Why Tenkara Fishing Is Ideal for Winter Fly Fishing in Fraser, CO
Winter might not be the most popular fly fishing time of the year, but if you are interested in winter fly fishing in Fraser, CO, you’ll find that you can still catch plenty of trout while there are far fewer anglers out and about to have to contend with.
Of course, the winter weather adds some extra challenges and difficulties that you’ll need to overcome, including the potential for ice to damage your equipment and the cold weather to damage your hands and fingers.
The good news is that tenkara fishing can help you avoid many of the major challenges associated with fly fishing in the wintertime. Here are just a few examples of some of the benefits associated with using tenkara rods during the winter:
No reel: One of the biggest inconveniences associated with fishing during the wintertime is that the reel can freeze up. This is especially problematic for anglers searching for larger fish, which will require functioning reels to bring them in. Frozen reels also make it much harder to perform even the simplest line management steps, including stripping off line for a longer cast, or spooling the line to move downriver. With tenkara fishing, you don’t have a reel you need to worry about, so that eliminates some of the most common points of frustration for anglers in the winter.
No guides: Another common problem that winter anglers have to deal with is a frozen guide on the fly rod. Over the course of the day, the wet fly line will slide in and out of the guide. Eventually, a sort of frozen crust will form on the guide. This could result in the line sticking, which will severely hamper your ability to make good, consistent casts. You’ll have to repeatedly clean off the guide to prevent this, which can get to be frustrating in a hurry. Tenkara rods do not have a guide for ice to collect on, because they feature a fixed, level line attached at the rod’s tip. One less thing for you to worry about!
Greater warmth: Consider how in the above options, without the use of a tenkara rod, you’d have to regularly strip wet fly lines or clean off ice from the guides. This will quickly make your hands cold and wet, which is at best uncomfortable and at worst potentially dangerous (frostbite). With tenkara rods, you can keep your hands protected in your fishing gloves or pockets, because only one hand is required for casting and retrieving the fly. You won’t strip the line—just raising the tip retrieves the fly. Even bulky insulated gloves can be used with tenkara rods because of their ease of use.
If you’re interested in learning more about the various benefits associated with the use of tenkara rods in all types of weather conditions, but especially winter, we encourage you to contact the team at Winter Park Flyfisher today. We’d be happy to answer all of your questions about fly fishing in Fraser, CO!
Categorised in: Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Gear