Article by Nick Feller
Change. If there’s one thing in life that seems to stay constant, it’s change. Everything changes. Seasons and weather. Friends and relationships. Health and hopes. Everything down to the water in our own creeks and streams. Ever changing.
A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” I try to remember these words when I become overwhelmed with life’s changes. At the same time, it also helps me to take comfort in with everything that may become different, the fish remain.
The most major “change” I’ve seen in my life came in 2018, when the Camp Fire destroyed my home, along with my entire hometown of Paradise, California. There are plenty of tales that have been told about that day, but mine (thankfully) wasn’t that harrowing. It was just very surreal to come back and see the whole town that I once knew completely decimated. I also couldn’t believe how refreshing it was to trek down to one of my favorite local spots. About halfway down the descent, once the canyon walls began to eclipse your horizon, it almost became possible to forget the tragedy. And just then, I got a bite…
The moment that fish hit my fly, all of life’s worries slipped away. All I knew was to keep tension on that fish! I felt the river rushing around my legs. All I could hear was the sounds of water, the splashes echoing from the fish. After a short fight, I brought the fish to net and beheld a gorgeous little native rainbow trout. In that moment, I knew that even after a horrific event, beauty still exists if you look for it. Sometimes I need to remind myself of that.
This year wasn’t my best. It got away fast, and I didn’t get out nearly as much as I had hoped. That’s life though, right? Things change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. It’s all an ebb and flow. Just a few years ago, I slept outside for over one hundred days while backpacking. Sometimes I get too much in my own head about what I “should” or “shouldn’t” be doing. I need to tell myself to remember to just let this water flow by and enjoy the water tomorrow.
Nick Feller found tenkara while going down the rabbit hole of ultralight backpacking and fell in love. Follow Nick’s tenkara adventures on Instagram @norcaltenkara.
This article originally appeared in the 2026 print issue of Tenkara Angler magazine.
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