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  • Tenkara Fly Shop

Tenkara Fly Shop

Overview

Tenkara Fly Shop has a rating of 4.94 stars from 69 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Tenkara Fly Shop most frequently mention customer service. Tenkara Fly Shop ranks 62nd among Fishing sites.

  • Service
    5
  • Value
    5
  • Shipping
    5
  • Returns
    1
  • Quality
    5
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What reviewers want you to know

Positive highlights

  • Great customer service and their products are of excellent quality.

Critical highlights

No critical highlights yet

How would you rate Tenkara Fly Shop?
Top Positive Review

“My favorite custom fly shop bar none.”

John L.
2/13/20

Superb craftsmanship takes time... and well worth it. Jim is a true artist. He also sells a variety of imports which are also very effective as a considerable bargain. Custom orders are fulfilled in order of receipt. My average wait is roughly 2 months... and well worth it. Top quality custom materials are very durable and perform best on the streams. It really brightens my day when receiving an email announcing my order is next on the vise

Reviews (69)

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

customer service (8)
Thumbnail of user waynej63
1 review
0 helpful votes
October 22nd, 2018

Purchased a range of patterns from Jim which I succesfully used on a recent fishing trip. Jims Black Ant and the Kebari Futsu Common consistently out performed all my other patterns over a 5 day period, and I will definitely purchase more from Jim in the future.

Thumbnail of user sharonl75
1 review
1 helpful vote
August 18th, 2016
Verified purchase

I was very pleased with the flies I received my only complaint was I had some questions that went unanswered via email. Being new to the sport I just needed a little direction.

Thumbnail of user jamesw346
James W. – Tenkara Fly Shop Rep

Thanks Sharon. I am sorry that I missed your questions. I took another look at your order and email but did not see them. Of course, I just upgraded to Windows 10 so it may have gotten lost in the sauce. Please let me know if you have any more questions. Best regards, Jim

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From the business

Hand Tied & Imported Tenkara Flies. Different than everyone else's because of the time that I take in construction. I consider myself a craftsman, not a production shop whose goal is profit. I take the time to tie these flies to last as long as possible. My nicely proportioned fly bodies are built up using a technique that allows them to last long after the hackle has worn away from use. The silk is glued to the hook, the hackle is glued to the silk body, then the collar is also glued. Or any other component for that matter. The whip finish is then waxed, closely trimmed and glued under the body as the master's have always done.

Business History

In 2012 I discovered Tenkara, and began to tie Japanese style kebari for my own use. In 2013 after seeing how effective and easy to learn this style of fly fishing was, I decided that I wanted to be more involved. My goal was to offer not only traditional patterns, but popular American and European designs as well. Thus the name Tenkara Fly Shop (instead of Tenkara kebari shop). I found out that Jason Klass of Tenkara Talk maintained a fishing blog, and I sent him a variety of things that I was producing. After he featured these on his site, I began to get business and I never looked back. When I started using Shopify as my web host, I started getting a large volume of new anglers stopping in. I used this opportunity to assist them in getting started. I have now completed six years in business, and am enjoying it more than ever.

Company Representative

Thumbnail of user jamesw346
James W.
Owner
My name is Jim, Jimmy to my family & friends. I love fishing my steep gradient streams and tying trout flies for the occasion. I have been doing this since 1967. At that time, I was the only person in my "worm-dunking" community who fished this way.

I recall a cheap, glass Berkley dry fly rod purchased at the local Jamesway department store, and the snapping of every fly that I purchased, right off of my simple level leader on every back cast. Christmas of that year I was gifted with a simple fly tying kit and an instruction book by Art Flick, who became my mentor from a distance. Those first trout flies were awful! But, it wasn't long before I could turn out a decent fly.

I live on one of the tributaries of the Great Lakes in Western New York where steelhead is king, but I don't fish for them. My love is and has always been, to head up into the gorge to fish the small, steep head-water streams no wider than my driveway, for fish in the 6 to 10 inch class. Or to head over the ridge and fish the Mississippi headwaters.

As I grew older, I put together several fly fishing outfits which were subsequently abandoned in my never-ending search for one that would fit the style of fishing that I practiced. I disliked constant line-mending, desired more precise control and never was one for long fly casts on my brushy headwaters. Back then I used the longest Western rod that I could fit under the trees, and paired it with the lightest fly line that I could find. So when I discovered it, Tenkara was a revelation for me.

I sometimes tell people that I hate Western fly fishing, as a way to emphasize how much Tenkara has changed my life. Of course I don't hate Western fly fishing. I adored it for over 50 years. In the creeks, on the lakes and in the rivers both in the US and in Canada. I fondly recall each and every memorable trout. The mornings, the evenings... I savored their gift, like the rare fish that died at my hand and nourished both my body and soul.

Putting to use many years of experience in the Northeast and in Canada, studies in aquatic entomology, fly-tying, working with wood, bamboo and metals, acquired as a wood carver, cabinetmaker and in antiques repair... and, of course largely thanks to my customers this business has blossomed. It's they who have helped build this business and who largely determine the quality product that comes out the other side.

In-season it's impossible to keep kebari in stock, they are all tied on demand. Still, I insist on a certain level of craftsmanship which sometimes makes the completed product take a little longer. It sounds cliché to say that I am not in this for the money, but it's a fact. Sure I use the money, but you will see for yourself if you buy from me. It's a user friendly operation. I am small & intend to stay that way. And, I want your purchase to be worth your wait.

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