you ever come to Japan, you will be very satisfied with a tour that goes to a natural river after getting used to fishing at a managed fishing spot like this.

Egg Release

Another Japanese winter pleasure is the release of fish eggs. Eggs are released in November and raised in boxes until January of the following year. They change every time you look at them, so you never get bored. With steady efforts like these, Japan’s rivers and fish populations are being protected.

Fishing Videos

Finally, let me introduce my tenkara videos from Japan. The Japanese version is a paid content on Vimeo, but the English version can be viewed on YouTube in hopes that tenkara will spread around the world. Famed tenkara angler Dr. Hisao Ishigaki appears as an instructor in these videos. Many anglers spend their off season watching videos like this, gathering skills and dreaming of next season.

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Satsuki Tanaka is a Japanese outdoors enthusiast with interests in bouldering, alpine climbing, yachting, backcountry exploration, woodworking, and of course tenkara. Through his work with the ClearWater Project, he is championing catch & release fishing on the Dando River, as well as maintaining a fishing ticketing agency and associated magazine website that promotes all types of fishing in mountain streams. His YouTube channel Tenkara From Japan features instructional tenkara videos ranging from novice to advanced.

This article originally appeared in the 2022-23 issue of Tenkara Angler magazine.

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