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 100% North American—perhaps the first time this has happened in an FFF. This narrow focus doesn’t cut down the diversity of the films, though, as we’ve got footage covering everything from steelhead, to trout, to roosterfish, to bass, to tarpon. One wonders why anyone needs to travel to other continents. Those of you interested in fishing with two-handed rods will have plenty to focus on here, as well, especially anglers wondering about using these longer rods for species other than steelhead and salmon. 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.
Down & Across from scumliner media on Vimeo.
We kick things off with a gorgeous video of fly-shop manager Sarah Roholt rocking a two-hander on the Missouri River. It’s the perfect river for a longer fly rod, and her swinging pays off with some beautiful rainbows.
This mostly POV video of bass fishing in California’s Central Valley captures the sweet calm of low-light topwater action—calm which can be suddenly shattered by a savage strike. When the sun hits the horizon, things tend to heat up, and there’s some great underwater footage here, as well.
THE GRAB – trailer from Weight Forward Films on Vimeo.
From the Central Valley, we head north to the steelhead rivers at the top of the Golden State. This is a trailer for an upcoming film called “The Grab,” due out in 2012.
Baja California is definitely on my dream list, and films such as this one make my desire to travel there even stronger. From roosterfish in the surf to bluewater sailfish, the Sea of Cortez is a fisherman’s dream.
Most people fish Colorado’s Arkansas way up in the mountains, but the tailwater section right through Pueblo obviously offers some pretty good winter angling. Some cool shots of feeding fish in slow motion are fun to watch.
Summer on the Spring (Bennett Springs, MO) from Jordan Carey on Vimeo.
I’ve never been to one of Missouri’s trout parks, but they’ve always fascinated me. My friend, and head of Orvis Rod & Tackle, Steve Hemkens grew up on these waters, and he assures me that there’s nothing easy about taking trout from this ridiculously clear, heavily pressured water.
If you like to see big tarpon jumping, this is the video for you. It also captures pretty well how much physical labor goes into landing one of these monsters. I’m not too sure about how that dude handles the fly rod, though, grabbing it way above the assist handle.
Fly Fishing for redfish in a creek from Andy Potter on Vimeo.
Here’s a neat video that shows a guy casting to redfish from a canoe in a tiny creek. Watch what happens to his reel at about 1:25, and ask yourself what you’d do in that situation. Have a great weekend!