Tenkara Guides LLC

03/11/2026

Nice writeup about our new book, Demon's Game, at Tenkara Angler . . .

Demon's Game: Rob Worthing's New Book Teaches the Oni School of Tenkara Fly Fishing


https://tenkaraangler.com/2026/03/11/demons-game-new-book-teaches-the-oni-school-of-tenkara-fly-fishing/

03/05/2026

Ever wanted a book that details Masami Sakaibara's Oni School tenkara fly fishing methods? Get your copy of Demon's Game . . .

Demon’s Game is the definitive guide to the tenkara fly fishing school of master angler, Masami “Tenkara no Oni” Sakakibara. A comprehensive review of the physiology and behavior of trout, the water they live in, and the bugs they eat sets the stage for detailed lessons in fundamental and adva...

06/17/2024

A two day, on-river course focused on tenkara techniques developed by Masami Sakakibara, aka “Oni”. Students will learn how to break down the river into manageable fishing sections and develop skills to manipulate the fly appropriately to intrigue a trout. Fishing will be on the fertile waters o...

06/17/2024

https://www.tenkaraguides.com/fly-fishing-schools/2024/8/10/oni-tenkara-school-utah

A two day, on-river course focused on tenkara techniques developed by Masami Sakakibara, aka “Oni”. Students will learn how to break down the river into manageable fishing sections and develop skills to manipulate the fly appropriately to intrigue a trout. Fishing will be on the fertile waters o...

05/21/2024

Can you save money learning to tie flies?
I get this question a lot.

Here’s a great breakdown of how that works from my friends at Flyfishfood.com

https://youtu.be/HNO27yCBDF4?si=aPSgAC-sGma4y2S

Can you save money tying flies? We get this question a lot and in this video Curtis will break it down by vise, materials and tools to see if you really can ...

05/20/2024

Let’s talk tippet for a minute in relation to tenkara.

These are my thoughts and not science nerd data.

Should I use nylon monofilament or fluorocarbon monofilament?

Let’s look at some pros and cons and marketing vs reality.

Nylon monofilament Pros:
1. It’s cheap
2. It’s durable
3. It degrades slightly faster when left as trash in the environment
4. Slightly more boyant than fluorocarbon.
5. It’s cheap

Cons:
1. It has a larger diameter to pound rating
2. In gin clear water conditions, fish might get spooked by nylon because is is slightly more visible in the water.
3. Slightly more boyant than fluorocarbon.
4. More stretch than fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon monofilament Pros:
1. Slightly more transparent underwater. Less likely to spook wary fish.
2. Thinner diameter than nylon for equal pound rating.
3. Less boyant than nylon. Sinks faster
4. Less stretch than nylon. Possibly better hooksets

Cons:
1. It’s expensive
2. Will naturally degrade in a zillion years when left in the environment as trash
3. It’s expensive

What does all this mean?
Is one clearly superior to the other?

To me it all comes down to this:
If the water is low and clear and fish are easily spooked I’m using fluorocarbon. Or if the water is fast and I want flies to sink faster, the thinner diameter fluorocarbon works slightly better.

I use primarily nylon for guide trips because I go through a lot of it in a day and it’s more cost effective.

Marketing bu****it:

Fluorocarbon is more abrasion resistant.
Depends on the fluorocarbon. Some are really stiff and some are really soft.
Stiffer fluorocarbon has a very small advantage over the same pound and diameter of nylon. Softer fluorocarbon has similar abrasion resistance as nylon.

Fluorocarbon catches more fish because it’s invisible.

What spooks fish more than your tippet is a sh*tty cast where your flies slam into the water or you are bashing through the stream like Godzilla walking through Tokyo.

You get better hooksets with fluorocarbon.
Dull hooks miss more hooksets than fluorocarbon over nylon.

Fluorocarbon It’s more expensive because it is made of unicorn hair and it guarantees you more fish.

In the end, use whichever you want, it really doesn’t matter.

Before everyone starts arguing, give me a minute to grab a drink and some popcorn.

John

05/11/2024

Oni School 2024 registration is now open!

A two day, on-river course focused on tenkara techniques developed by Masami Sakakibara, aka “Oni”. Students will learn how to break down the river into manageable fishing sections and develop skills to manipulate the fly appropriately to intrigue a trout. Fishing will be on the fertile waters o...

02/27/2024

Learn Oni Tenkara on private water in North Carolina! Just a few spots left in April's school . . .

Join tenkara fly fishing guide Robert Worthing and Tenkara Angler's Matt Sment for an immersive Oni tenkara fly fishing experience in NC.

02/14/2024

https://youtu.be/F-UsLLf-ML8?si=FCuZtv_TLiEvIMiW

Tenkara is a traditional fishing method that has been passed down in Japan since ancient times. In this method only a rod, a hook, and a fishing line are use...

12/15/2023

This April, Oni Tenkara School is coming to the Appalachian Mountains. Check out the Tenkara Guides webpage below for more . . .

Learn the Oni School Tenkara fly fishing style of Masami “Tenkara No Oni” Sakakibara