Patagonia, Inc. launched its “Simple Fly Fishing” campaign, a program designed to demystify fly fishing and make it more accessible. The centerpiece is Patagonia’s Simple Fly Fishing kit, which contains a tenkara-style fly fishing rod, box of flies, line and leader, quick set up guide and a new book by Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews and Mauro Mazzo entitled Simple Fly Fishing: Techniques for Tenkara and Rod & Reel.
The kit is available in Patagonia retail stores across the United States, Canada, Japan and online starting today, and remaining stores on May 1. In addition, anyone visiting Patagonia stores can also get instant advice about the best places to go fishing in their local areas, as well as information about tenkara fly fishing clinics open to the public to be held in select retail locations in the coming days. This is the first time the company has sold gear for fly fishing, except for apparel.
“This is for the young person who has wanted to learn, but is intimidated by the complexity, elitism and expense of fly fishing,” said Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia’s founder and owner. “This is for the woman and her daughter who are put off by the image of the testosterone-fueled, good-old-boy bass and trout fisherman who turned the ‘contemplative pastime’ into a competitive combat sport, and for the long-time angler who has everything and wants to replace all that stuff with skill, knowledge and simplicity.”
The wisdom behind the campaign includes a belief that the way towards mastery of any endeavor is to work towards simplicity, and to replace complex technology with knowledge. Patagonia’s Simple Fly Fishing kit aims to achieve just that. The tenkara fly rod contained in the kit, which has no reel, comes from a centuries-old Japanese fly fishing technique, which has been all but lost in modern-day fly fishing.
Patagonia developed the kit to promote the simplicity of this technique and bring many new people to the sport of fly fishing.
The book aims to teaches readers, from beginner anglers to master fishermen, how to discover where the fish are, at what depth and what they are feeding on. It then describes the techniques needed to present a fly at that depth, make it look lifelike and hook the fish. With chapters on wet flies, nymphs and dry flies, the authors employ both the tenkara rod as well as regular fly fishing gear to cover all the bases. With paintings by renowned fish artist James Prosek, and inspiring photographs and stories throughout, Simple Fly Fishing reveals the secrets and the soul of this captivating sport.
One percent of the sales from the book go to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. In addition, the authors are donating their entire proceeds from the sales of the first edition to the Native Fish Society, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and 1% for the planet.
Temple Fork Outfitters, which produces the fly fishing rods for Patagonia, is donating $10 for each rod sold to organizations dedicated to river and creek restoration.
For more information on the entire kit or the components, visit on-line at www.patagonia.com.
