Friday (the13th!) Film Festival 05.13.11

Friday 13

Welcome to the Friday the 13th edition of the OrvisNews.com Friday Film Festival, in which we scour the Internets for the best fly-fishing footage available. This week, we’ve got Atlantic salmon on Russia’s Kola Peninsula, barramundi Down Under, native brookies in the Shenandoah, and lots more. Don’t worry: there’s nothing scary. (Thanks to Orvis designer extraordinaire James Daley for tweaking our logo to match the occasion.) Enjoy the show!


RAW salmon from columbus leth on Vimeo.

Atlantic-salmon fishing is often presented as a tweedy, genteel Sport of Kings, but these anglers on Russia’s Kola Peninsula seem to be taking their cues from the hardcore steelhead crowd. The look on the guy’s face near the end–as a salmon peels line off his reel–is priceless, and his reaction to what happens next is the mark of a true sportsman.

Gone Fishing from Brian Canavan on Vimeo.

At the other end of the spectrum is this “regular guy” scouting trip to find native brook trout in the Shenandoah Mountains of Virginia. There’s nothing extreme here–no huge fish, no stunning cinematography–but it’s great to see the excitement and enthusiasm of someone who is still learning the sport. I’m pretty sure we can all relate to both the anticipation of the unknown and the giddiness that comes from having your expectations exceeded.

Did you ever think, “Gee, having my own helicopter would be awesome”? If not, here’s proof that having access to a whirlybird opens up all kinds of fishing opportunities. In this case, the angler chases big barramundi on the southern coast of Australia. The bonus is watching the guy with the fly rod outfish his mate with the baitcaster.

El Hueso from chase hancock on Vimeo.

The guys from Skinny Water Culture know how to have a good time, especially when they’re on the flats of Andros Island in The Bahamas. However, one of these guys needs a refresher course on fish handling, and the other needs to wear a belt.

O, to be trekking through the backcountry of New Zealand in search of “Mystery Water”! You may have to walk a long way way between fish, but the beauty of the landscape and the size of the trout is a pretty good trade for all that effort.

Project Healing Waters from Gino Siller on Vimeo.

Project Healing Waters is a wonderful organization that hosts disabled veterans on fly-fishing trips, working on the assumption that being in nature and the sound of moving water have restorative powers. This short film profiles a few volunteers and a few attendees at an event in northern Colorado. It’s pretty inspiring stuff.

Finally, we’ve got some more Scandinavian goodness, with lots of great footage of big browns eating dry flies. That camp food looks pretty tasty, as well. Have a great weekend!

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