DOUBT NOT BUT ANGLING WILL PROVE TO BE SO PLEASANT, THAT IT WILL PROVE TO BE LIKE VIRTUE, A REWARD UNTO ITSELF.
—Izaak Walton
"Women are naturally suited to fly fishing,” says legendary fly fisher and teacher Joan Wulff. Tenkara in particular is a match because of its ultralight weight and reach.
Tenkara fly fishing will appeal to women for the same reasons it appeals to men. It is a direct experience of the water, is inexpensive, and can be learned with a minimum of fuss even while taking a lifetime to master. Simplified by several centuries of production anglers, tenkara has none of the rattle of the extraneous. It is straightforward without jargon or specialization.
But tenkara has something more. Perhaps it’s the grace of the tenkara rod, the tender flex that inscribes a nautilus curve, or that tenkara has none of the crank and plop of spin-casting. Casting instructors often admit that women are more naturally attuned to the rhythms of casting efficiency and presentation than men. Misako, who trained in traditional Japanese dance and then performed internationally, will be quick to note that her fly fishing has been a natural progression of her study of rhythm and grace. Beautiful and accurate casting does not come from power. Tenkara casting is about controlled movement and good timing. Perhaps this is why female anglers often understand the cast more quickly.
The many directions from which women come to fly fishing reflect their diversity. Some have taken the “if you can’t beat them” path to enjoying couple-time with fly-fishing husbands. Tenkara is a quick way to join spouses on the stream with a minimum of gear and instruction, even while catching fish the first time out. It has no intimidating learning curve. It’s also an effective way of entering into friendly competition on your own terms, perhaps even presenting a partner with alternatives to his tried-and-true methods. And of course, tenkara is just plain fun.
Tenkara rods are light enough for children, too. Tenkara is simple yet contains all the essentials needed to learn fly fishing. Children intuitively take to it. And by starting children early, they will grow up caring for nature and learning the importance of good water quality. They will come to understand the interwoven ecology of trout, insects, plants, and streamside animals. The beautiful trout will capture their attention and spark their interest, and stalking fish along a trout stream is always an irresistible adventure. Childhood memories are the irreplaceable treasures of such family outings.
Fly fishing is rapidly becoming a focus of friendship and support among women. The International Women Fly Fishers for example, for which Misako is goodwill ambassador, in the interests of promoting and educating women in the sport, has joined a large number of women’s flyfishing clubs together. Their annual conference and outing has become a focus of many fly-fishing friendships. Two groups, “Casting for Recovery” and “Reel & Heal,” support women facing cancer. Fly-fishing clubs provide a supportive and noncompetitive environment in which to learn and join fly fishing. Joining a club is the quickest way to mastery. And with tenkara advocates like Misako involved, clubs are likely to increase in importance.
Perhaps most important of all, tenkara is a lifelong activity that can be enjoyed in the company of friends and family. The cycle of the fly-fishing day ensures the pace and pauses of thoroughly enjoyable outings, with quiet and laughter in equal measure. The shared anticipation and planning, the excitement of discovery, the joy of the catch, the streamside lunch, and long talks to and from a stream: These are the ingredients for the deepest of lifelong friendships.
From the 1400s, when Dame Juliana Berners, likely the first fly-fishing author, wrote about the health benefits of fishing the quiet stream, to the present, in which over 20 percent of U.S. fly anglers are female, women have been part of the sport. Now women are certainly in the leading wave of tenkara trendsetters as well.