A Cheerleader of Tenkara

by TJ Ferreira

You ever have the kind of fishing day where nothing seems to go smoothly? On the 1st cast the fly gets stuck in a tree, then a few casts later your fly is lost in a rock snag. Heck just walking to the river seems like an obstacle course where your line gets snagged in tall grasses, stuff rolling out of your pack, bumping your noggin on low tree branches, twisting your ankle, <add your non smooth issues here>. To add insult to injury you just went through all that and forgot something important at your car and need to go back and do it all over again.

Needless to say if someone says this does not happen to them, they are lying. Remember, all fisher-folk are liars. I have been fishing tenkara for well over 6 years now and I know it has happened to me. Bottom-line is we all have days of greatness and in return, we have days when greatness is not so present.

Something I enjoy almost as much as fishing tenkara is watching a dear friend fishing and cheering them on. Just the other day a friend and I made a quick pit-stop on our way down the highway at a fishing hole he had only been once. I myself have hit this spot a number of times and have had some great fishing days there. I really wanted to see him catch a fish here but we only had maybe 20 to 30 minutes.

The funny thing is, as we drove down the highway heading to our destination, we were chatting and I mentioned that just the other day I felt like a bumbling dolt trying to get started fishing for the day. Getting in snags just walking to my spots, casting like crap, of course I could blame it on the bazillion mile per hour wind that was smacking me around. Yeah…. Thats it! The wind is to blame!

I have fished a decent amount this year, enough where not every trip was as smooth as it could have been. It seems to take about 30 minutes to maybe 1 hour before I get settled in and cruising. I told my buddy about that and funny thing, it started happening to him on this day. Was I contagious? So sorry my friend, I promise I did not want you infected.

As expected, within a few casts he was stuck on a tree over a great spot. This is where the Tenkara Cheerleader can step in. Rather quickly, so he did not spook the whole run, I offered him my rigged up Sato. He moved slightly to cast to a new spot and continued to fish. This is where you the reader will say, “and he then proceeded to catch his 1st fish”. Well no, that did not happen. But close.

So we moved onto spot #2 as all the fish in spot #1 had been spooked. We get to spot #2 and oh it looked so fishy. He proceeded to make a few nice casts and them wham…sorry reader, still no fish…he got stuck on a tree again. A few choice mumbles came from this buddy to the likes of “that’s it, lets head out”. I could tell he was a bit disgruntled, as I would be. But as I have aged, I have let more things just slide off my back. I have learned to quickly simmer down and not worry about these things so much as I well know there should be another tomorrow.

I was already in cheerleading mode, and as soon as I saw the snag, my rigged-up Sato became an offering again. I was almost as fast as a gunslinger at a wedding whipping out tissues to crying mothers. The great news…. this time it worked. Within a few minutes he caught 2 trout and the whole mood of the day was saved. It was exciting for me to watch his wonderful casts and set the hook on a couple trout. It was just as pleasurable as if I were the one casting and fishing at that very moment.

My buddy said I was infectious with my tenkara spirit, or something like that, and that remark has helped me to write this story in hopes I can spread this feeling to all. But…. did you know you can also be a Tenkara Cheerleader from afar? Social media these days is owned by the likes of Facebook. I must admit, I am a bit of a Facebook junkie. As much as it can be a time consumer of minutes, I have kept in touch with friends I will probably never see face to face again, older school friends, co-workers I don’t see all the time, and even new folks I have met through tenkara.

I know my day seems to spruce up when I can feel like I am part of their life, but from afar. I enjoy “liking” their posts as much as I enjoy those liking mine. Feels like someone is listening and always seems a like or a comment on a post I made from a friend can spruce up my day. It really is a small gesture but one that can go far. I get a kick out of reading others’ fishing tales, checking out pictures of fish they catch, and make sure to let them know I am here and cheering them on. Sometimes I offer advice and am also happy to take in advice too. Along with participating at tenkara forums by letting folks know you are reading by making a quick comment, or if at Facebook a quick like or comment, you are helping promote tenkara as a passionate sport, one that is inviting and cheering folks on. You just may brighten someone’s day and they will pass that on with their own tenkara goodness. I know I enjoy being part of the tenkara story and you can too by spreading the word of this great method of fly fishing. Come be a cheerleader of tenkara. 3….4…..6…..8…. who do we appreciate? Tenkara…. Tenkara….. TENKARA!

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