Welcome to another edition of the OrvisNews.com Friday Film Festival, in which we scour the Web for the best fly-fishing footage available. Last week, I asked you to weigh in with your likes and dislikes when it comes to watching these videos, and I thank all who offered their opinions. The winner of the “Sipping Dry” DVD giveaway, who was chosen at random from all comments, was “mlewis,” who wrote:
being a total noob @ flyfishing i Like just about everything in FFF. Love small mountain streams wayout there. Loved the vid couple weeks back featuring tenkara. Love Go Pro video that are like short stories with killer soundtrack…about my only dislike is the video that is hosted by vimeo. Some video on my device dont play with my adobe. Keep up the great work while i teach myself to tie this winter and save for a superfine touch full flex.: )….then maybe some spey casting leasons woohoo
I do know that the folks at vimeo continue to work on and improve the compatability of their videos with all devices. It’s a work in progress. As a bonus, I had Simon Perkins, who directed “Sipping Dry” sign the DVD case for our winner. (Now I’ll know if he tries to sell it on ebay.)
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!
Scanout.com // Pure Love from Scanout on Vimeo.
We kick things off with a really gorgeous video from a new photography/video collective based in Norway called Scanout. Great direction, music, fish, and that dude can cast.
cobes from Capt. Nick Angelo on Vimeo.
This video is basically a cobia version of the popular “Bull’s on Top” redfish video. These big fish follow, chase, and sometimes eat topwater flies. It’s a blast to try to anticipate what’s gonna happen on each retrieve: eat it, eat it, eat it, . . .AWWWW, man!”
From Japan comes a one-man video that does a great job of telling a story, while incorporating the scenery, fish, and sense of solitude that come from such a journey. I really enjoyed this one.
Bow and Arrow’d Brown… from Peter Broomhall on Vimeo.
This is a short video of dubious quality, but it’s a great illustration of what the bow-and-arrow cast—which Pete Kutzer demonstrated in this week’s Tuesday Tip—can do for you. That’s a sweet brown trout pulled from a difficult lie.
We featured two incredible videos of New Zealand fishing from Dave and Amelia Jensen last week, and here’s a look at the high mountain lake in British Columbia where they have a lodge. I’ve never seen huge brook trout chase streamers like this, and in the clear green water they look like submarines.
Everglades Fly Fishing from Andy Lee on Vimeo.
Good stuff from the Everglades, with an unorthodox soundtrack choice that ends up working really well. I love the shot of the baby tarpon rolling in the mangroves, and there’s plenty of airborne action to go with it.
Radnorshire Trout from Luke Bannister on Vimeo.
Luke Bannister is a regular in the FFF (now, perhaps more accurately, the FFFFF), representing the quieter, more contemplative version of the sport. Here he is on a small stream in the Welsh marshes, casting to wild brown trout.
Here’s the latest from Stefan at frontsidefly.com, but don’t expect the usual fare. This is somewhat a tale of woe, but it captures an experience we’ve all endured: traveling to a new spot with high hopes that don’t pan out. If you do need a dose of the group’s usual hijinx, though, check out the photo they used from this trip on their blog. Warning: This is something you can’t un-see. Oh yeah, make sure you hit the “cc” button on the YouTube viewer for English subtitles, if they don’t show up automatically.
Brooks, Cutts, and Kokanees from Riley Hollenbaugh on Vimeo.
Tired of the modern world? Then make your fly-fishing video look like it was shot on Super 8 film! Plenty of great action from the Colorado high country.
FINSATIC from SEVEN FINS on Vimeo.
Here’s a video from 7Seven Fins, based in Chilean Patagonia. It’s got a cool, dark vibe with one surprising blast of color. Plenty of leaping fish, too.
This isn’t the best video, but I just love the idea of chasing redfish in these narrow creeks along the Texas coast. Indulge me.
The Oak from Andrew Nisbet on Vimeo.
Sometimes, the same-old-same-old of fly-fishing video starts to weigh on a guy trying to put together a weekly film festival, so it’s always exciting to discover something unusual. The director of this video is going after a starkness that is unnerving. Shot on (I assume) Oak Orchard Creek, a tributary of Lake Ontario, it offers no soundtrack, no faces, and exaggerated sound effects. It’s pretty cool.
There are slab trout galore in this video from Colorado. The big boys come out in fall, and these guys apparently know how to find them.
Phones for you from Ohio Steelhead Drifters on Vimeo.
The guys at Ohio Steelhead Drifters know how to keep things short and sweet. Straight to the good stuff and then out.
Scanout.com // The Hunt :: Salmon fishing from Scanout on Vimeo.
More from Scanout, the folks who brought us the first video above. This one has lots of great dry-fly fishing for Atlantic salmon in remote Northern Labrador. I expect these folks to be regulars in the Friday roundups, if they continue to make such fine fly-fishing videos. I think that this is a lodge advertisement, but I don’t care. That little girl rules, too.
Finally, here’s an excellent episode of “Wild on the Fly” shot in Belize, featuring all manner of salty species, from tarpon to boxfish. Have a great weekend!