Ever have one of those days on the river where everything goes perfect? Perfect temperature outside, perfect river flows, perfect casting, perfect hook-sets, perfect landing, perfect trout handling, perfect picture taking, and then perfect releases? I believe most of us have had one of those magical days where you and tenkara seem to be one.

Believe me…. I am no tenkara master. I am an amateur at best, but the nice thing about tenkara is that the basics can be so simple that most anyone, yes I mean you and you and you over there, will feel like master for a day.

I have also been a Tenkara Dunce for a day too. From slipping and falling all day, to getting tangled in trees and rocks, to missing hook-set after hook-set, poor netting of trout (if you even get that squiggly dude in the net)… you know what I mean. Just one of those bad days. Guess what…. even masters may have bad days. It probably happens very rarely, but they are human just like you and I. Their line will also get stuck on trees when their minds wander.

Since discovering tenkara I have made quite a few friends in the community. We have fished together many times now, and I have come to realize that I enjoy watching my friends fish as much (well almost as much) as I do fishing myself. Watching them catch fish and yelling joyous sounds from downstream is such a great feeling, as is showing them how excited I am for them.

All of these guys have been Masters of Tenkara for a day. I have seen them all be very graceful catching trout and looking like pros. One of these friends has only been fishing tenkara for a short time and he is as good as any of us. We all have those great days and can feel and sometimes even look like masters for a day.

No matter how long or short of a time you have been into tenkara, I bet you have also felt like a master for a day. I encourage you to relive that moment, think about it next time you go fishing.