Tenkara has proven itself to be a simple, yet incredibly versatile form of fly-fishing, which has helped properl the rise in all forms of tenkara equipment since the sport’s stormy uptick that began roughly in 2009, when the name was still exotic and unfamiliar to most. The simplicity, beauty and effortlessness of tenkara has since gained many followers, from previously avid fly-fishermen to beginners and debutants alike. However, one natural challenge to tenkara anglers has limited its use: wind.

Those of us who’ve been fly fishing for a while have a tendency to drift gently toward nostalgia. If we go back far enough, our memories reveal uncrowded rivers and eager trout, while our sport, which now sprawls across an entire “fly fishing industry,” seems less an industry and more a collection of memorable characters. At the same time, the writing, or at least the best of the writing, displays a patina of intimacy and respect you’d be hard pressed to find today.