Interview: Nick Cobler Photos Provided By Subject
You may have noticed the new "Tenkara Angler" wordmark on the cover of this magazine. That design (complete with hidden tenkara rod) was the work of Nick Cobler, a Pittsburgh area creative director, designer, and fly fisherman. Originally befriended through an admiration for his work on Instagram, as I spoke more with Nick during the logo design process, I couldn't help but want to learn a bit more about his background, both in regard to his creativity & fishing. The result is this interview, one I know you will enjoy. Nick, thanks for taking the time to give the readers of Tenkara Angler a little bit of insight into who you are. I’m really looking forward to this interview.
I first met you through Instagram as someone who was creating some really rad fly fishing designs and came to learn you have quite an extensive background in art & design. How did you get into that field of work, was it a passion you developed from a young age?
Thank you. Yes, I’ve always been interested in art and design. The first art-related book I remember picking up as a child was by David Douglas Duncan. It was a photo-journalistic account of the time he spent with Pablo Picasso. I still have it, and I can say Picasso is one of my favorite artists to this day. I grew up sketching as well. Eventually, I realized graphic design was the route I wanted to take. I graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a degree in visual communication. I’ve been in the advertising industry ever since. I spent ten years working as a creative director for Mullen / Lowe, then moved on to other agencies large and small. So I’ve done everything from production art to art direction to full blown creative direction.
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Speaking of those fly fishing designs, there are quite a few centered around the phrase “Drifters,” what does that mean?
Funny story. I, like most fishermen, have a group of friends that travel and fish together here in Pennsylvania. One summer trip a bunch of us where sitting around a fire after a great day on the waters of central PA. As we sipped a few adult beverages, I brought up the idea of having a name for our group. My good friend, Todd Lepley—proprietor of Toddopolis and a fantastic writer, coined the term ‘D.R.I.F.T.’ which evolved into ‘Dudes Really Into Finding Trout’. We laughed and the name stuck. We became Drifters. How and when did you come across tenkara? I “found” tenkara back in 2009 through the original Tenkara USA videos, not even a year after I first started fly fishing. I know some people are drawn to tenkara because of the perceived simplicity, some are just looking for something “different,” others simply admire the Japanese aesthetic. What was/is appealing about tenkara to you? Well I started fly fishing with my Dad over 30 years ago in small mountain streams. I loved catching the wild trout and going to places where it wasn’t shoulder to shoulder. I also