September 25, 2014

A River Runs Through It

 

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: YVON CHOUINARD; FENCE ALONG THE FALL RIVER; INSIDE CHOUINARD’S FLY BOX; CHOUINARD AND YOUNG FRIEND FISHING; VIEW OF THE TETONS FROM GOAT MOUNTAIN RANCH, ASHTON, IDAHO

 

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Patagonia on a trip to Idaho for a couple of days to learn how to flyfish. I jumped at the opportunity, having wanted to try the sport ever since seeing Brad Pitt in “A River Runs Through It”, and guessing a major swag bag was in store. I was told the founder of the company, Yvon Chouinard, who was writing a book called “Simple Fly Fishing”, would be there, and that we would be learning a new technique of flyfishing called Tenkara. What I didn’t know was that “YC”, as he is called, would be hanging out with us the entire time and be our teacher.

Yvon Chouinard is a legend in the outdoor industry and sport world. He is an accomplished rock climber, surfer, kayaker, falconer, and fly fisherman, and his contributions to those sports are recognized worldwide — as is his dedication to environmentalism. Patagonia is considered one of, if not the, most successful outdoor brands. Their integration and promotion of environmentalism is a founding tenet of the company and of particular focus at present. Read More

 

April 10, 2014

Fly Fishing Demystified

 

 

Now available in Patagonia retail stores and online is a new book entitled Simple Fly Fishing: Techniques for Tenkara and Rod & Reel, authored by the founder and owner of the company, Yvon Chouinard, in collaboration with Craig Mathews and Mauro Mazzo. It is part of a campaign being launched by the company designed to demystify fly fishing and make the sport more accessible. The book is the centerpiece of the Patagonia Simple Fly Fishing kit, which contains a tenkara-style fly fishing rod, box of flies, line and leader, and quick set up guide.

The tenkara fly rod contained in the kit has no reel and comes from a centuries-old Japanese fly fishing technique. “This is for the young person who has wanted to learn, but is intimidated by the complexity, elitism and expense of fly fishing,” notes Yvon Chouinard. “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 philosophy behind the campaign comes from Chouinard’s 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. Chouinard has found this incredibly simple technique to be highly effective at catching even the most difficult, highly selective fish. Read More

 
 

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