Tenkara Fly Fishing Life Philosophy

I know that many of us in the fly fishing world will rank fishing as a bonafide religion and who is to say it's not.

Tenkara fly fishing is kind of a strange sport. It has the minimalism of Zen. It has the subtleties and infinate fine layers of a martial art. It has the appeal of just being outdoors in a beautiful environment. It is very easy to learn and yet it takes a lifetime to master. It is above all, very Japanese. Simple on the surface, limitless in it's depth.

After 2 years of dedicated tenkara fly fishing I have learned many things about fishing, myself, my connection with nature, and the chance to be beyond the leading edge of a new sport here in the western world. You may say that I am on the bleeding edge of this emerging phenomena.

A few have stated that Tenkara is the first new revolution in fly fishing in the past 30 years. I don't know if that is indeed the case but I like to believe that it is and that I may be one of those at it's forefront.

So, back to the title here: Tenkara Fly Fishing Life Philosophy.

Can fly fishing have a life philosophy or am I just another goofy fisherman trying to self-justify my obsession?

Fishing has been used for centuries as a metaphor for life. There are references to this in the Bible, Torah, and many other famous religious works. My thoughts are much less grand in scale.

I believe that fly fishing and in particular, tenkara fly fishing has attributes that can contribute to a total life philosophy should one be attentive to the moments of wisdom as they occur during your fishing activities.

I enjoy fishing with friends and also with clients on my guided fishing trips but I treasure the time I get to spend tenkara fishing solo or with my children most. Tenkara by it's minimalist nature leaves you unburdened by gear and lets you focus on simply casting and catching fish. Your mind is left with lots of time to ponder, speculate, wonder, and enjoy an intimate connection with the stream, the rod, the fly, and the fish. At the moment the fish takes your fly, all those elements combine into a complete and natural human experience. There is something powerful and visceral in such an intimate personal moment.

Out of a higher respect, you quickly bring the trout to net and gently release him back to the safety of the stream. There are no epic battles out here. It is just simply fly fishing in the most efficient manner possible.

I carry those small moments in time with me everywhere I go. I am always reflecting on time in the water. The way the rod bends when the hook is set, the pulsing of life felt in the handle of the tenkara rod as the fish fights against the fisherman, the smell of clear fresh water in the stream, the cold feeling in my feet and legs as I stand or kneel in the stream bed, the cold water on my hands as I release the fish. I just love it. My tenkara gear enhances my interaction with nature in a world where most technology is designed to isolate me from it.

These moments are so pure, that there is for a small time, no space for all the baggage and personal emotional garbage that clogs our spiritual nature and isolates us from the world we live in. You are free to just be.

Ahh So, Grasshopper, you have been spouting all manner of mumbo jumbo here, where is the grand life philosophy you have been eluding to?

Here it is:

GO FISHING, ENJOY THE TIME YOU GET TO SPEND IN QUIET UNENCUMBERED CONTEMPLATION AND HAVE FUN.

How is that for a life philosophy?

It works pretty well for me but what do I know, I am just a humble Tenkara Fly Fishing Guide.

John