Tenkara Italian Style: What Does It Mean?

Editor’s Note: We’ve recently befriended two Italian tenkara anglers, Alberto & Luca. We’ll introduce them in a bit more detail in an upcoming article. In the meantime, Alberto contributed this entry on “Tenkara Italian Style”, enjoy!

Article by Alberto Focacci

From the very beginning, the Tenkara Italia project set out with the goal of promoting an Italian approach to this technique, which originated in the Land of the Rising Sun and grew in popularity in the USA. But what exactly is this “Italian Style”?

Modern Western fly fishing originated in the United Kingdom and spread around the globe after World War II. Italy, a country rich in waters and fish, produced many followers and, starting in the 1980s, developed its own unique interpretation embodied by the late Roberto Pragliola and, subsequently, the Italian Fly Fishing School (SIM). This fishing style was born out of the demands imposed by Apennine and Alpine torrent environments: fast waters, tight spaces, and trout that were not very selective, but highly skittish. Thus: short, fast-action rods, long leaders, large flies, and swift casts.

Now, without drawing irreverent comparisons, tenkara fishing faces the exact same challenges today. Given that the rods available on the market (of Japanese or American origin), in addition to high import costs, rarely met our specific fishing needs, we decided to build them ourselves; this gave rise to the SIRAI Series. The demands we set out to address are essentially three:

• Durability: when you are scrambling over rocks or casting into a tangle of branches, you cannot risk the rod snapping at the first impact
• Fast Action: allows for greater casting precision and a more secure hookset
• Power: enables the use of all flies (including beaded nymphs) and the rapid landing of fish

Whether tackling a tiny Apennine stream or fishing the salmonid reaches of valley-bottom Alpine rivers, you need specifically tailored tackle and a flexible approach to environmental conditions.

Furthermore, we place the utmost importance on “reading the water” and believe that the angler’s stealth is key to the fishing action. The approach to the stream is the foundation; the equipment is merely a complement.

In summary, Tenkara Italian Style grounds the entire fishing action in how one approaches the stream and in respect for the fish. The equipment serves this vision: faster, more powerful rods for a more precise fishing action and a quicker release of the fish. As for the fly, the stream decides: naturally, that includes all traditional Japanese flies, but also traditional Western patterns to be used according to environmental conditions.

And remember, it is the angler who catches the trout, not the tackle!

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Alberto Focacci enjoys fishing and outdoor activities in the mountains. Co-founder, Tenkara ITALIA.

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