Celebrating Zen Tenkara’s “Firsts”

As you may or may not know, Zen Tenkara/Zen Fly Fishing Gear has been around since 2012. We’ve worked hard at defining not only ourselves, but also American Tenkara and in doing so, have tried hard to set ourselves apart from the ordinary and into the extraordinary. In order to make that separation with simplistic gear, it takes innovation and creativity – and that’s what we strive for, while never losing sight of the uncomplicated origins of the tenkara fixed-line fly fishing method….the yin and the yang of it.

In doing this we’ve managed to be the “first” at a lot of things within the tenkara industry, and we’re pretty proud of what we’ve achieved in a relatively short amount of time. So for a few moments, I ask that you indulge me and check out a few things that set us apart.

Zen Tenkara’s List of “Firsts”:

First tenkara company to offer a tenkara starter kit, our Grab-n-Go

First tenkara company to include a spare tip with all our rods

First tenkara company (and only company) to design tenkara fly rods with univeral/interchangable tip sections (all our rods use a univeral tip)

First tenkara company to offer a Performance Tip that changes the action, flex and performance of the rod. Change the tip. Change the action.

First tenkara company to target big fish on tenkara – let alone design a big fish tenkara rod

First tenkara company to design and make a tenkara rod for Euro and Czech nymphing

First tenkara company to design and manufacture their own line

First tenkara company to color code their lines for easy length identification

First tenkara company to produce a Floating Tenkara Line

First tenkara company to design their own unique Spoolbox

First tenkara company to assign FRAE ( Fly Rod Approximate Equivalency) Rating to their rods

First tenkara company to design and make a two handed tenkara rod for spey casting, the Kyojin

First tenkara company to design rods for saltwater tenkara applications

First tenkara company (and only) to offer Tenkara Destinations and Lodge Certification

First tenkara company to design and make a Dual Action Zoom rod, the Suimenka, that allows the angler to change the rod from a nymphing rod to a dry fly rod.

First tenkara company to coin Fusion Fishing.

First tenkara company to design Fusion Fly Lines.

First tenkara company to land global species on their rods to include: rainbow, brook, brown and greenback, cutthroat, cutbow and golden trout, Tico trout, grayling, carp, suckers, pacu, large mouth and small mouth bass, crappy, sunfish, tarpon, barracuda, perch, snapper, hammerhead shark, bonnet head shark, blacktip shark, guapote, bonefish, permit, jack crevalley, blue fin trevally, grouper, ladyfish, leather fish, redfish, stripers, machaca, yellow jacks, sockeye, silvers, chum and king salmon….to name a few

Bottom line, we’re busting it to be different, to be the best, and to be leaders in the industry. Plus, we take care of our customers and offer personal and exceptional care to help you have the very best fly fishing experience possible. So whether you broke your rod or have a how-to question, we’re here for you, and while that may not be a first, we want it to be the norm for Zen.

So thanks for these shared moments to celebrate our “firsts”.

Tight lines and happy fishing!

Karin Miller, Owner/Founder