Tenkara in Focus Episode Delay & Your Feedback
OK – big apologies for the lack of episode this week (we are BURIED in processing each of the book orders that you lovely people completed to help us get our very first print book launched). JP’s pulling super long days to get stuff packaged up while I’m relegated to churning out the shipping payments at night…but it is amazing to finally see the thing come to life.
But what I did want to do was to ask, if you had a moment, in the comments below, you could let us know how we are doing and what kind of things you’d look forward to use producing in future?
If you’re already getting our Free Email Lessons and insider info – then you’ll soon have chance to comment on more detailed options of how things get shaped in future too. If you’ve not signed up yet, then you’ll never know what you’ve been missing.
News Update: Bidding $4.10 Against Free TiF Clicks on Google
Google Search Console is something I never anticipated that my journey into tenkara would make it necessary to learn about. BUT Search Console suggests we must be doing something right when it shows companies are paying $4.10 for every click they get from the search term “Tenkara in Focus”…
Which is a free programme of course.
So I guess, if we are doing stuff that people like, that it makes good business sense for competitors to try to take traffic away from that and towards their own products. It’s business as well as a passion after all.
Perhaps that just means we’ll have to choose a big product from the Discover Tenkara range and start making our own pay-per-click ads on Google…:)
Let us know your thoughts on where we’re going with TiF, the book and the site in general and, as I say, we’ll be back on schedule with regular episodes just as soon as we’ve taken care of completing your launch orders!
Best wishes and please feel free to comment below (you don’t need to register to do it).
Paul
PS An email from Steve in Montana this week really made all the blood, sweat and tears worthwhile…His opening lines were “Cannot tell you how excited I am to receive the text. I have all of your on line material, your rod, and now your book. I look forward to the read during the long Montana winter. You guys have done a tremendous job of making Tenkara a valuable and enjoyable fishing technique for me…” Thank you Steve, this is what we do it for :):)
Too much information in a short period of time. How can anyone practice AND somewhat master your techniques without being in the river almost daily? That being said, the basics are spot on and can be learned rather quickly. It’s differs casting and fly manipulation that takes a lot of time to “get it”.
That’s really interesting Gary, it hadn’t really occurred to me that we could put out too much free info and guidance. I suppose I always assumed that, because it will always have taken us longer to learn, break down and then distil the teaching points for any method – and then have to write, draw, film/photograph or whatever the material itself – that we’d always be lagging behind the pace at which you could see the material and then give it a try onstream. I guess that the info should still be sitting there for folks to follow at their own pace when they’re ready, but the big thing is that you don’t need to apply everything at once. Just picking the bits that make sense and adding to them gradually will still give improvements to results. Very many thanks for helping me out with a new perspective and food for thought,
Paul
Hello… I have enjoyed your online information and will be using it in an introduction to Tenkara I am teaching in April. Would like to use the book as a text also. Keep up the good work and looking forward to your future information and edition. Tight lines
Awesome, and how kind of you Doc. Good luck with your tenkara teachings.
Paul
Love your videos for technique.
THANK Chris Stewart, TenkaraBum, for getting me to you.
You are facing a real battle for clicks, not sure how DVD ruling here, USA, will effect ecommerce yet.
Many Thanks and like your up grade in progress ad the site evolves
John, I really appreciate your support and, yes let’s see where net neutrality takes us… I suppose we’ve always looked to provide a resource for organic rather than predominantly paid search traffic.
And predictive text can be tricksy!:)
DVD should be DVD. Above
Spell checker at work. DVD shouldbe FCC.
THERE!
There is not one thing you guys have done that I have not completely enjoyed. Rod, Flies ,Book ,lines,videos,lessons and coaching. In my mind anything you guys need to do to keep all of the above going must be worth trying. What amazes me is you passion never seems to dim. Thanks
Steven we are so lucky to have you supporting us, just huge thanks.
Paul
Love the shorter coffee break videos. We don’t mind unpolished footage if it conveys a message. Much easier to watch while at work. Great content, thanks!
Jack, that is reassuring to hear. I know we’ve a lot of material that is really funny or useful but doesn’t fit neatly anywhere, so we hoped the coffee break would let us share that in a valuable way.
Paul
Paul & JP, your contributions and commitment to the Tenkara Community are super appreciated. I look forward to the online lessons and tips and you guys deliver the content in a very understandable approach. I really like learning about the technical applications (e.g. fly manipulation, casting techniques, etc.) and hope this can carry through in 2018. The videos are well done.
Perhaps, one special request…,how about a post-launch deal for the book for folks like me that missed the pre-launch? Many Thanks for sharing your knowledge and Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Ty Espinoza
Sacramento, CA
Ty, High 5 from Yorkshire to Sacramento 🙂
I don’t mind bad feedback and even haters are really just folks that I’ve nothing to offer which they’d value… But it is undeniably a nice feeling to feel like the stuff you produce helps someone in a small way to have a better day from time to time. So thank you for that… As for a follow up offer, right now we have to make good on thousands of dollars worth of shipping costs that we took care of for the launch offer folks (plus the kebari costs etc), BUT keep your eyes peeled (and maybe join the email tutorials so you don’t miss future special offers!) for what I hope will pop up on Amazon soon (a kindle version and hopefully fulfilment in the USA by Amazon, so you don’t have to wait so long for shipping).
Very many thanks once more
Paul
Thanks for the great content. It is wonderful to see and hear directly from the Japanese masters, especially those who are not well know in the west. Each product that you have produced enhances my knowledge about tenkara. Being able to watch the Japanese at work on the stream is extremely valuable; combined with last year’s supplemental materials enhanced my understanding of the tenkara art. I would like to see you continue your Japan trips to produce more video. I sure there are more techniques to be discovered and shared. Thanks for all your hard work I greatly appreciate it.
Right back at you Mark. We couldn’t do any of the research or sharing without your support. It really is that simple, so for however much appreciation you have for our stuff, you can probably about double it to get how much we thank you for watching, sharing using and, yes, buying what we create.
Thank you so much
Paul
Liked the first video of Kebari in Focus. Looking forward to more fly tying videos. Also, I prefer more on stream videos demonstrating technique.
Thank you.
Thank you Jason,
There’s going to be lots of tying material and, as we grow, an increasing amount of stuff we can bring your from onstream.
Best wishes and I hope you enjoy what we’ve got in store…
Paul
I have all of your materials as well and nothing compares in knowing you are practicing the right techniques and going on the stream with confidence that you are out there with a plan and skills to tackle any section of the stream you may come across. I also read in Tenkara Angler about different casting techniques with just photos on how to do each one but know actual video footage. It would be great if you could do a special video on the different casting techniques and break down the best use of each and how to use them on the stream with HD video. Thanks Alton
That’s brilliant feedback Alton, we’re looking into casting stuff as you suggested….
Many thanks
Paul
I like your stuff. It is a great helpful spring of informations about Tenkara and all suitable themes I look for. As an older German Fisher I have some extra work to understand some things right. I will try to improve my technique and my thoughts about Kebaris. I have to teach myself – I work on it. Thanks a lot!
Hi Eberhard – many thanks for your always kind comments. I enjoy the pictures and stories of your trips out on stream – and it’s great to see when you have success (especially, I’ll admit, if it is on tactics that we’ve covered on here!).
Paul
Hi guys,
You know I really appreciate everything you do, sometimes I feel like a sponge trying to absorb all the information. Give it time and it does go in!
On my wish list I would like to hear about some of the equipment and techniques that help to enhance the tenkara ‘experience’
I’m talking here of things like minimising equipment, discarding superfluous gear (what gear do folk feel is essential), wet wading and wet wading gear (never heard of it before, now I hate wearing waders!)
Those sorts of subjects…….
Many thanks
Glenn
Glenn, I am extremely impressed at your level of tenkara techniques (and how you view and re-view video material and then take it out on stream). You’d be very well thought of as a tenkara angler in Japan and that’s a total credit to the way you apply yourself to learning new skills.
Interestingly, we shot some gear stuff in Japan this spring, we’ll have to review it and make sure that it makes a complete picture (and that my shots were exposed correctly ha ha ha). Even so, we will continue to film that kind of thing until we are convinced that it will be the best resource on the web for that info.
Paul
Thank you for the free lessons, they are wonderful. I really want to learn as much as you can pass along to us. Whether it is free or not, please keep making more information available. Japanese Tenkara ,culture, language, history, places, people you interview, and food are all important. This info. gives us greater insight, understanding, and appreciation for our sport (my obsession). Again thank you for taking the time to allow us to travel with you in this amazing journey.
I am a huge fan of all of your material! You often put into words things that I have wondered about, but haven’t known the answer to before the issue has even clearly surfaced in my head (If that makes any sense!). Thank you.
Charlie, again, that is extremely kind of you to say and it is just fantastic to hear that you’re enjoying the stuff that we uncover as much as we do.
Sharing that almost juvenile level of glee that we have when we find out how yet another piece fits into the puzzle is one of the things that keeps us going with this project – so big thanks for taking the time to let us know our message is being received!
Paul
I can feel for the guys who said that the sheer quantity and depth of info that you guys provide can be a bit much to take in, but I think it is more than worth the effort. I have learned so much from your lessons and videos, and not just the practicalities of fishing Tenkara. I really like the respectful and reasoned way that you examine the traditions and origins of Tenkara and the different way that practitioners think about flies and about how fish feed. Great stuff, please don’t stop!
Bob – that means a great deal coming from you sir. We’ll do our best to keep delivering stuff for as long as we can. There are some changes afoot at DT, but I hope to be able to update you on that soon as well.
Paul
John and Paul,
I have enjoyed everything you two have done. Every other week would be fine and would give you time to breathe. I’m not complaining about every week, it’s just I would rather wait occasionally, than see you burn out.
would be helpful, for we who are deaf, if you included captions in the videos.
slow the pace down guys – dont want you to burn out and also may give the opportunity to put larger articles together if you wished (cant tell you how many emails I’ve still not read of yours as its embarrasing) Its always a balancing act though, so as long as your enthusiasm is maintained I trust you to do what suits best 🙂