Fish Porn - Yes, Porn

Above, an image of the painting Two Women Fishing by Daniel Ridgeway Knight (1839 - 1924).

I'm more than a fair student of art history  but I was unaware of Mr. Knight until finding this painting. Thanks to Wikicommons and the copyright expiration, we have it here to enjoy.

To the present owner - lovely acquisition. Congratulations!

Tenkara on a fertile stream! The marsh marigolds are a nice touch. Cold water.

I love fish porn.

The pair above even show ankles! Girls I know on the water are always clad head-to-toe in poly-something, Gore-Tex, or synthetic fleece complete with beanie or enormous ear-flapped headbands. Sexy beasts.

Fish porn is of course the modern fly fishing film. I guess with music video saturation, videographers turned to the next mega-market: fly fishing.

I don't like the slashing-action-jump-cut-high-five style of fish porn at all. I like beautiful settings, calm, patient fishing, and the reward of a fish even when small.

Today's selection below features Yvon Chouinard most probably known to you as a founder of the outdoor gear firm Patagonia. Disclaimer: I've no commercial interest in the firm. I do own a nice leisure rain jacket of their manufacture.

Mr. Chouinard is an evangelist for many things and apparently from this video an aficionado of Tenkara style fishing.

I just like that it's a video of an old guy outdoors enjoying himself and using very simple fishing techniques with a mix of equipment - Tenkara and modern fly rod - in a very instructive style.

I wish more now fly fishers were introduced to the sport in this simple and enjoyable close-contact manner rather than visiting a mega-retailer and sold a 85' casting broomstick.

I think I'd put an inexpensive soft-ish fiberglass rod, click-and-pawl reel, and admonition to not cast more than 35' on longish light leader for the first year of fly-fishing. I know I've erred in providing other advice to new fly fishers.

Should probably go to a hosted beginners class by a professional outfit just to see how proper instruction looks. I only know lots of "wrong" ways to start folks out. I'll get better, though.

Fish like a heron, first. Slowly. Calmly. Enjoy.

Like I know.

Here's the video. Enjoy. I certainly did.