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 is an embarrassment of riches. I found so many great videos, in fact, that I’m holding some back for a Monday-morning festival, so make sure you’ve watched all these by then. In this F5, we’ve got fantastic stuff from around the Southern Hemisphere, from Chile to Australia, as well as three entries from our neighbor to the north. The quality of the filmaking here is right up there with a lot of the F3t and IF4 stuff, but even the more amateurishly shot video makes up for it with killer action. 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!
As a small-stream lover, I get a huge kick out of videos in which tiny waters produce big trout. This entry, from Chile, has one of the best stream-to-trout size ratios we’ve ever seen. That fish at the end is a p-i-double-g.
At the tip of Long Island, Montauk is known for its incredible fall blitzes of striped bass and false albacore. This trailer for an upcoming video shows just how spectacular the action can be.
Norlakes Steelhead Camp from Billy Labonte on Vimeo.
This is a stunning video of a trip to the Babine River in British Columbia for steelhead. There are several killer dry-fly takes here, which are just so cool to watch.
Big fish, big fish, and more big fish from Alaska’s Kanektok River. Some of the coolest footage features cohoes slamming pink topwater patterns.
CRO. Ride On from 815productions on Vimeo.
Here’s a second great video from my new pals at Cro Flies, featuring all their release footage from 2012. Looks like they did pretty well for themselves, including some seriously chunky brook trout.
Raw Cuts from chase hancock on Vimeo.
From Chase Hancock of Skinny Water Culture comes some excellent bonefish scenes. As the title suggests, there’s not much editing here, just raw footage spliced together. Warning: Some serious f-bombs sprinkled throughout.
This video from New Zealand features some amazingly hot fish that go airborne as soon as they are hooked and then just keep jumping. It’s all GoPro footage, but the action makes up for the perspective and a bit of shaky-cam.
Winter Switchin. from LeGrille Flyfishing on Vimeo.
I have a soft spot for fly-fishing videos that contain no actual fish. The stark beauty of these winter scenes, as well as the smiles of the anglers, are enough for me.
Permit following the crab fly…… from PF Flyfishing on Vimeo.
This one has a fish in it, but it’s not on the end of the angler’s line. I suspect that what happens here has happened to most of us who have chased permit. I know that it gave me a couple of flashbacks.
Ah, Iceland. I may never get there, but I can dream of casting below waterfalls to big salmon and brown trout like this guy. The musical choice is. . .um. . .interesting, but the scenery and amazing trout make up for it.
Trout 2012 from Robin Hill on Vimeo.
This is a season wrap-up from Robin Hill, and it contains some very sweet trout strikes, from trout both large and small. I love that he’s willing to follow up a slab brown trout with a scene featuring a 4-inch brookie.
Strip Strike Productions – Fraser Island – Promo Video from StripStrike Productions on Vimeo.
On the eastern coast of Australia, Fraser Island is a world heritage site because of its incredible biodiversity and unique habitat. Apparently, as this video makes clear, there’s also incredible inshore fly fishing for a variety of species. There are a few great eats on display, as well as simply massive fish.
50/50 Wild Fish Have Better Odds from Kayak Fly Angler on Vimeo.
Here’s more great stuff from British Columbia, with leaping steelhead, mountain beauty, and some suspect fish-landing skills. The editor certainly uses the musical cues to great effect, as well.
I find the scenery of the Faroe Islands to be totally mesmerizing, and the fishing looks pretty good, as well.
From the North Shore of Lake Superior comes this amazing video that features multiple species, locations, and seasons. At more than a half hour long, it’s a real time commitment, but I assure you that it’s worth the effort. You can skip the talky parts, if you’re pressed for time.
We finish up with a long video from last week’s Opening Day on one of Scotland’s famous Atlantic Salmon waters, the River Dee. How cool would it be to cast in such a historic fishery on the first day of the season? Have a great weekend!