My Favorite Engineered Line

From the very beginning of my tenkara adventure, I have preferred using level lines for tenkara. They just seem to work better for me on the type of streams that I fish. But every once in a while I need to use an engineered line. 

One situation where I find level lines to be less desirable, at least for me, is when fishing small, delicate dry flies. I don't do this very often, but occasionally I fish a Baetis hatch with surface flies in the #18-20 size range. I find that a level line with a long tippet doesn't turn over very well with these flies (probably due to their small mass and high wind resistance). In this situation I find an engineered line works better for me. 

But one thing I don't line about many engineered lines is that they often pick up a lot of water and spray it over the intended casting area. On turbulent moving water, this is not an issue. But for highly selective trout in smooth surfaced spring creeks, this spray can put them down. These trout don't suffer fools, and any indication of your presents will put them off the feed. 

But a few years ago I found a line that works well for me in very specific situations. The line is the Nissin PALS Orange nylon line. This line is a twisted nylon line, not a furled line, and is hand made in Japan by tenkara master Hiromichi Fuji. Being a twisted line, it is very small in diameter and doesn't seem to pick up water the way furled lines can.

Since the Nissin PALS Orange line is made from nylon monofilaments, it floats better than most engineered lines. But that nylon does have the downside of memory, causing the line to have some curves when the line is removed from the spool. These are easily removed, but it does take a few minutes of stretching the line, whereas a fluorocarbon or string furled line doesn't have this issue. 

Still, I like this line. Unfortunately, Nissin isn't carrying the line anymore, as Hiromichi Fuji isn't making them anymore. I have a couple lines (both 3.3 and 3.6 meters), and these will last me years, but it's sad to see the tenkara masters getting old and their skills being lost to time. 

The good news is that you can make your own twisted lines, engineered to your specific needs. Adam Trahan, of Tenkara-Fisher, has written an excellent tutorial on making a twisting jig, and following his instructions would allow you to not only make your own twisted lines, but keep alive a Japanese tenkara tradition. 

If making your own twisted lines doesn't interest you, DRAGONtail Tenkara has a few of the Nissin PALS Orange nylon lines available, but after they are gone, they are gone, even from Japan. If you are interested in buying one of these lines, contact Brent at DRAGONtail.