It's no secret by now that tenkara is an excellent way to introduce children to fishing. We've discussed it in our blog posts (Tenkara and Kids & Family Fun with Tenkara*) and both of us have done a lot of fishing with tenkara rods and young anglers. It has proved itself a standout choice among kids fishing rods because it is easy for kids as young as 2* to catch fish and have fun! This is important to us because here at Badger, we believe that positive experiences with the outdoors as a child are the foundation for healthy relationships with the outdoors as an adult. We believe this because that is how we became avid sportsmen ourselves!

We were both participants in Scouting as we grew up. Our troop was exceptionally active, with a camp-out every month (even in Winter!), and week-long summer camps. We hiked, camped, learned first aid, paddled canoes, fished, and did service projects; all under safe supervision by dedicated volunteer adults who set excellent examples of leadership and citizenship. It was a highly positive formative experience for us, and we both feel it set the tone for our outdoor adventuring as adults. 

The Badger Tenkara SCOUT rod will be introducing participants to tenkara at the National Scout Jamboree

This is why we are honored to announce that Badger Tenkara is proudly sponsoring the Fly Fishing Merit Badge Activity Area for the 2017 National Scout Jamboree! For the first time in the event's history, tenkara will be available in the fishing activity area; over 40,000 Scouts will have the opportunity to explore tenkara at the Jamboree by using our SCOUT tenkara kids fishing rods.

We first started discussing the merits of tenkara with Scouting leadership a few years ago. After a long conversation at a trade show, they quickly recognized the advantages that a collapsible, ultra-lite, fixed line rod offers young anglers on outdoor adventures. 

At that point, we began to support the BSA National Fishing Task Force in their evaluation of tenkara style fly fishing. They were well suited to perform an extensive assessment and determine how tenkara could best fit into Scouting. The testing occurred over several months, and we were excited to serve as a resource for the process. 

The Scouts have reached an important conclusion that we are very excited to have been authorized to share with you:

Tenkara fly fishing rods are now officially​ a valid choice of gear to use when Scouts are completing requirements for the
​Fly Fishing Merit Badge!

Matt will be at the Jamboree getting the SCOUT kids fishing rods rigged up and spending a few days fishing with Scouts as the Jamboree begins. Stay tuned to Badger Tenkara for updates as we make tenkara history, and introduce a record setting number of young anglers to tenkara! 

The masses have spoken, the votes are tallied, and it is time to announce our BREAK THIS ROD winners!  

Our winners get the opportunity to pick from the prize pool in an order determined by which category they won. They can choose either a BEDROCK Vice Base or a BADGER Prototype Rod:

​2 BEDROCK Vice Bases 
Tenkara Jam organizer Jason Sparks is creating and donating these especially for BREAK THIS ROD 2017. They'll be the largest size available, solid granite bases with brass hardware. The small bases in the pictures are representative of the deluxe versions the winners will receive.
​
2 BADGER TENKARA Prototype Rods 
This design is a mix of our two most popular rods - the adjustable BAD AXE and the ultra-handy UNC!

Challenge #1:
First Prize Pick Awarded for Bigest Fish

W Lynn Christiansen!

Challenge #2:
Second Prize Pick for Most Epic Story!

Tristan Mills! ​(and Son)

Challenge #3:
Third Prize Pick for Best Rod Modification

Michael Scoggin!

Random Draw Winner:
Whichever Prize remains after the Picks

Mike Ward!

Thank you to everyone who took part in BREAK THIS ROD 2017. It was an absolutely blast sharing pictures and stories with you all. More importantly, your participation helped us equip veterans at CAMP HEALING WATERS with real tenkara gear, so that they can enjoy the peace that comes with spending time fly fishing. We are sincerely grateful for your support in reaching this goal. 

Since everybody had fun (and injuries seem to be declining) we will definitely run another BREAK THIS ROD contest next year. Stay tuned!  

Thank you all for participating! We have narrowed down the entries into 3 final choices for each category. Please vote for your favorite - we will announce the winners on Friday, July 14th. The fourth and final winner will be drawn randomly from the list of BAMBOO BANDIT rod owners who purchased rods prior to the 10th of July. 

Challenge #1: First Prize Pick
Biggest Fish!

A

B

C

Challenge #2: Second Pick
Most Epic Story​!

It has become obvious to Badger that there is some sort of unwritten universal rule that says we can't hold a "BREAK THIS ROD" contest without somebody getting injured. The first year, a contestant got attacked by wasps. Luckily, this year's injury was a lot less serious - although the angler insists that they were locked in mortal combat with a 16 ft Hammerhead shark when the incident occurred!

Challenge #3: Third Pick
Best Rod Modification or Repair!

We didn't get one single report of a broken rod. Considering the crazy experiments and hefty fish that people encountered, that is pretty impressive! Folks did make some interesting modifications, though - check them out:

A) Electrical Tape Handle

B) Raqeut Ball Grip Tape Handle

C) Foam handle, Alligator clip line holders, and customer rod bag with spare section holder.