Welcome to another edition of the OrvisNews.com Friday Film Festival, in which we scour the Web for the best fly-fishing footage available. This week’s collection is an eclectic mix of species and location, but without some of our regular subjects. What makes me particularly happy is the number of small-stream videos, which are my favorites. Pretty much anyone can make a huge, big-river trout seem exciting, but it takes a little more filmmaking skill to sell the joys of casting to small fish on small water. I still await our big influx of New Zealand and South America footage, which must be coming soon. (C’mon folks, get thee to the editing machine and show us what you got.) Remember, we surf so you don’t have to. But if you do stumble upon something great that you think is worthy of inclusion in a future FFF, please post it in the comments below. See you next week with a fresh set of films!
Overgrown II – Fly Fishing for Wild Brown Trout on an English Stream from Adam Rawson on Vimeo.
Here’s a great short video from a small stream in England. As far as self-shot videos go, this one is very well done, featuring lots of great trout takes. It helps when there are giant mayflies on the surface.
Milkfish from X-Stream Fly on Vimeo.
The Milkfish is the sole living species in the family Chanidae. But what’s really important is the way it eats a worm fly off the surface and peels line off a reel. I want one!
Our friend Ivan, of Yukon Goes Fishing, leaves the friendly waters around Missoula to float the Missouri with some buddies. Big trout and hijinks ensue.
Creek Smallies from Currents on Vimeo.
Smallmouths on the fly are a blast, and the opportunity to catch them from a small stream is even better. Here’s a very short look at some Wisconsin bronzeback action, featuring a couple lovely bass.
In case anyone doubts that we’ve got more than 6-inch native brookies here in the 802 (that’s how all the cools refer to Vermont these days), here’s some springtime streamer action for brown trout. The quality of the video isn’t anything to write home about, but the brownies sure make up for it. Huzzah for the home team!
We’ve posted several Spanish barbel-fishing videos before, but none have shown such great dry-fly fishing as this one. You can tell from the stealthy approaches by the anglers and the frequent refusals that these fish are no easy targets.
Bonefish Las Salinas Cuba 2012 from Daniel Baggenstos on Vimeo.
There are some beautiful bonefish in this short from Cuba. The chance to catch baby tarpon in mangrove creeks looks like a blast, as well. [Insert standard political disclaimer here.]
Salmonfly Canyon from TerraGrass Productions on Vimeo.
Here’s another video that may not meet the highest technical standards, but it captures a great day on a western river with a fishing buddy and the dogs. Big salmonflies on the water mean plenty of fish to the net.
Spring Update #2 – West Slope Sierra from Nathan Lishman on Vimeo.
This is the story of one seriously big rainbow, from spotting it to landing it, in the Sierra Nevada. That is simply a gorgeous trout.
Rocky Ford Creek, in eastern Washington, is known for its big, wary rainbows and its toothy rattlesnakes. That fish at the end, while good-size, looks like its seen better day, though.
Bow River Sipper from Fish Tales Fly Shop on Vimeo.
This is how we all picture it: you find a big fish rising with regular rhythm in a current seam. All the angler has to do is make the right cast with the right fly. Think he can do it?
This trailer for a documentary about Reel Recovery is part of a Kickstarter campaign that filmmaker Travis Swartz is using to raise money for the project: “For years I have wanted to make a film that gives folks a glimpse at the hypnotic and rejuvenating side of fly fishing but had not yet found the right story. When my good friend (and partner in this endeavor) Reese Ferguison introduced me to the Reel Recovery organization, I knew I had found my story.” Visit the Kickstarter page here.
Down ‘n Dirty from 0031flyfishing on Vimeo.
We finish off with an epic trip into the Austrian Alps by a group of fishing buddies. They hope to fish dry flies, but the weather causes them to go to Plan B. But no matter, there are still gorgeous locations and some sweet fish. Have a great weekend!