A recent trip to New Orleans was spurred by an AFFTA Confluence taking place there this past October 22nd and 23rd. AFFTA stands for the American Fly Fishing Trade Association which represents the community of fly fishing businesses aligned around the sustainable growth of fly fishing. Its members include…
It’s March and temperatures are slowly warming up. January and February were a whirl wind of expos. Wintertime is fly fishing show season and each year for the past twelve, Zen Tenkara has been exhibiting at many of them around the country. This year was different. Attendance was noticiably down.…
Our new tenkara rod, the Hachi finally arrive. And for as long as it took to produce in the myst of Covid, it is flying out the door fast. We are getting a number of inquiries about the rod and whether or not it can accomodate our Zen Performance Tip.…
Thank goodness that covid is behind us, well mostly. Life is beginning to feel normal again. Businesses and restaurants have re-opened. Masks are no longer required and are only a personal choice. People are free to gather and move about as they wish. Things are basically back to normal except…
Just a quick news flash that our newest design, the Hachi (or the Happy Hachi which is the way I describe the rod) is going into production. This little dynamo is going to bring lots of smiles and joy to anglers everywhere. The rod is little, but it’s not one…
The IFTD Show, International Fly Tackle Dealers Show, wrapped up last week in Salt Lake City. This was the shows first return after two years of cancelations due to Covid. Zen Tenkara has participated in this show in the past and was an exhibitor again this year. The show is…
January 2022. We made it. We’re here and got through another year of challenges. I’m sitting in the lobby of a Marriot in Richmond, Virginia. It’s about 5am. I flew in yesterday evening. Today is “set-up” day for the Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival taking place this weekend on…
She’s Fly is a new online fly fishing shop that offers Zen Tenkara rods, lines and gear. While they cater to female anglers, they service all people and do things a little differently. Their goal is to create “comfortable, confident anglers, regardless of race, gender identity or experience”. That’s language…
As the holidays creep up on us and winter bares down, the Fly Fishing Show and companies in the fly fishing industry prepare for exhibitions all over the country. As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, its a great time to take a class, attend seminars and brush up on…
Today is a snowy, cold day in Colorado. I pulled out my Patagonia Stormfront Wet/Dry Duffel last night and started prepping for my upcoming trip to Las Pampas Lodge, Patagonia in a few weeks. I’m feeling extremely grateful these days as only two months ago I was able to fish…
The weather outside is changing and autumn is officially here, in fact, it arrived early in the morning on Thursday, September 22nd. And like clockwork, the sunshine had that warm golden hue to it and shadows were long. Darkness fell a little quicker and the night was noticeable colder.…
Zen is a small company. We don’t have huge backers or deep pockets. We’re a local, homegrown Colorado company and we care. We’re people, with families, with kids, with dogs, with all that goes with all of that. Zen can’t support foundations or sponsor huge events, but we do what…
I hit my local rugged, semi-desert canyons early yesterday with what I consider the most versatile small stream tenkara rod out there, our Suzume. This particular creek has deep bend pools, runs of riffles dotted with pocket water, and edges shaded by tall grass, cottonwoods, and willows. The quintessential small…
As you may or may not know, Zen Tenkara will be offering a new rod in the near future that will be making history. It will be the first-ever 100% American-made tenkara rod. Not only is this groundbreaking news, it’s (as our tag line states), “defining American tenkara,” for real.…