Not really true. Sure, if want a rod on the Test, you're looking at massive costs but it is mainly overpriced fishing for stocked, non-native Rainbows, designed to snag overpaid London bankers.
I fly fish, mostly small stream wild brown trout and costs are far lower. Membership of the Crediton Fly Fishing Club runs a less than £100 per season, as an example. For the forthcoming season, I will be once again buying a Wye & Usk wildstreams permit, giving access to many miles of Welsh small streams for only £80. Even daytickets on the main beats of the Wye and Usk, two of the finest trout rivers in the country, are no more than £25 or £30, less than a resturant meal.
Although no longer a member of CFFC, I go down to the Fox & Hounds hotel in Devon for opening day, when the proprietor lets us fish for free. To be honest, it is rarely warm enough to catch on anything other than deep nymphs but it's great to catch up with the blokes. I'm really looking forward to it.
As a small stream fly fisher, I have 7' and 7' 6" rods, in 3 and 4 wt, all by Orvis, who make nice slow-actioned rods. I also have a 6' 6" fibreglass rod made by a chap in the US, which is great for getting under low tree canopies. I bought a Tenkara rod a couple of years ago but haven't used it yet. It could be great on, say, Dartmoor, where there is no tree cover and you're fishing mostly pocket water. I still have a 9' 6wt Orvis Trident TLS for the odd stillwater day and a Guideline Fario 9' 5wt for bigger rivers.
If I'm honest, I'm not actually a very good fisherman. A few years ago, I had an entirely blank season, despite a whole day on Wimbleball in a boat, trips to Wales and a day with a Tenkara instructor on the Usk! Thing is, just being in the water is hugely enjoyable and catching a fish is just a bonus. I like to combine fishing with camping and when I can get a pass from the long-haired CO, I'll take off for Wales, camp for a few nights and fish all day. I'm planning on backpacking on Dartmoor this year, taking a Tenkara rod with me.