In Episode 36 of the Level Line Podcast, Tenkara Angler editors Mike Agneta, Matt Sment, and Anthony Naples kick things off with summer updates before Anthony decides to stir the pot, and from there, the panel dives headfirst into some of tenkara's most debated topics. Is tenkara simplicity overrated? What actually counts as "real" tenkara? What are your biggest tenkara pet peeves? Things stay lively, occasionally spicy, and always fun.
The episode wraps with the results of a recent Tenkara Angler reader and listener survey covering what the community enjoys most and wants to see more of going forward. Stick around for it, there are a few surprises in there worth hearing. We hope you enjoy this latest episode!
Episode Show Notes & Links:
0:00:06 - Welcome & Introductions
0:01:42 - Summer Updates
0:04:52 - Blind Rankings - Fish
0:13:50 - Favorite Eating Fish
0:17:49 - Is This "Tenkara"?
0:22:43 - Tenkara vs. Fixed Line Fly Fishing
0:30:15 - Tenkara Pet Peeves
0:39:49 - Is Tenkara Simplicity Overrated?
Simple Fly Fishing (https://amzn.to/4oPLMC1)
0:49:07 - Matt's One Fly Experiment
0:53:25 - Tenkara Angler Survey Results
Tenkara Angler At The Half (https://tenkaraangler.com/2026/06/08/tenkara-angler-at-the-half-a-mid-year-update/)
Sunday Morning Riffles (https://tenkaraangler.com/tag/sunday-riffles/)
DRAGONtail Newsletters (https://dragontailtenkara.com/?ref=tenang)
1:10:00 - Closing Thoughts
Want to see more? Visit Tenkara Angler (https://tenkaraangler.com)
31 May 2026
Ep. 35: Women in Tenkara & The Outdoors
In Episode 35 of the Level Line Podcast, Tenkara Angler panelist Amanda Hoffner takes the hosting chair for an all-women conversation featuring four incredible anglers from across the country: Auna Kaufmann (Wyoming), Caitlin Costa (Connecticut), and Haley Beaupre & Victoria Hussey (North Carolina).
Together, they cover everything from rod selection and fly tying to women-only tenkara events, conservation policy, mental health in the outdoors, and what makes the tenkara community feel different from the rest of the fly fishing world. A change of pace and genuinely entertaining, this one is worth the full watch & listen. We hope you enjoy this latest episode!
Episode Show Notes & Links:
00:12 – Welcome & Introductions
– Victoria: North Carolina – Victoria’s Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/crownvic63.bsky.social)
– Auna: Wyoming – Auna’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aun.the.road.again/) | Artemis Sportswomen (https://artemis.nwf.org/)
– Haley: North Carolina – Haley’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hbwnc/)
– Caitlin: Connecticut – Caitlin’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/outdoorsydesignerlife/)
03:53 – Victoria’s Gear Setup & Why Rod Weight Matters for Women
06:45 – The Fulcrum Problem: Short Arms, Long Rods & Casting Fatigue
08:21 – Auna’s Rod Selections for Wyoming’s large and small waters
12:26 – Haley: Gear Talk & Minimalist Approach
17:57 – Caitlin: Discovering Tenkara Through Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (https://www.backcountryhunters.org/)
19:17 – What Caitlin Loves About Tenkara: Packability, Simplicity & the ADHD Factor
20:30 – Connecticut’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) Program (https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/becoming-an-outdoors-woman)
21:14 – Feeling Safe, Competent & Welcomed in the Tenkara Community
22:02 – Being a Woman Alone in the Woods
23:25 – Victoria & Haley Planning a Women’s Tenkara Campout in Western NC
26:29 – Auna Announces Women’s Tenkara Event in Wyoming – August 2026
29:40 – Tenkara’s Low Barrier to Entry & High Ceiling for Mastery
30:50 – Caitlin: Nature, Mental Health & Rewriting the Outdoor Narrative
32:32 – Victoria: The Tenkara Community’s Unique, Nerdy, Nurturing Vibe
34:19 – Haley: Why Tenkara Spaces Feel More Inclusive Than Western Fly Fishing Communities
37:20 – Auna: Getting Into Tenkara Without Knowing Anyone Who Fishes It
39:48 – Auna’s Path: Wildlife Ecology, Wyoming Wildlife Federation & Conservation Lobbying
42:56 – Amanda’s Upcoming Women’s Event in New Mexico & Closing Thoughts
Want to see more? Visit Tenkara Angler (https://tenkaraangler.com)
3 May 2026
Ep. 34: Why Native Fish Matter with Bob Mallard Native Fish Coalition
In Episode 34 of the Tenkara Angler Level Line Podcast, In this episode, the Tenkara Angler panelists welcome a truly special guest: Bob Mallard, Executive Director of the Native Fish Coalition (https://nativefishcoalition.org/) (NFC) and one of the most passionate voices in native fish advocacy today.
Bob brings a remarkable background to this conversation; 15 years running a Maine fly shop on the Kennebec, hundreds of articles across publications from Fly Fisherman to Outdoor Life, five published books (including Squaretail: The Definitive Guide to Brook Trout and Where to Find Them (https://amzn.to/3QiASaE)), and co-founding the Native Fish Coalition, which has grown from a single chapter in Maine to 21 chapters spanning Maine to Arkansas in just a few years.
The NFC’s mission is simple but powerful: wild native fish, for the sake of the fish, not just for fishing. And as Bob explains in this wide-ranging conversation, that message is resonating with a new generation of anglers who are showing up in big numbers. We hope you enjoy this latest episode!
Episode Show Notes & Links:
00:10 - Introduction & Panel Welcome
02:51 - Meet Bob Mallard: Background & Career Path
- Article: Ecological Purity (https://tenkaraangler.com/2020/06/07/ecological-purity-in-praise-of-wild-native-fish/)
06:20 - The Native Fish Coalition: From One Chapter to 21
09:00 - What Makes NFC Different and Why It Attracts Young Anglers
11:13 - Pushback from the Fly Fishing Industry
12:46 - Small Streams, New Anglers & a Different Kind of Fishing Culture
14:10 - The Brown Trout Problem: Recreation vs. True Conservation
17:39 - "Traditional Fish Conservation Isn't Conservation, It's Recreation"
18:51 - NFC vs. Trout Unlimited: How They Differ
21:14 - Can Brook Trout Come Back to Limestone Streams in PA?
23:02 - Urban Stream Conservation: Finding Fish Where No One Looked
25:09 - Working With Watershed Groups Instead of Fishing Groups
25:46 - Hatcheries, License Fees & the Broken Trout Model
30:57 - Climate Change, Warming Waters & Shifting Fish Populations
35:54 - The New Hampshire Habitat Project: NFC & Tenkara Community Work Together
- Article: NFC Plants Trees on Wild Native Brook Trout Stream (https://nativefishcoalition.org/campaigns/2025/6/23/nfc-plants-trees-on-wild-native-brook-trout-stream-in-new-hampshire)
39:53 - Why Tenkara Anglers & Native Fish Conservation Are Natural Allies
- Article: Tenkara & Native Fish (https://tenkaraangler.com/2023/02/13/tenkara-and-native-fish-its-cut-and-dry)
42:46 - Bob's Books, Including Squaretail: The Definitive Brook Trout Guide (https://amzn.to/3QiASaE)
44:32 - Bob Tries Tenkara - What He Thought
49:14 - NFC Chapters, Growth & What's Next
51:03 - What You Can Do Right Now for Native Fish
- NFC Website (https://nativefishcoalition.org/) | NFC Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nativefishcoalition/) | NFC YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEz6sQn9ITtR6iYrP1HCXgg)
- Bob's Website (https://bobmallard.com/)
55:49 - Closing Thoughts & Sign-Off
Want to see more? Visit Tenkara Angler (https://tenkaraangler.com)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
396,340
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
18 ratings
Spotify
4.6 / 5
10 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
41
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
85
Contact Tenkara Angler Level Line Podcast
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