Company Profile
Tenkara Tanuki is a boutique tenkara rod brand founded and led by Luong Tam, an engineer-turned-angling artisan based in San Francisco, California. What began as a passion project to build rods matching his personal fishing style evolved into a thriving company after anglers across the U.S. demanded his beautifully casting rods.
Luong partners with a skilled factory in China whose engineers were trained by master rod builders from Japan, including a retired Shimano designer, to ensure attention to detail, balanced action, and rigorous quality control. Every Tanuki rod undergoes multiple strength tests and is built with Japanese Toray high-modulus carbon fiber for precision and durability.
Tanuki rods emphasize four guiding design values: Balance, Ease of Casting, Ergonomics, and Sensitivity. These qualities draw from Luong’s dual background in engineering and fly fishing. Their rods are renowned for ultralight weight, vivid graphics, and intuitive casting behavior that balance delicate presentation with a strong backbone. These traits have earned Tanuki cult favor in the tenkara community.
Tanuki’s lineup includes standout models like the Tanuki Ninja, Pocket Ninja, Headwaters 240, Tanuki 275, and the long XL‑1 Sport 405 LE—each offering unique casting feels, sleek collapsible designs, and aesthetic flair.
The brand has received recognition such as the Fly Fishing Show Consumers Choice Award (2022), marking its status as the first tenkara rod maker honored in that category. Luong enjoys guiding clinics, such as his Tanuki Boot Camp, as well as presenting at tenkara gatherings and expos.
Tenkara Tanuki stands out in the tenkara world by combining engineering mindsets with artistic expression, producing rods that are as effective on the water as they are visually striking. With founder-led designs that prioritize casting joy and responsiveness, it’s a brand built for anglers seeking a thoughtful blend of performance and personality.
Popular Tenkara Tanuki Rods
- Tanuki Ninja
The brand’s flagship rod and best‑seller, offering lightweight balance and vibrant finishes, ideal for stream-to-river fishing. - Tanuki Pocket Ninja 335
Extremely compact (~10′4″, collapses to ~13″), ultralight (60 g/2.1 oz), and built for tight headwater streams with slow action flex. - Tanuki 275
Designed for Appalachian and East Coast brook trout streams, this rod blends power and finesse and underwent extensive user testing before release. - Barebones Nymphing Pro 380 Carbon Grip
Built for contact-heavy Euro-nymphing and precision control—longer length adds leverage and fish control for seasoned tenkara anglers. - Tanuki XL‑1 Sport 405 LE
At about 13′3″ with an eight-section design and ultra-light blank (~85 g/3 oz), this rod blends a stiff backbone with Japanese-tipped finesse for both dry-fly and weighted-nymph techniques
Tanuki has kindly provided a coupon code for all Tenkara Angler readers!
Save 5% off your purchase at their website using code TENKARAANGLER
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