Let’s face it, there isn’t always a hatch going on, and trout aren’t always willing to attack a giant streamer … Have you ever tried swinging woolly buggers? Check out this video from The New Fly Fisher highlighting this simple but effective technique for targeting trout.
“Tarpon (1973)” the Movie
This film is a blast from the past that popped up onto our Facebook feed from a saltwater fly fishing Facebook group, and after watching the first few minutes, it was abundantly clear that it belonged in a Flylords story. The film was released back in 1973, and could definitely be considered one of the first true fly fishing films. It features more than a few familiar faces who have well achieved the title of “Fly Fishing Legend” since the film was first released.
According to IMDB, Tarpon is “The first of the modern fishing films, shot in the wild panorama of 1970s Key West. Colorful scenes of Key West from another era – with treasure hunters, smugglers, hippies, and eccentrics – are the background to stunning cinematography and tarpon fishing at its finest. Authors, Richard Brautigan, Tom McGuane, and Jim Harrison join with legendary flats guides, Woody Sexton, Gil Drake, and Steve Huff.”
This movie has it all, Key West in the ’70s, a Jimmy Buffet soundtrack, a cast of characters we’ve all come to love over the decades, and some incredible vintage footage of the early days of tarpon on the fly.
This video pairs best with a low-ball glass of Frigate Reserve Rum and a fly tying vise. Enjoy.
2022 F3T Behind the Lens: Dan’s Pain
In the latest installment of our F3T Behind the Lens series, we caught up with the team from Dorsal Outdoors to learn more about their newest film. The Dorsal Outdoors team is comprised of Ben Meadows and George Constantine who can most likely be found crunching numbers and pinching pennies while planning their next international DIY fly fishing adventure.
The latest production from Dorsal Outdoors, Dan’s Pain, takes us to Colombia in pursuit of roosters, tuna, and marlin, all while giving a lesson on humility at the cost of their dear friend Daniel Lantrip. This film is a great reminder not to take yourself, or fly fishing too seriously.
Buy your Fly Fishing Film Tour tickets here!
Flylords: In the film, Dan mentions that this trip is an annual pilgrimage and somewhat of a DIY venture. Was it difficult to find such a passionate group of people to embark on international trips?Â
Dorsal Outdoors: Funny enough the people part was easy. We’ve had a solid group of buddies that have made this trip a big priority for 14 years running now. Sure, the logistics can be complicated, but we’ve found that the friendships and adventures are all worth it. And it’s not all simple! We’ve had marriages, babies, lost jobs, terrible budgets, – and we’ve still be blessed to do this every year. We just all committed to one week a year, making it happen no matter what. It’s just a priority for us. And that commitment has allowed us to push further, and see some incredible places that we once thought would be impossible to visit.
Flylords: How did you set sights on Colombia?
Dorsal Outdoors: George was literally bored at work daydreaming on Google Earth for any spots on the planet that looked fishy. We all grew up thinking that Colombia was too sketchy to travel to, and would be off-limits. But, it’s impossible to look at that Pacific coastline and not get excited. The area has the right currents, underwater topography, and remoteness to be something special. Luck would have it that a few Facebook DMs linked us up with an excellent local captain from Bahia Solano (Nelson Tapias), who knew the waters really well but had never chartered Americans and had never worked with fly fishermen.
But what we found in Colombia is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Beautiful ecosystems. Wonderful, kind, caring, warm-hearts people. A vibrant food scene and culture. Amazing fishing. And coffee— good grief. Unbelievable coffee.
Flylords: Planning a trip to any foreign country can be riddled with unknowns. What makes the effort to travel to foreign countries so appealing when there’s a damn good chance of not catching a fish?
Dorsal Outdoors: For us, it’s always been about our “big 3†of travel— adventure, culture, fishing. Kind of a triangle of stretching your boundaries, meeting and treasuring new people, and then of course— fishing. But, over the years we’ve come to realize that the people, the places, and the experience normally outweigh the actual grand prize of catching that fish. Like with Colombia, the folks at the Mecana Eco-hotel treated us like family. We learned so much about the rainforest of the Choco, Colombian cuisine (especially coffee), and the beautiful and vibrant lives of everyone at Mecana. Luisa, Tati, and everyone there made the tuna and sailfish seem inconsequential! One night, another guest from town slammed down a Bluetooth speaker and announced there was going to be a dance party. Folks poured into the main floor of the hotel and bottles of Viche (a local liquor) started popping up. When you have experiences like that, how can fish be the best part?
Flylords: Any tips for other anglers who may be interested in international DIY fly fishing trips on a budget?
Dorsal Outdoors: We often hear “oh man, it’s gotta be nice to fly fish in unattainable locations across the globe,†which kind of implies we’re not budget-constrained. Which is funny because the majority of the guys are huge cheap-asses. Ben once booked our flights so we had to overnight in an airport to save $50 bucks. That’s really our vibe. When we start scoping out locations, we’re pounding the research on costs. We live and die by Scotts Cheap Flights. For example, we knew the budget for Colombia would only work if we keep the flight cost around $300. Which means you’re going to eat a lot of inconveniences. But, we find that means we can put more of our budget into the local economy we visit— captains, guides, hotels, etc. That matters to us. So while it’s a weird juxtaposition of ambitious trips and embarrassing budgets, we’re just a group of friends who’ve found ways to fly fish internationally on a shoestring budget.
Truly our advice is the same as a book we read in middle school by Barry and Cathy Beck. “You just have to do it.†Don’t give up on your dream to experience and fish the world because you think it’s impossible from a financial standpoint. Just because you can’t fish “that†location or “that” motherships with top-tier boats and gear, it does not mean that’s not worth traveling. Hell, we’ve caught tarpon in drainage ditches, bonefish on the side of a road, and tuna off a commercial fishing boat. Those fish and experiences are no less cool than had we spent a ton more money. “Roughing it†on a budget has allowed us to capture some unforgettable experiences. A little research and willingness to risk it has allowed us to see some amazing places and meet wonderful people.
And practically, our advice would be to find some ride-or-die friends. Bonus if you can find a Dan! (Someone who’s happy whether they catch fish… or get beat over the head by a fishing curse). Second, set a budget and stick to it. Then, hammer your flight costs— that’s going to limit your options. Be smart— some spots have really cheap flights in the “off-season†of tourism, not the fishing season! Then, link up with good guides and take good care of them. That’s going to open up doors even if you’re going to do 1/2 DIY 1/2 guiding. And then, once you’re there— soak it up. Be kind. Meet new people. Again, it’s amazing how unimportant “that†fish will become.
Flylords: This film is titled Dan’s Pain, when did your good friend Dan’s misfortune of being an unlucky fly angler become apparent? Is there any hope?
Dorsal Outdoors: We go back to 4th grade with Dan, and he really is the kindest, most-fun-loving, team player. But, put a fly rod in his hand and it’s all over. It’s a real curse. He’s a hell of a hunter and outdoorsman, putting in tons of time to his craft. But, his curse is wickedly apparent when he tries fooling fish with chicken feathers. Doesn’t matter— tuna, tarpon, bass, redfish. The curse is real.
Flylords: Is there anything you want viewers to take away from this film?
Dorsal Outdoors: We as fly anglers get a bad wrap of being elitist and unattainable. But, we all know that the sport is filled with wonderful scrappy people! Hell, George and Ben started fishing on loaner rods and then “upgraded†to used rods off of eBay rods as they learned the sport. Still to this day, Dan throws a kit rod when he’s fishing at home. So, we hope this film shows an authentic side of fly fishing. You don’t have to have a ton of money to find joy in fly fishing. You don’t have to stick a trophy fish, with an elite guiding operation, in the bottom of the 9th, with your life on the line just to have fun. You can find joy in fly fishing anywhere you chose. You can fish international bonefish flats, or a drainage ditch behind a Walmart (aka biggest bass on the fly we’ve ever caught). What’s actually important is the time you get to spend with close friends/family experiencing new places and meeting wonderful people from all cultures of the world. That’s what makes the journey worth it.
Flylords: What’s next for Dorsal Outdoors?Â
Dorsal Outdoors: We started this journey with a “make it happen, best foot forward” mentality. We are blessed to have worked with some awesome folks along the way that have opened up some exciting opportunities for us. From 10,000ft? We hope to continue telling authentic stories that inspire and excite anglers. On a more granular level, we’re excited to be launching a series soon, The Dorsal Chronicles, that centers around exactly what we talked about today— a passion for the outdoors, with good friends… on a budget.
You can catch Dan’s Pain at the Fly Fishing Film Tour stop nearest you. Be sure to follow the Dorsal Outdoors Crew on Instagram (@dorsaloutdoors, @_benmeadows, @the_constantine) to see what DIY trip they’re up to next.
IFTD 2022 Exhibitor Floorspace Has Sold Out
IFTD 2022 is on for this March, and despite some concern over dealer and industry attendance, the annual AFTA show has sold out of vendor booths. This is incredible news, especially considering the show was postponed from its traditional show dates in October. This year’s IFTD will be held in Salt Lake City, and will certainly be a show for the books after a few years without a show thanks to COVID-19.
Our friends over at Angling Trade wrote a great op-ed piece about why they’re looking forward to 2022’s IFTD, and you can read that here!
Video of The Week: A Wandering Short Story with the Skiff Wanderer
In this week’s Video of the Week, we catch up with Pete Kaple of The Skiff Wanderer and Zach Landry on their most recent skiff camping trip to the south Texas coast. From tough weather conditions, camp supervisors that follow the rules to a “T”, parking lot cheeseburgers, and some fish mixed in makes for a video you definitely don’t want to miss.
We got a chance to sit down with Pete and ask a few questions about the trip as well:
Flylords: What made you want to do this trip? Was it a weather window or a good fishing report?Â
Pete: Zach was in town for the holidays and we wanted to do something different. We originally wanted to camp out of the skiff, but we realized the weather wouldn’t be ideal for us to safely do that. I’d briefly fished South Texas the year before, but had enough time to realize it was a place I needed to revisit. After the trip in 2021, I was just waiting for the stars to align, and slowly they started to. The week before we left, when we finally had a good look at the forecast, we made the final decision to pack up the skiff and head south.Â
Flylords: Did you guys scout or have previous knowledge of the water before heading down or was it a more “figure it out as we go†mentality?Â
Pete: I had fished there once, but once for a couple of hours. I’d also looked at some satellite images, which are a helpful tool but in the end, they don’t tell you everything. Zach and I both have a “figure it out as we go†mentality toward fishing. I think that mindset has been extremely helpful in getting us to explore new places. It’s definitely led to some really long poles with very few fish, but it’s also allowed us to find some hidden gems.
Flylords: With the warmer months coming up do you see more Skiff Wanderer camping and fishing adventures?Â
Pete: Definitely. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least five big adventures I’ve got planned for this year. Honestly, that’s why I put Wanderer in the name of the channel. Before I started the channel, I used to spend weeks on the road crisscrossing the country just camping and hiking. Adventure is part of who I am and it always will be. I’ve finally gotten to a point where I can do more of that with Skiff Wanderer, and I can’t wait to share those adventures with everyone.Â
FlyLords: Last but not least, what is something you wish you knew or are thankful that you learned for the future on this trip?Â
Pete: If you’re taking a skiff camping, call where you’re going to be staying and ask what the parking situation is for a boat. You might have to rent an RV spot for the night, even if you’re camping. Also, in the winter months, throw some hand warmers in the boat. It’s pretty tough to throw a fly rod when you can’t feel your fingers.Â
Huge thanks to Pete for answering these questions on such short notice. We can’t wait to see the upcoming content. In order to stay up to date on the Skiff Wanderer’s adventures drop them a follow here: @theskiffwanderer
Be sure to check out these rad articles as well!
Video of the Week: The Skiff Wanderer Rough Log Ep. 26 with Alex Blackwell
How to Tie: The BULKHead Deceiver
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Gunnar Brammer ties one of the most basic yet effective predator flies, the BULKHead Deceiver.
Difficulty: Easy
Among the predator flies game, no tyer may be more infamous than Bob Popovics. His creations revolutionized tying and fishing for big predator species everywhere in the world. The beauty of these flies is their light weight composition, which is comprised mainly of bucktail, and their exceptional movement. If you have not tied streamers with bucktail before, the BULKHead Deceiver is the fly to break to seal.
Whether you are targeting bass, pike, striped bass, musky, or just about any other predatory species you can think of, this fly will get the job done. The BULKHead construction makes this fly push water when stripped, sparking attention and curiosity which is key especially in pike/musky fishing. Matching the “hatch” for large baitfish can be difficult, as tying larger flies typically means heavier weight and more difficultly when casting. The BULKHead Deceiver will match the profile of those larger baitfish, while being lightweight and easier to cast than almost every other large pattern.
For predator streamers, this comes in at one of the easiest to tie. With limited materials and no complex tying details, tyers of all proficiencies should be able to tie the BULKHead Deceiver with no problem. Bucktail does the work for you in the water, so even if the fly isn’t the best looking, cast it and wait for the magic to unfold. Tying this fly in different colors is a great way to imitate different baitfish and add to your predator aresenal. The BULKHead Deceiver is a fly that all anglers should have in their fly box, and never be without when hunting for predators.
Ingredients:
- Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S 4/0
- Bucktail: 2 sizes
- Flash: Hedron Polar Flash
- Thread: 140 Veevus Power Thread
Now you know how to tie the BULKHead Deceiver!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Gunnar Brammer.
Fly Tying & Fishing Alaska with Jonathan Farmer
Jonathan Farmer is a man of many talents, and fly tying happens to be at the top of that list. He is a passionate career fly tyer and fly fisherman who lives in Alaska. His flies mainly consist of spey flies and streamers made for giant rainbow trout and steelhead! Read below to hear more about Jonathan’s flies and his inspiration for Midnight Sun Custom Flies.
Flylords: Who is Jonathan Farmer?
Jonathan: I grew up fishing bass tournaments and that initiated my love for fishing. When I was 17 I went to a Young Life camp in Colorado. They taught me to fish in the San Juan river and it was incredible. It had me sold on fly fishing, but I didn’t get insanely into it until I moved to Alaska many years later. I lived all over and got really into skiing, that was my thing for a long while. When I came to Alaska I became a ski patroller at Alyeska Resort and ended up doing that for eight years. I found some good friends that were into fishing on the Kenai Peninsula and I absorbed whatever they would teach me. I started tying flies to save money, and now I own my own fly tying company, Midnight Sun Custom Flies.
Flylords: When did you start tying flies?
Jonathan: Seven years ago I started tying flies and I’ve been doing it for a living for about six. I guess you get pretty decent at it pretty quick when you tie 500 dry flies over the course of one winter. I originally started tying flies because I thought I would save money, haha I now know how untrue that is. One summer I spent almost every day fishing and I would buy a couple of dry flies a day, and it added up. That’s when I decided to start tying my own, and I was feeling amazing. There were some 100 plus fish days and of course, my first flies were horrible but I started figuring it out and it was working. I still look back on my first flies and cannot believe how they even worked because they looked so bad!
Flylords: How did you decide to pursue fly tying as a career?
Jonathan: The first flies I ever sold were at Alyeska resort, I was a ski patroller there and during the summers they had a small fly shop in the resort. I also harassed the owner of Mossy’s Fly Shop to let me put some flies out on consignment. Over 100 intruders sold in one day along with some other trout flies and I was stoked. My flies continued to be on consignment for a couple of years. An OPST rep bought some of my flies from Mossy’s and a few days later I got a call from OPST in Washington. They asked me if I would be interested in tying commercially, and I enthusiastically said yes. I ended up parting ways with OPST a few years ago, but I am incredibly grateful to them for everything they did for me. I decided to take a break from large wholesale orders and started selling more on my website.
Flylords: What’s your favorite fly to tie?
Jonathan: Some of my most popular flies I really am sick of tying, but I still fish them and they sell great. The Beast of Burden and Shuresock are both super fun to tie. The Beast of Burden is probably my favorite because it has a unique story behind it. The first day I fished it, I caught a really nice steelhead and I realized the potential it had. It’s been fished in Alaska, Washington, and all over.
Flylords: What are your flies made for?
Jonathan: My flies are mainly made for swinging, they are big and made for steelhead, rainbows, and salmon. I make my flies extremely durable, and I believe that is a necessity for any fly fishing, but especially Skagit and Spey fishing. Some of my customers purchase my flies just because of how durable they are, I build them to last. I do occasionally make special orders of saltwater flies for tarpon, bonefish, and other tropical species. Although I am picky with what special orders I pick, it is fun to change it up now and then to different fly styles.
Flylords: What is your favorite species to fish for?
Jonathan: Steelhead are without a doubt my favorite species to fish for. It has really bummed me out to see so many people on the Kenai Peninsula fishing at the crack of dawn to get a spot, but nothing beats steelhead fishing. I also really enjoy king and silver salmon fishing. I feel like silver are like lesser steelhead, they still fight insanely hard.
Flylords: What advice would you give to a beginning fly tyer?
Jonathan: Keep it simple. Start small and work up from there. Size 10, 12, or 14 are good places to start. I think learning to manage the size of a shank and calculating how to wrap thread is very important. There is a space for the body, hackle, thread head, and finding what goes where is helpful. Crowding the head is a common mistake that I make now and then, just take your time and make the effort to get it right. Wooly buggers are always a solid place to start, play around with tying them and then work your way up to streamers and such.
Flylords: Can people take fly tying lessons with you?
Jonathan: Yes, I do online classes that are available on my website. There are some instructional videos I have on youtube that you can watch for free. For more advanced fly tyers I do offer one on one fly tying, where we focus on a certain skill or fly. Interested people can purchase classes on my website or reach out to me via email, phone, or Instagram.
Follow Johnathan Farmer on Instagram or Facebook to keep up with his Alaskan fly tying and fishing adventures!
Life or Death Moment for Florida’s Water Quality Progress
Florida’s water issues are again making national waves. This time around the news does not involve massive fish kills or ribbon-cutting ceremonies for restoration projects. No, this Florida water issue is about politics and an obscure attempt by some Florida State Senators to undermine all the progress achieved for Everglades restoration and water quality. Last week, Captains for Clean Water sounded the alarm on this backdoor plan, securing tens of thousands of signatures opposing the plan and organizing dozens of fishing guides and business owners at the State House to demand accountability. Before we dive in, be sure to sign the PETITION TODAY and continue to be engaged on this developing legislation.
SB 2508
The issue at the center of all of this is Senate Bill 2508, a budget-conforming bill that circumvents the traditional process for how a bill becomes a law. It’s basically a budget procedure where the FL Senate Appropriations Committee can fast-track the bill to the Senate Floor. Another important part of this is that budget-conforming bills are not intended for substantive policy altering legislation. Yet, that is exactly what SB 2508 would do. The bill was released late Friday February 4th, before a hearing was held last Wednesday, February 9th. Considering the complexities of SB 2508 this seems like a suspicious and rapid timeline. According to Captains for Clean Water and the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), which was not the consulted, the bill would:
- Prioritize agricultural interests (mainly water supply for the sugar industry) over all other uses.
- Lines 242-274 of the bill would hamstring water management by requiring that any changes do not impact the existing water users or diminish their current water allocations.
- Constrain and possibly jeopardize funding for the critical EAA reservoir project, which would have the greatest impact on reducing harmful discharges by sending more water to the Everglades.
- Lines 337-339 strikes explicit funding for the EAA reservoir project and replaces it with a list of other Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects (the EAA is included). However, the issue here is that this change would dilute the stream of state funds for the EAA reservoir, further delaying and jeopardizing the single most important project for Everglades restoration. Captain Chris Wittman of Captains for Clean Water, calls the EAA reservoir the “crown jewel of Everglades Restoration.”
- Hinder the South Florida Water Management District’s ability to effectively manage Lake Okeechobee and prevent the harmful discharges to the St Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers.
- According to a SFWMD staff memo, this bill “threatens the SFWMD by indicating the legislature will not pay out any past CERP appropriations unless these new lake management policies are executed. These new lake policies jeopardize the health of our estuaries and the Everglades. This threat means current work on Everglades projects may have to stop if the Legislature does not allow SFWMD to pay for Everglades projects we’re building now.”
- Disrupts and end runs the years-long public and transparent process with all stakeholders to develop a new lake regulation schedule (Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual) pursuant to a bill drafted in secret, by placing the interests of the one industry above all other stakeholders, per the SFWMD memo.
Quite simply, this bill would wipe out years of progress and work towards improving South Florida’s water quality by messing with the intricacies of the EAA reservoir project and LOSOM –much to benefit the very industry that has played a significant role in Florida’s water crises, the sugar industry.
Unfortunately, SB 2508 passed the Appropriations Committee 16-4 after hours of public comment from guides, business owners, and stakeholders opposing the measures. The full Florida Senate is scheduled to vote on SB 2508 Thursday, February 17th. If the bill passes, there will still be opportunities to block the bill, but it becomes more and more complicated. That is why ramping up the pressure ahead of the Thursday vote is essential.
View this post on Instagram
What can you do?
First and foremost, sign THE PETITION, organized by Captains for Clean Water, which also provides informative context. The petition is at 37,000 signatures at the time of this article. As the petition and larger movement grow, Â SB 2508 and all its flaws become weaker and weaker. Share and spread the word on social media, to your fishing buddies, to anyone who cares about clean water and healthy estuaries. If you are a Florida resident, contact your State Senator today and let them know you oppose SB 2508–HERE is a link to connect with your respective Senator.
View this post on Instagram
What are people saying?
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: “I have been a champion for Everglades restoration and oppose any measure that derails progress on reducing harmful discharges and sending more water to the Everglades. Moreover, I reject any attempt to deprioritize the EAA Reservoir project south of Lake Okeechobee.Rather than advancing legislation seeking to affect a major change in policy, SB 2508 is being rammed through the budget process, short-circuiting public engagement and leaving affected agencies in the dark.”
- Daniel Andrews, Executive Director, Captains For Clean Water: “This is the worst legislation we’ve ever seen. This is life or death for the Everglades.â€
- Gil Smart, Policy Director, Friends of the Everglades: “If this bill, SB 2508, passes, make no mistake: We will be looking at another toxic-algae crisis. In 2013, 2016 and again in 2018 our toxic algae crises became a national, even international news story, with people around the world wondering how Florida could let this happen. So I’d put this question to those of you on this panel. Why would we let this happen again?”
- Captain Benny Blanco, Everglades and Biscayne National Parks: “The Everglades is at risk. My livelihood is at stake. Your livelihood is at stake. Clean water all around the state of Florida is at stake.”
- Captain Dustin Pack, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper: “Not everyone goes to Orlando to see Micky Mouse. Most people come here to go to our waterways, our beaches, go fishing, go scuba diving, you name it. All of that revolves around clean water.
- Captain Tyler Kapela, Tampa Bay: “Have you seen 20 miles of death out on the water and water so toxic that it pollutes the air we can’t even breath? That is because of the supercharged red tides caused by Lake Okeechobee. If you allow this bill to pass, it will happen again and continue to happen. All of our estuaries are in a death spin, because you [Senate Appropriation Committee Members] are messing with water management.â€
- Captain Will Benson Key West, Lower Keys Guides Association: “My business depends on water and a healthy environment. This bill is prioritizing and holding hostage the Governor’s Budget and all of the progress we’ve made on Everglades restoration and handing it over to the industry that harms these environments. This is a handout to those industries that receive subsidies and hide behind foreign import quotas, and it stands in opposition to small businesses like ours.â€
- Captain Rhett Morris, Charlotte Harbor: “I’m representing a groundswell that is building against the status quo. I’m here today to make sure that everybody knows this groundswell is watching what happens today. Are we going to give up all the support for coastal economies and tourism for one small special interest group?  When you compare those monies, there is no comparison.â€
- Captain Mike Holliday, Stuart: “This horrid bill will divert funds meant for the construction of the EAA Reservoir, negate the positive aspects of LOSOM for our coastal residents, and essentially it will stall any effort to find effective solutions to our water issues. If you vote for this bill, your legacy will be the total collapse of South Florida’s billion-dollar water-based economies.â€
Stand up for South Florida’s water, fisheries, ecosystems, and economies. Be sure to sign the Captains for Clean Water petition and stay engaged on this issue pertaining to the health and conservation of our country’s amazing natural resources.
Fishing Tips: Fishing with Streamers
Fishing with streamers is one of the most effective ways to hone in on catching big fish. Check out these tips from the Huge Fly Fisherman. These tips will surely improve your streamer game.
Behind the Photo: Mid-Air Dragonfly Eat
Mid-air trout shots aren’t easy to capture, and harder yet are mid-air shots of trout eating a fly, and John Fallon managed to do both in this shot. Captured on a wild Pennsylvania stream during a decent hatch, it took a lot of skill, and even more luck to capture. Check out John’s advice for nailing a shot like this below!
View this post on Instagram
From @Fallon_Outdoors:
“Quick rundown on how this shot came about.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about it.
The camera was a Sony A6000. Shutter speed was 1/1600 of a second. F 6.3 Auto ISO
I was at a location where there was about a half dozen brown trout feeding very actively. Most of the action was them just sipping bugs off of the surface. I don’t know what the hatch was, still learning about that stuff.
Every once in awhile a fish would shoot out of the water like this, I never saw if the fish was jumping for a bug, or if one was ever caught.
I sat there photographing the action for several hours, a lot of the time I would just focus on the center of the hole and let the shutter fly! Hundreds of photos of nothing, but once in awhile I’d catch a nice roll or part of a jump.
This photo was edited in Lightroom first for shadows and highlights then in Snapseed I used the brush tool to darken the dragonfly to help it stand out more. I’m nowhere near a professional so I’m sure my half ass editing skills is possibly making it look somewhat fake?
Believe me or not, I honestly don’t care.
I definitely got very lucky with this shot, but I didn’t just walk up to a stream and catch this in five minutes with my cellphone.
I put in a ton of time in this hobby and usually walk away with very little or nothing at all. You can’t get lucky if you don’t put yourself in the right place at the right time.”
