Tenkara Rod

Tenkara fly fishing originated in Japan a couple hundred years ago. Mainly used for mountain stream fishing. Tenkara is a simple way of fly fishing. Using only a rod, line, and a fly. The original rods were made of sections of bamboo. Modern Tenkara rods are telescopic rods made from carbon fiber, and fiberglass. I purchased a Chinese telescopic carbon fiber carp fishing rod on the auction site, along with a cork fishing rod handle. This is how I made my Tenkara style fly fishing rod.

1) you will need your Chinese carp fishing rod.

2) cork fishing rod handle.

3) utility lnife, or x-acto knife.

4) 2- part epoxy.

5) masking tape.

6) sand paper.

7) popsicle sticks to mix epoxy.

8) a piece of cardboard, or something to mix epoxy on.

9) rubbing alcohol

10) paper towel

Using a utility knife, or x-acto knife and whittle down the large portion of the handle. You will have to cut through the fiberglass coating. Most handles are made of rolled paper and coated with a epoxy, or fiberglass. Be careful not to cut into the rod blank. Once you have a portion the length of the handle. The coating should be able to be pried off, and unroll the paper. You maybe left with a epoxy, or fiberglass rise portion at the top side of the handle. You can use sand paper to sand down the bulk until you are left with just the blank. You will have a metal piece at the rods butt end where the rod butt plug is screwed in.

The cork handle usually comes with a protective plastic wrap on it. Leave it there for now. Depending on the inner diameter of your cork handle and the outer diameter of the bottom of your rod. You may have to drill out the handle. I just used a cordless drill and a drill bit. Since the butt end of the rod is thicker due to the metal end for the butt plug. You have to make sure your cork handle's inner diameter will fit over that metal end. When installing the cork handle, you slide it down from the top. You can use sandpaper to ream out the inner diameter and clean it up.

Squeeze out your 2-part epoxy on your mixing board (cardboard), and mix according to the instructions on the epoxy. Only coat the rod blank with epoxy where the cork handle will end up. Make sure you use enough epoxy (I used 5-minute epoxy). Slide the cork handle down the rod blank from the top of the rod (make sure you slide the butt end of the handle on first. Once you get the handle to the epoxy, twist the cork handle as you push the cork down, to spread the epoxy. If the epoxy builds up to much use your popsicle stick to wipe off the excess. Once the cork handle is on the rod blank where you want it. Use the paper towel and rubbing alcohol to clean up any epoxy that you don't want on the rod. Make sure you clean up any epoxy that may have gotten into the plug end, so the cap will not get glued in. Let it dry, remove the protective plastic coating, treat the cork handle with some Tru oil and your done!

since the top of the rod where the handle will sit is not the same size as the bottom of where the rod will be. You have to build up the rod blank. You measure where the handle will end on the rod and just below that point is where you will start to build up. Roll the masking tape on the blank of the rod. The tape build up should be just smaller the the inner diameter of the handle. Do this all the way down the rod blank where the handle will sit. Make sure you install the tape in the same direction. When you install the handle with the epoxy on it. You should twist the handle as you slide it down to make sure the epoxy is evenly dispersed. Clean off the rod blank and the inner portion of the handle.