Men love fishing because men love simple.
It doesn’t get much simpler than this: Simple Fly Fishing, shipping now.
Simple is Patagonia’s take on the Japanese Tenkara rod.
It’s kindergarten-quick to master.
To test its ease of use, your correspondent took a total novice — a.k.a., a wet-eared fish noob — to the Lower Kern River in Sequoia (2.5 hours from L.A.).
The result: easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy fishing.
The novice picked up fly-casting within minutes and became so entranced he was stunned to learn he’d been staring at the water for three hours.
Try your hand at it. You’ll want the kit with the 10′ 6″ rod.
That includes leader and line, flies and a straightforward guidebook. Patagonia also made free how-to videos showing you everything you’d learn from a high-priced guide.
Fishing in summer only requires good boots and quick-dry pants — buy waders once you decide you want to do this more often.
You only need three tools: floatant (keeps fly on water), forceps (remove the hook from a trout) and clippers (trim your line).
Just remember: catching fish ain’t the point.
Nota bene: If you go to the Lower Kern, focus on the area around the old power plant (about 10 minutes from the park’s entrance). If you go in June you can fish the stretch between Kernville and the Johnsondale Bridge. Grab waterproof maps at either Kern River Fly Fishing or the Fishermen’s Spot.
This article was featured in the InsideHook LA newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Southland.
