It’s easy to get into the gear. For most hobbies, half of the appeal is in acquiring the stuff needed to do the thing – fishermen, golfers, and cyclists seem to be the best/worst at this.

I was gifted a Tenkara rod, which is pretty damn minimal in and of itself. On the first trip out, of course, I broke it (at least I thought I did)

(this was shot at a riverside campground in Jonesborough, which is no longer there due to the destructive floods in the wake of Helene)

Rod, line, fly. No frills. As simple as it gets. Not unlike the stick/ shoelace/ paperclip fishing setups as I fished the fetid pond near my home when I was like 8.

Also, the Tenkara fits neatly under the backseat of my truck. It’s always just, like, there. Perfect for the random turnouts when I have twenty minutes between places.

I keep my sling pack in the truck, which is loaded with all the silly flies I’ve collected over the years. Also: snips and forceps and a waterproof pouch for a phone, binoculars, a notepad (no pen, apparently) and the cheap, spare reel I picked up at a garage sale years ago.

The sling isn’t intrusive, but it’d be nice to reduce what’s in it so it can fit more essential items: water, sandwiches, etc.

The next project: minimal fishing waders. Like, super minimal. Few things bother me more than having to hike around in waders/ wading boots, pulling them off and on between sessions, and the general cost and maintenance of them. My solution? Strip ’em down.

I have two pairs of Keen shoes that are built for water/ boating, like heavy-duty sandals. Perfect for walking in and out of water. Most rivers in the Carolinas during the summer are refreshing to wade into with bare legs, but the Keens aren’t great for traction on the mossy-rock riverbeds. Solution? Acquiring felt soles to adhere to the Keens. A quick weekend project, more to come.