Next Monthly Meeting:
Thursday, May 8, 2025 7:00PM
May Monthly Program
The speaker this month is Luong Tam, a rod designer and maker who has been fly fishing since the 90’s, became “hooked” on Tenkara, and ultimately started his own company, Tenkara Tanuki Rod Company. He has studied under the living Tenkara legend, Masami Sakakibara, and developed rods that are fun and simple to use. He believes fly fishing with Tenkara rods is a modern way of fly fishing today,
Understanding the Tenkara system helps to get the best use of the rod. Casting is the essence of fly fishing. Tenkara casting is no different; it just has a different set of challenges. Tenkara fishing techniques focus on fly manipulation rather than focusing on matching flies.
In March 2019, Luong spoke at GBF, covering the essence of the Tenkara system, plus casting and fishing techniques. In September 2023, he again spoke about Tenkara, discussing the rods, lines, casting and fishing techniques, and landing fish, based on the science of physics. This month he will talk about fishing small streams with tenkara.
This is the meeting every year when we have tenkara rod casting available up on the hill in front of the clubhouse, with several of our tenkara coaches bringing rods. This time, Luong will be joining us, and bringing along several of his rods that people can cast.
Leader’s Line
Thanks to Dave Stolecki and his great team for another successful Annual Dinner. Thanks to all the generous club members for your purchases and donations. These funds help us run the club and make generous contributions to conservation groups.
The weather has cooperated nicely; lots of winter rain to keep lakes and rivers flowing. Spring is warming on schedule; bass, bluegill, crappies are in full swing and trout are waking up. Be aware that we have a new invasive species to combat; golden mussels are causing quarantines and cleaning requirements at most Stillwater venues.
We have elections in June; we need volunteers for several board positions. Bob Farley has agreed to run for President; thanks Bob for stepping up big time. Bob ran the programs in 2024-25 and took over the conservation VP when illness struck Jim Monical and then Jeff Goodwin. We have numerous other positions that need to be filled. We can have several people nominated for any position, so don’t be shy. We especially need a Treasurer, VP Conservation and program director.
Let’s meet on the water.
Mike McKinley, GBF President 
New on the GBF site:
- The 2025 fishouts and classes/workshops calendar is nearly complete. Have a look here and here for more info. and to register.
- A reminder that all historic FLY TYING JAM recipes back to May of 2017 are available here in a single location under the Fly Tying menu tab. New to fly tying? Check out the educational links at the top of that page.
- A list of all GBF past presidents all the way back to 1985 can be found here.
- A list of GBF member achievers for the Fly Fishers International Fly Casting Skills Development Program is now available here.
- Collectors and aficionados of vintage rods and reels will now find contact info for long-time expert Jim Adams of Adams Angling on the GBF Links page under Vintage Fly Gear, Books and More. A good source to check the value of granddads vintage fly gear.
To join GBF, please click here.
“Sure, it was your idea and your fly, but he caught the big fish. Remember, fairness is a human idea largely unknown in nature.”
~ John Gierach, Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders, 2000.
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