Last year, I picked up a Tenkara rod. I had fun with it but at 12' long (the Tenkara USA Iwana), it was a bit long for some small creeks. So after reading about The Tenkara Rod Co's new mini-rods, when I saw one in person, I had to have one. I just bought the Mini Sawtooth and it weighs in at a mere 1.1 oz.! It is too cute for words! It collapses down to 10" yet telescopes to 9', a much better length for some of the tiny creeks I like to fish.
Since I now have a teeny, tiny rod, I had to put a teeny, tiny fishing kit together. I wanted to be able to fit a whole kit inside the rod tube for travel.
I started out by making a tiny fly wallet. I then wound some tippet on a plastic sewing machine bobbin. I also found some pretty light nippers and lastly, used tiny a plastic tube for some Tenkara flies that would get crushed in the fly wallet. Come summer, I'll have to figure out something for some dry flies and I'll possibly squeeze some floatant into a 1" x 1" plastic bag or a tiny vial.
The Mini Sawtooth came with a line holder system that allows you to store and carry the line on the rod. It has some ingenious flip-over plastic clips and 4 o-rings to attach them. However, with it installed, you can't fit the rod back in the rod sock or rod tube. But, I wanted to store the line on the rod. Hmm, what to do...
Off to my sewing box I went and came up with a system that is low profile - and much lighter than the standard clip/o'ring system. Best of all, with the line attached, the rod fits in the rod sock and rod tube now! Can anyone guess what these tiny hooks are supposed to be used for, LOL?! I attached them using stretchy cord from Beadalon which is normally used for making necklaces, but I use it for tying.
With the rod in the tube, I can fit it in a purse or carry-on for travel. I travel a lot for work, and while I don't often get to fish, I always bring a rod just in case. My other Tenkara rod and most of my pack rods won't fit in a carry-on. Now my whole fishing kit/rod tube fits in a carry-on or purse and weighs almost nothing!
Best of all, this system is perfect for ultralight backpacking as I don't need to pack the rod tube. I had an old ExOfficio lightweight nylon pouch that I can fit my fishing kit into (I also added a light threader). Between the kit and the rod, I bet the whole thing weighs only about 1.5 oz!
For backpacking, I may replace the nippers with a pair of itty-bitty Streamworks Micro Scissor-Forceps. They are as light as the nippers but more functional. Unfortunately for travel, they won't fit in the rod tube and TSA probably wouldn't allow them anyway.
Here's a comparison of the rods and kits. The Mini rod is shorter than the handle on the standard-sized rod!
I can't wait to try out this rod and my new mini fishing kit! Summer can't get here fast enough!
Since I now have a teeny, tiny rod, I had to put a teeny, tiny fishing kit together. I wanted to be able to fit a whole kit inside the rod tube for travel.
I started out by making a tiny fly wallet. I then wound some tippet on a plastic sewing machine bobbin. I also found some pretty light nippers and lastly, used tiny a plastic tube for some Tenkara flies that would get crushed in the fly wallet. Come summer, I'll have to figure out something for some dry flies and I'll possibly squeeze some floatant into a 1" x 1" plastic bag or a tiny vial.
The Mini Sawtooth came with a line holder system that allows you to store and carry the line on the rod. It has some ingenious flip-over plastic clips and 4 o-rings to attach them. However, with it installed, you can't fit the rod back in the rod sock or rod tube. But, I wanted to store the line on the rod. Hmm, what to do...
Off to my sewing box I went and came up with a system that is low profile - and much lighter than the standard clip/o'ring system. Best of all, with the line attached, the rod fits in the rod sock and rod tube now! Can anyone guess what these tiny hooks are supposed to be used for, LOL?! I attached them using stretchy cord from Beadalon which is normally used for making necklaces, but I use it for tying.
With the rod in the tube, I can fit it in a purse or carry-on for travel. I travel a lot for work, and while I don't often get to fish, I always bring a rod just in case. My other Tenkara rod and most of my pack rods won't fit in a carry-on. Now my whole fishing kit/rod tube fits in a carry-on or purse and weighs almost nothing!
Best of all, this system is perfect for ultralight backpacking as I don't need to pack the rod tube. I had an old ExOfficio lightweight nylon pouch that I can fit my fishing kit into (I also added a light threader). Between the kit and the rod, I bet the whole thing weighs only about 1.5 oz!
For backpacking, I may replace the nippers with a pair of itty-bitty Streamworks Micro Scissor-Forceps. They are as light as the nippers but more functional. Unfortunately for travel, they won't fit in the rod tube and TSA probably wouldn't allow them anyway.
Here's a comparison of the rods and kits. The Mini rod is shorter than the handle on the standard-sized rod!
I can't wait to try out this rod and my new mini fishing kit! Summer can't get here fast enough!